This short silent travelogue, an elaborate home movie made by an unknown American filmmaker, shows various sights in an around Mexico City. It also shows a Mexican rodeo, traditional dance performance, and a bullfight as well as views of ruins at Teotihuacan. The film exhibits some heat damage which affected the Kodachrome dyes, and so some portions of the movie are a bit hard to watch.

The film opens with images of the filmmaker’s tour guides (:22). Traditional Mexican homes (:31) preclude senoritas in floral and black dress (:35). A milk delivery man appears with his cart (:44). Mexicans work within a garden of roses (:54). Zocalo is a large open quadrangle occupying half of central court of the Ancient Aztec City of Tenochtitlan (1:11). A red bus moves in front of the main square. Close shots display the intricate architecture (1:22). The Towers of the Mexico City Metropolitan follow (1:30). A bird’s eye view of the courtyard dotted with fountains is presented (2:07). Tourists mingle at an outdoor flower market (2:21). Horses drag lumber down the street (2:33). Turkeys mingle on the grounds (2:45). Chapultepec; once built for Maximilian I of Mexico, is used as a museum today (3:00). A soldier paces on guard with a rifle butt in hand (3:07). The grasshopper statue stands in the center of the fountain (3:11). Carlotta, the wife of Maximilian, designed the gardens (3:25). Row boats are pushed through blue waters (3:35). The film turns to an exhibition by the National Charro Association at the Rancho del Charro in Chapultepec Heights (4:30). Caballeros attempt to lasso a steer as they blaze past (4:32). One rides a bucking bronco (5:26). Lasso stunts are presented while standing atop a horse (5:49) and jumping through hoops on the ground (5:59). A caballero walks his horse backwards (6:10). Another takes a tumble (6:18). At the ceremony, a dance is presented interpreting the evolution of the reboso (6:44). A flower market sits near Chapultepec Park (8:27). Rancho del Artista was conceived and constructed by native Mexicans in order to preserve the country’s folklore. A mariachi band plays in front of palms (9:25). Men play with a small red cape; a game of matador (9:39). A large dirt ring with a matador in the center follows (10:01). The matador stands with the bull (10:52). The Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the Patron Saint of Mexico follows (11:45). A wedding is hosted (12:29). The archeological zone of Teotihuacan is believed to have been the great center of culture from the fourth to ninth century. Within the citadel is the temple of Quetzalcoatl (12:58). The Pyramid of the Sun is visited (13:17) as tourists move up the steps (13:25). The stone steps of the pyramid of Cuicuilco appear at (14:53). A Pan American DC-6 airplane readies for takeoff (15:08).

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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 and 2k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com