This 1937 black & white, International Harvester promotional film is about Cyrus Hall McCormick, an American inventor. McCormick was responsible for revolutionizing agriculture throughout the country with the invention of the mechanical reaper which was used by farmers to harvest crops mechanically. This machine proved to be revolutionary as it made harvesting much easier and efficient. Cyrus McCormick founded the McCormick Harvesting Machine Company, which later became part of the International Harvester Company in 1902.

Title: International Harvester presents The Romance of the Reaper (:16-:39). Country fields. Fields of grain. Hand farming: a man cuts through the grain with a sickle, which is being used to cut down the crop. A group of men swing sickles. Men swing a cradle which is easier than a standard sickle. Country and hillsides. Valley of the Blue Ridge mountains. A Virginia farm. Cyrus McCormick uses a tool and hits a blacksmith’s anvil. McCormick carries a piece of wood (:40-3:14). McCormick watches his father talk with other men. They come and visit the son. The point at a machine. The men look at the time. Cyrus works with an African American man named Joe Anderson as they try and create a mechanical reaper. Cyrus hammers together pieces while his younger brother looks on (3:15-5:44). Other brothers of Cyrus look at what he’s doing as well. Cyrus’ mother covers his eyes as a joke and then talks with him. They go into the house. She feeds him food. Father McCormick returns and talks with his wife. Cyrus works with Joe on a sliding cutting bar. Cyrus talks with his parents. He continues to think. Cyrus and Joe look at a wood wheel (5:45-8:10). In a workshop, Cyrus uses wood and iron, Joe assists him. Cyrus cuts wood. Joe stokes a fire. Cyrus hammers hot iron on an anvil (8:11-9:35). Cyrus connects wood with Joe while his brothers sit around and watch. Cyrus explains to others how the device will work. A horse and buggy show up and people, like Cyrus’ parents get in. A man rides horseback following the others. Feet walk across the ground. People showed up to see if this new invention would work. Cyrus’ invention, the Reaper is to be tested. People ready to watch (9:36-12:34). Cyrus looks over his reaper. Joe stands near by. Cyrus rides a horse as Joe trails the reaper machine and another also assists the device. People exit the horse and buggy. Cyrus shows up with his reaper (12:35-14:58). Cyrus exits his horse. People gather around as Cyrus shows his strange looking machine. People stop and watch. Cyrus watches as it goes, it is actually reaping grain. Joe trails it and the crowd follows the machine. The grain gets cut. People watch. Although clumsy, it works (14:59-17:05). People trail as Joe assist the machine. The machine is brought to a stop and the crowd gathers around to look at it. Some people start to leave, some are impressed. Cyrus’ machine worked. McCormick’s father congratulates him. People walk in a horse and wagon (17:06-18:51). Cyrus works his reaper, he kept adding to it for over ten years. The reaper cuts grain and has a seat for the raker. A self raking reaper was next. Marsh harvester was next with two men tying the grain by hand. A self binder was next. A twine binder was made to protect the cattle. A tractor binder soon followed (18:52-21:15). The latest and greatest is the harvester thresher, the great grandchild of the original reaper machine. The thresher cuts, thresh’s and cleans. A different type of International Harvester harvest thresher moves through field. A larger machine current day. A harvest thresher cuts through crops (21:16-23:31) End credits (23:32-23:42).

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This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com