As a dramatic piece, this was about as good as any made-for-tv movie of the 1970's. The costumes and sets were actually very vivid depictions of life in 1911 New York.
The personal situations were convincing and portrayed more than just the facts of the tragic fire.
However, this account of the fire which killed 146 people departs in significant areas from accounts of the actual incident.
While parts of the story accurately depict real life occurrences, such as the factory supervisor attempting to extinguish the fire instead of evacuating the affected floors, other details were absolutely fabricated and contradict the historical account.
The actual fire was caused by a factory worker carelessly disposing of a cigarette. As this was not sympathetic to the plight of the workers, the cause of the fire in the film was faulty wiring in an overhead lamp. Fire exits were kept locked intentionally by the factory owners, but in the film the only blocked fire door was due to a broken lock for which the key was kept hanging next to the door.
In the real incident, 20 people died as a result of using a fire escape which wasn't maintained and collapsed. This was omitted entirely from the film.
One character jumped into an elevator shaft and rode the top of the elevator to safety. In reality, 19 women died after jumping into the elevator shaft.
In the film, the only child present in the factory was the visiting daughter of the factory supervisor. In reality, half of the 122 women who died on March 24, 1911 at the Triangle Factory were teenagers. The remaining victim, who died six days later in the hospital, was 16 year old sewing machine operator, Sarah Cooper, who initially survived the jump from the 9th floor.
For a compelling period drama about the lives of factory workers in 1911 New York, I recommend this movie. For an accurate account of the tragic fire, there are several documentary films which are available online.
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troybeer26 March 2020
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Charlotte Rae Fan15 March 2002This movie was very good, and very dramatic. We watched it in history! (I was thrilled, cause Charlotte Rae is in it!) Anyway, it was a very well written movie and the cast is VERY talented! It feels like you're really there watching it. It gets a little too realistic when people were jumping out windows to escape burning to death.
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Nick-13431 December 1998Though the populous of this board doesn't agree with me, I liked this movie. I saw it in my Social Studies class. Mr. Pelton tied it in with Immigration. But hey, at least it's better than class work.
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A pit in my stomach became larger with the vision of two young women knowingly jumping to their death with the knowledge it's either jump or burn with the Triangle Clothing Factory burning, filled with overworked employees who never made it out alive. They look on at each other in tears, saying goodbye as they acknowledged that this was their fate in life. Documentaries on the history of New York always mention this, and it's been part of historical references in a number of other movies and part of plot developments in musical theater ("Rags"), the heartfelt loss of life making changes in employee safety a necessary alteration to working conditions across the country.
Painful to watch, but necessary viewing for a different view of social studies, this combines obvious fact with some fiction, and a very good cast including Tom Bosley as the hard-nosed supervisor learning a lesson too late about his mistreatment of humanity, Charlotte Rae as a tough matchmaker, Stephanie Zimbalist, Tovah Feldshuh and Stacy Nelkin as three of the girls and David Dukes as a leader for immigrant rights who should have added worker rights to his fight. The type of film that makes you think, especially as worker right issues seem to be regressing instead of advancing. One of the best TV movies and historical dramas of the 70's. -
Film version of the notorious Triangle Shirt Waist Factory Fire in 1911 that saw over a hundred people, most of them young immigrant girls, perish, and most of them from jumping.
The factory was on the top three floors of an eleven story building and had no access for fire escapes or any other form of rescue should a fire break out.
The film here follows the story of four young women who work there. We are given tired plots of Stephanie Zimbalist and her two-timing boyfriend, who is cheating with a good friend of hers, Gina (played by Stacy Nelkin, the only one with a foreign accent).
It seems that David Dukes may have been some form of early champion for workers, and Zimbalist has an uninteresting moment of feminism (she protests the womens' purses being searched and the men's pockets not getting the same treatment).
Ted Wass was the philandering Vinnie. In real life, Wass was married to Janet Margolin, who here is paired up with David Dukes.
Tom Bosley of Happy Days was the boss, and Charlotte Rae is very impressive as a woman who arranges marriages for young people. She would have a small scene and wouldn't be in the fire, but nevertheless, she is very convincing here in this part.
Also keep an eye out for a very young Valerie Landsburg, who had played Doris on Fame. Here she is a young hair-bowed girl named Loretta.
But outstanding is Rhoda Gemighani as Mary Grasso, Loretta's mother.
Even with Tovah Feldshuh, Janet Margolin and Stephanie Zimbalist, it seems that unknown Lauren Frost as Sonya is the central character.
The fire would start in the most low key manner, which made it all the more effective. From there, we would be subjected to our cast surprised, running then desparate to escape, finally realizing all is lost in some instances, in others being saved by the grace of God.
Feldshuh's fate is a bit odd and peculiar, Dukes and Margolin was the stuff movies are made for, then it would be the incredible moment with Gemighani that captured what happened that horrible day.
There would be rescues with ladders stretched to the next building, jumping to a fireman's net, and then the infamous elevator incident with Gemighani.
Finally, all that was left was the young girls jumping, as the terrified crowds below could only watch. Pairs would hold hands and leap. There would be a mysterious man seen who also jumped, who talked a girl into doing likewise. It is still unknown who he was.
There is one final miraculous rescue.
In the end, Sonya's family is grieving for the loss of their daughter. No way she could have survived. The conclusion is so remarkable you can't help but smile.
We are treated to a finale of those that are left to enjoy what they have and realize what is really important.
Ruthie gets an ice cream cone from Poppa.
And check out that new hat.
Nice and decent period piece of an actual tragedy.