The Last American Hobo
The Last American Hobo (Alternate title: The Last of the American Hoboes, directed by Titus Moed, 1967) In this documentary, with a soundtrack of songs about hobo life (Christmas in Hoboville, Big Rock Candy Mountain), a young man, whose grandfather told him hobo stories, hits the road for three weeks to film interviews with hobos. They talk about living as transients during the Great Depression and since—riding in boxcars, following symbols left by other ‘bos, and making money by temporary labor or collecting recyclable trash. Their stories link with the songs to show both the romance and realism of hobo life. The film mentions historical events such as the 1929 Stock Market crash, a march by the homeless on Washington, the death of a famous hobo who once was a leader of the International Workers of the World, and homeless Vietnam vets. The film ends in Britt, Iowa, which has, since 1900, hosted an annual Hobo Convention, where thousands of hobos and tourists congregate to watch a parade, eat Mulligan Stew, crown a Hobo King and Queen, and pay tribute to the lives and culture of hobos. This video is available for viewing at the Hobo Museum and Gift Shop in Britt, Iowa.
Marty Knepper Morningside College knepper@morningside.edu & John Shelton Lawrence Morningside College j.shelton.1@gmail.com
