Philips Radio

Ivens's first sound film was commissioned by NV Philips Radio to document the production process of radios in the Philips factories. From the very beginning, Ivens was determined to avoid all clichés of the industrial commercial film. Instead of a valiant film parade through all the departments, he reveals the working conditions in a modern mechanized factory and captures the step-by-step development of radio parts along the way. Of course, Philips had a say in the social content of the film. Although Ivens understood Philips's point of view, he tried to compensate for his dissatisfaction by striving for great technical perfection. He exploited every tint of the glass and metal surfaces in the factory and moved his camera in a highly stylized manner. The sensual emphasis led Parisian critics to coin an alternate title for the film: "Symphonie Industrielle."