Shot by an unknown American, apparently on holiday but who knows, this beautiful silent home movie of Paris shows the city as it appeared just a few years before WWII, as the Republic stood on the brink of disaster.
(FYI, based on the “Night at the Opera” screening shown in the film at 2:45, we are going to date this film at 1935-36, although it could be later. “Night at the Opera” premiered in the USA in November of ’35.)
Sights include the Opera House (15:00), Galeries Lafayette (32:00), an American Express office (36:00), Rue Saint Benoit (40:00) (note graffiti on the wall), Impasse Des Deux Anges (49:00), the Svoy Hotel (54:00), bustling pedestrians on the street, with horsecarts visible as well (1:20) and a horse butcher, drinking beer in a cafe (1:40) and visiting with friends, a bakery (2:00) and a baguette shown in detail, the Rue De L’angienne Comedie (2;23), a Prix Fixe restaurant (2:25), the Rue de Conde (2:33), cafe life (2:40), the Marx Brothers’ “Night at the Opera” playing in a movie theater (2:45), Kodak Pathe offices (2:48), Paris book stands and art (2:55), the famed Drouant Restaurant (3:00), the Casino de Paris (3:00), Sacre Coeur (3:11), the Avenue des Champs Elysees (3:17) with the Arc de Triomphe in the distance, Eiffel Tower (3:29), the Louvre (3:40), Paris Opera again (4:10), street artist, bridges over the Seine, using a pissoir or vespasienne (4:30), more Seine images, Rue de Rivoli (4:47), Place Vendome (4:55), Vendome Column (4:57), wonderul footage of fun with the ladies, the Notre Dame Cathedral (5:00), Eiffel Tower from afar (5:22) at sunset, another pissoir (5:30), trip to Versailles (5:40), Rue J.D. Rockefeller (6:11), more fun at pissoirs (6:19), train ride (6:28) to Reims, Reims Cathedral (6:35), Verdun train station (6:57), War Memorial at Verdun (7:00).
At 7:23, the film transitions to what appears to be Bavaria, Germany. German party banners are seen, as is a tour ship the Mainz. A band plays at 7:31, and a carousel is seen at 7;33. At 7:43 a shop seems to say “Anton Degenhardt” (can’t identify). At 7:48, a sign for Adolf Hitler Platz is seen, and the film comes to an abrupt end.
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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
