Shot in the late 1920s by an unknown tourist, this extraordinary home movie shows a trip to Hawaii aboard a Dollar Lines / Matson ocean liner. Views in Hawaii include Honolulu tourist destinations, historic buildings and natural landscapes.
00:09 “Dollar Steamship Line” sign above port (San Francisco or Oakland) filled with people. Ropes from ship in foreground. 00:16 Woman looks around before walking up stairs in port. 00:25 People on ship deck wave as the ship begins to sail. People on port watch and wave. 00:30 Balloon flutters in breeze as people wave to the leaving ship. 00:43 From sea, shot of Pt. Bonita lighthouse on rocky coast. 00:53 Two women walk up to cactus plant. Mountains in background. 00:59 Two men away from cacti. 01:02 Group of three women and one man follow. 01:09 Landscape: Hill above winding coastline with Honolulu in background. Water in distance. Pan to Oahu island, Hawaii. Smoke from chimney blows in wind. 01:34 Diamond Head visible with Honolulu below. 01:52 Two tourist women pose in front of mountain landscape in strong wind. 02:03 Mountains pan to coastline. Air is foggy. Pan back to mountains. 02:51 Town skyline and mountains in background. Buildings, perhaps part of a military base, in foreground. 03:06 Waves rise onto beach. Pan to pier extending into water and beachfront homes. 03:24 Palm trees wave in breeze by water on Waikiki Beach. 03:31 Pan over coastline with mountain in distance. Pan to coastline buildings. 03:56 Coastline buildings including Moana Hotel aka Moana Surfrider on waterfront. Group of palm trees in front of hotel. Pier extends out. 04:09 Man runs along water in front of building. Pan to the Royal Hawaiian Hotel under construction (it opened in 1927, so the film likely dates to 1926). 04:42 Kayakers speed through water. 04:47 Town landscape. 05:06 Exterior: Laie Hawaii Temple (a temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) 05:18 Exterior: Hale’iwa Hotel (built in 1898) Pan to small bridge. 05:34 Beach goers stand in water. One holds a surfboard, another a beach ball. 05:41 People sunbath and lounge on towels. Swimmers out in water. 06:03 Men and women sitting under shade. 06:09 Watermen and boys splash in water. Pier in background. 06:18 Surfers ride small wave towards been. 06:22 Man runs into water. 06:26 Swimmers make waves with their arms. 06:33 Men climb on top of each other to form a human pyramid. 06:56 Two men in beachwear strum guitars. 07:00 Woman walks into a patio.07:10 Man sits on pier rail and stares at sea. 07:13 Female surfer rides wave while standing on surfboard. 07:18 Surfer balances on board. 07:26 Two surfers riding out to sea. They crash into incoming waves. 07:41 Woman tourist surfs to coast while waving at camera. 07:54 Waves roll to coast. 08:01 Woman rides surfboard and man stands in water. 08:10 Montage: Two people surf and attempt various tricks (including handstands, double board riding). 08:57 Surfers crash. 09:07 Man holds board and coasts on wave. 09:15 Close up of male on board. 09:20Exterior: Moana Hotel (Honolulu, Hawaii, opened in 1901). Pan to woman surfing. 09:27 Exterior: Moana Hotel. 09:34 People in casual business wear wave at camera. 09:42 Well-dressed tourists sit together wearing flower leis. 09:52 Men spread out on and lean over edge of boat “N215 SS Taiyo Maru”. This was a Japanese ocean liner, formerly the German Cap Finisterre (it was transferred to Japan in 1920 as war reparations). 10:03 Woman wearing lei waves. 10:10 Man with flora lei stares at frame. 10:19 Swimmers make splashes in water. 10:27 Woman dives into water. 10:30 People from port holding streamers attached to ship walk as ship leaves port. 10:38 Crowd of people wave goodbye to ship as streamers billow in wind.
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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
