This 1965 color film about Alaska is one of a series of Pan Am Airlines “Wings to” travelogues. It is produced by Henry Strauss Productions, who made many educational and corporate films. It begins with a colorful ‘focus leader’ for the film operator and the opening credits (:06-:50), followed by a montage of sights shown later in the film (:51-2:44). A Pan American Jet Clipper leaves Seattle for Alaska (2:45-3:08). A map of Alaska is shown (3:09-3:48). The Jet Clipper taxis and the passengers disembark down the jet bridge (3:49-4:08). The sun is shown never setting at various hours in mid-summer (4:20-4:42). The spring breakup of ice begins (4:45-5:18). A dog team pulls an Eskimo sled to the sea as the men get in a boat to hunt seals, whales, and white bears (5:27-6:29). Skins hang on the side of a house (6:59). The village celebrates in dance, song, and playing kilauts when a whale is caught. The festivities include a blanket toss (7:05-8:05). Totems of the Ketchikan Indians are shown (8:06-8:50). St. Michael’s Cathedral in Sitka is an Orthodox Church built in 1848 (8:51-9:07). New totems are built and painted (9:08-9:27). Children learn to perform the traditional dances in native costumes (9:28-10:08). Scenes of 1960s stores and houses are shown (10:13-10:54). Children participate in a sack race, swim, and eat at a festival on the Yukon beach (10:55-11:20). Men fish for salmon. The trawlers bring in a variety of fish to sell before leaving the dock (11:30-13:35). Some areas of Alaska are used for farming vegetables (13:47-14:00). Beautiful flowers bloom (14:03-14:14). The water is full of logs ready to be processed at the saw mill (14:32-15:00). A dredger digs for gold (15:01-15:19). Sternwheelers originally brought gold prospectors from San Francisco (15:20-16:20). Cancan dancers and piano players in vintage costumes perform in bars and restaurants (16:25-17:08). The stores in Juneau are shown (17:10-17:50). An airboat is used for transportation (17:52-19:00). Tourists take a steam train through the wilderness over the mountain pass where gold prospectors tried to cross (10:01-20:15). Cruise ships pass through calm waters and out to icebergs and glaciers (20:16-22:24). A helicopter is used to study the glaciers and to drop off skiers (22:26-23:18). What looks like a Grunman G-21A “Goose” takes off (23:20-23:30). Alaska is shown from a bush pilot’s view, spotting a dog team and a polar bear and cub below (23:40-25:00). Eskimos young and old are shown greeting the plane (25:01-25:50). Various people are shown fishing from shore (25:55-26:23). Various shots of Alaska scenery close the film (26:25-27:00).

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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