At a time when union organizing is enjoying a comeback, it seems appropriate to re-release this classic film about the incredible impact that the Reuther brothers had on the union movement, starting at the height of the Great Depression.

Now Available for Streaming and DSL from Bullfrog Films

“Powerful…Searing…A concise and moving story…It needs to be told to every generation.”

—The New York Times

Brothers On The Line

A film by Sasha Reuther

81 minutes | English SDH captions | Scene Selection

Streaming Release Date: 2022

Copyright Date: 2012

Narrated by Martin Sheen, Brothers On The Line is an award-winning documentary feature exploring the extraordinary journey of the Reuther brothers — prolific union organizers who led an army of laborers into an epic struggle for social justice.

At the height of the Great Depression, a new industrial revolution came to life in Michigan’s colossal car factories. Taking a stand against oppressive conditions, young autoworkers Walter, Roy, and Victor Reuther faced intimidation and physical violence from “security” agents in their effort to coordinate sit-down strikes, the most successful occurring at the General Motors facilities in Flint. Their bold rhetoric and actions challenged the mighty automakers, won unprecedented quality-of-life gains, gave a voice to the rank-and-file, and established the United Auto Workers (UAW) as one of the most powerful unions in American history.

Directed by Victor Reuther's grandson Sasha, and featuring evocative archival footage, a pulsating soundtrack, as well as first-hand accounts from labor, management, and political personalities including one of the last interviews with Senator Ted Kennedy, Brothers On The Line is a stirring personal story of sacrifice, perseverance, triumph, and tragedy. The odyssey of the Reuther brothers resonates far beyond their era. It remains an influential and often controversial 40-year crusade that contributed to building a robust middle class while compelling American democracy to live up to its promise of equality.

“Brothers On The Line is an intimate and honest portrait of the Reuther brothers’ deep commitment - visionary, courageous, passionate, shrewd, and ruthless - to organizing auto workers into the most powerful and influential U.S. labor union in the 20th century. This excellent labor history documentary includes a rich array of archival footage depicting daring and fearless industrial workers fighting to build working class power in the face of violent corporate repression. It a gem of an educational tool that is mandatory viewing in my labor history class”

—Gene Carroll, Cornell ILR School Worker Institute Fellow, and Adjunct Faculty, CUNY School of Labor & Urban Studies

"Highly Recommended…Remarkable work that provides insight on both the national implications of the American labor movement from its inception, and the personal details of the lives of key players…A simply perfect assembly of historical evidence."

—Educational Media Reviews Online

“A compelling and honest film that documents the creation of one of the U. S.’s preeminent unions and the integral role played by three courageous brothers in this monumental achievement. As both a stirring personal story and a thoughtful account of social unionism, Brothers on the Line can be used in both undergraduate and adult education settings to introduce students to important themes in U. S. labor and working-class history.”

—Bob Bussel, Professor Emeritus of History, Labor Education and Research Center, University of Oregon

To order a DSL license of Brothers On The Line for educational use,

visit the Bullfrog Films online catalog.

Order by phone at (610) 779-8226

or email us at info@bullfrogfilms.com