Westinghouse (2008)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Westinghouse is a documentary film which premiered in 2008.

 

Here is some basic information about this film:

 

** Written and directed by Mark Bussler

** Narrated by Carol Lee Espy

** Run time: 112 minutes

 

The topic is the life and times of the American inventor and businessman George Westinghouse (1846-1914) and the companies he established during his career.

 

The film follows the life and career of Westinghouse from the beginning in 1846 until the end in 1914. But it does not stop there, because his companies lived on until the 1950s and the 1960s.

 

From this moment, things began to go downhill. Some companies were sold off to others. Today the company is only a shadow of its former self.

 

Summing up, we can say George Westinghouse established a business empire which lasted about one hundred years, from the 1860s to the 1960s.

 

This is quite an achievement and one reason why he deserves to be remembered today.

 

The film is illustrated by contemporary photos, drawings and newspaper clippings. When we get to the twentieth century, there are even a few videos to illustrate the history of the company.

 

Four persons are interviewed in the film. Here are the names of the participants:

 

** Edward J. Reis, director of the Westinghouse Museum, 1998-2007

** Quentin R. Skrabec, Jr., author of a book about Westinghouse

** William H. Terbo, grand-nephew of Nikola Tesla

** David Cope, World’s Fair historian

 

Sometimes the film gets a bit technical. This is hardly surprising. It is, after all, a film about an inventor. But the technical details are explained very well and if you ask me, it is never too technical.

 

During the first part of his career, George Westinghouse focused on mechanical inventions and products. Many of them are connected with transport, in particular trains.

 

He is famous for inventing the air-brake which allowed a train to stop faster than before. He also invented a signal system which told the train drivers when to stop and when to go. This invention made train rides safer and prevented accidents.

 

During the second part of his career, Westinghouse focused on electrical inventions and products. Entering this field, he entered into competition with another American inventor and businessman:

 

Thomas Edison (1847-1931)

 

As explained in the film, Westinghouse and Edison had very different personalities and this had significant consequences for the way they operated their businesses. For Westinghouse, progress was primary and profit secondary. For Edison, it was the other way around.

 

Westinghouse did not seek publicity for himself but for the inventions and the products. Edison, on the other hand, loved to be the centre of attention.

 

Both men surrounded themselves with experts, but treated them in different ways.

 

When an engineer who worked for Westinghouse made an invention that could be patented, the patent would be made in the name of the inventor, i.e. the engineer.

 

When an engineer who worked for Edison did the same, the patent would be made in Edison’s name. This is one reason why there are more patents in Edison’s name than in the name of Westinghouse.

 

As for electricity, there was an important difference between them: Edison recommended direct current, known as DC, while Westinghouse recommended alternate current, known as AC.

 

As explained in the film, the rivalry included the development of the electric chair.

 

The chair in which a criminal would be killed was created by people who worked for Edison. They used AC for the chair in order to prove their claim that AC was more “deadly” than DC. Edison stated that DC - his electricity - would never be used for an electric chair.

 

While the competition was still in the early phase, a third character arrived on the scene: Nikola Tesla (1856-1943). Tesla was born in Eastern Europe.

 

As an adult, he moved to Western Europe and in 1884 he came to New York. He became a US citizen in 1891 and lived for the rest of his life in the US.

 

At first, Tesla worked for Edison, who wanted to use his talent. The film explains how this relationship ended:

 

Edison gave Tesla a difficult task and told him that he would pay him 15,000 dollars if he could do it. At the time 15,000 dollars was a huge amount of money.

 

Tesla completed the task. But when he asked about his reward, Edison refused to pay and said:

 

“You do not understand the American sense of humor.”

 

In other words, there was no reward, it was just a joke. Tesla felt betrayed, and who can blame him? He walked out and never came back.

 

Now the door was open for contact with Westinghouse. In the following years Westinghouse bought several of Tesla’s patents and used them in his production.

 

The competition between Westinghouse and Edison – between AC and DC - culminated in an event that is a famous chapter in the history of the US:

 

The 1893 World’s Fair, a grand exposition that was held in Chicago.

 

During the exposition all buildings would be illuminated with electric light, that would turn night into day, but who was going to provide the electricity for the show?

 

Edison made a bid that was relatively high, because he wished to cover his expenses and to make a profit as well. Westinghouse made a bid that was much lower, because he did not demand an immediate profit; he merely wanted to promote the name of his company; profit would follow later, he thought. He was right. He got the contract.

 

Edison was upset. Like a child, he tried to sabotage his rival’s project by declaring that they were not allowed to use light bulbs made by Edison’s company for the illumination. This is why Westinghouse had to modify their light bulbs just so much that they could be considered another type.

 

The exposition was a big success in general and in particular for Westinghouse. This event signaled the end of DC and the victory of AC.

 

The film shows how Westinghouse operated. As a businessman, he had to make a profit, but this was not his only concern. He was also concerned about the safety and welfare of the people who worked for him. 

 

Examples:

 

(1) His factories offered a healthy and safe environment for the workers.

(2) He built houses for his workers, located next to the factory, and the houses were good with modern installations such as water and electricity.

(3) He introduced the six-day-week and made the Saturday a half working day.

(4) He established a pension fund for his workers.

 

As a result, many workers stayed with him for many years. In a period when many companies were disturbed by strikes, this was not the case at Westinghouse.

 

Perhaps he can be described as a capitalist with a human face or a capitalist with a social responsibility. In his time, such an attitude was highly unusual.

 

In the twentieth century, the company began to focus on household appliances: refrigerators, washing machines and driers, as well as dishwashers. The company even produced a robot that could walk and talk.

 

During this time the company created the slogan:

 

“If it is a Westinghouse, you can be sure [it is a good product].”

 

Today the slogan has been slightly modified.

The current version says:

 

“Westinghouse: innovation you can be sure of.”

 

This film is a fine biopic of the man and the companies he established. We hear about his inventions, patents, and products.

 

If you think it sounds boring, think again. It is not boring at all, because the film shows us the importance of these inventions, patents, and products.

 

They are placed in a historical context, so we can understand how they were helpful and useful; how they created progress.

 

If you are interested in the history of the modern world – in particular the development of modern technology - this film is definitely something for you.

 

It is highly recommended.

 

PS # 1. Regarding the 1893 exposition in Chicago, see the following items:

 

Spectacle in the White City:

The Chicago 1893 World’s Fair

by Stanley Appelbaum and Peter Hales

(2009) 

 

Chicago’s 1893 World’s Fair

by Joseph M. di Cola and David Stone

(2012)

 

Expo: Magic of the White City is a documentary film which premiered in 2005. The topic is the World’s Fair held in Chicago in 1893. Directed by Mark Bussler.

 

PS # 2. Regarding the three famous inventors, see the following items:

 

Westinghouse: Gentle Genius

by Quentin R. Skrabec, Jr.

(2006)

 

George Westinghouse: Powering the World

byWilliam R. Huber

(2022)

 

Edison: A Life

by Paul Israel

(1998) (2000)

 

Tesla

by Bernard Carlson

(2013) (2015)

 

PS # 3. Regarding the battle of the currents, see the following items:

 

Executioner’s Current: 

Thomas Edison, George Westinghouse,

and the Invention of the Electric Chair

by Richard Moran

(2002) (2003)

 

Empires of Light: 

Edison, Tesla, Westinghouse, 

and the Race to Electrify the World

by Jill Jonnes

(2003) (2004)

 

AC / DC:

The Savage Tale of the First Standards War

by Tom McNicol

(2006)

 

*****

The famous inventor

George Westinghouse

(1846-1914)

 

*****