An American Romance

Stefan Dangosbiblicek arrives at Ellis Island in the 1890s as a Czech immigrant and begins the journey that will lead him to the Mesabi Iron Range. He travels across the country in search of opportunity for his family. This first step marks the start of a transformative path that will carry him through labor, love, and invention.

He travels to the Mesabi Iron Range to join his cousin Anton in the open-pit ore mines. A foreman renames him 'Steve Dangos,' giving him a new American surname to carry forward. The brutal work and harsh conditions forge his character and fuel his early dreams of advancement.

In the Iron Range, Steve meets Anna, a teacher, and their courtship grows amid the grit of mining life. He woos her with his diligence and ambition, and they marry, forming the foundation of his family. Their partnership anchors his later decisions and drives his ascent.

Through hazardous work and study, Steve earns a position as a foreman at a steel plant in Ohio. He demonstrates leadership and a commitment to progress, lifting his family toward stability. The move to Ohio marks a turning point from immigrant labor to managerial responsibility.

Steve purchases an automobile and grows frustrated by its performance, sensing hidden potential for improvement. He enlists Howard Clinton, a high school teacher, to rebuild the car and test a better design. Their collaboration ends in disaster when they are seriously injured in a crash, quashing this initial automotive pursuit.

Steve's eldest son, George Washington Dangos, enlists to fight in World War I and dies in service. The loss underscores the personal costs of national struggle and deepens Steve's resolve to secure his family's American future. His son’s sacrifice also intensifies his sense of citizenship and belonging.

Steve fulfills his son's wish by becoming an American citizen and moves to Detroit to pursue a safer car design with established auto companies. He hopes to sell the design and build a better future for his family. However, major manufacturers are hesitant to commit to the risky new concept.

With Howard's help, Steve and his associates form the Danton Motor Car Corporation, financed by friends and relatives. The venture aims to bring the safer design to market despite initial skepticism from the industry. The new company marks a bold shift from employee to entrepreneur.

The younger son, Theodore Roosevelt Dangos, graduates and starts at the bottom of the Danton plant, choosing hands-on work over an executive path. He becomes involved in union activities, signaling a coming clash over labor relations. The family business image expands to include a new generation with different priorities.

Under Teddy's influence, workers organize and initiate a lengthy strike for better pay and conditions. Steve strongly opposes the union, citing his own experience and work ethic, but the board votes to cooperate with the union, forcing a rift with permanent consequences. Howard and Anton side with the board, further isolating Steve.

Reeling from the internal conflict, Steve retires and embarks on a long-promised Californian honeymoon with Anna. He remains distracted by his perceived failures in the boardroom and worries over the company's direction. News that the firm plans a plane factory in California adds to his confusion.

With the United States' entry into World War II, Steve's energy returns as he reengages with the business. He rallies leadership to meet wartime production quotas, insisting the company can exceed expectations as it has in the past. The crisis sharpens his resolve and renews his sense of purpose.

The film culminates with documentary footage of B-17 Flying Fortresses being built at the Douglas Aircraft factory in California. Steve's leadership and the company's wartime contributions underscore American industrial resilience. The closing imagery ties individual ambition to national mobilization.