Shot by an unknown American, this 16mm silent home movie shows a visit to Hawaii and in particular Honolulu and its environs. It dates from the pre-war era, the late 1930s or early 1940s. One interesting aspect of this film is that it contains images of the famed boat Idle Hour (3:48), owned by Seattle resident Dwight Long. Long, who had very little experience at sea, bought the 32-foot ketch and ended up sailing it continuously for four years prior to the outbreak of WWII. (It’s not clear if Long himself appears in the film). The middle of the film shows some signs of the impending war, including a young boy trying on a gas mask (9:30), and when the family leaves the islands at the end of the film it appears they may be leaving on a military vessel and not an ordinary passenger ship.

Opening: A woman walks with a boy, a sign reads Murle Ogden near them. (Murle Ogden was a portrait photographer who was based at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel. The start of the film was likely shot at a bungalow on the hotel grounds). Family scenes: a dog runs, a boy walks in a yard holding a ball. The boy hoses down the grass. A man and a boy play with a hose that sprays water. A woman walks down the steps holding the hand of a young boy. A man holds the hand of a boy and walks over to a car, it’s a windy day. A woman walks with an older lady

(:17-1:50) Scenic overlook with Diamond Head visible in the distance. Trees. Men stand and look at the ocean outside of the Royal Hawaiian hotel. Boats in the harbor. A woman walks down the steps of a building. Ocean tide at Waikiki Beach. The Royal Hawaiian Hotel in the background. A man golfs. A group of men golf, a man putts. Cars drive by. Men and women on a boat with a crate of Rainier Beer (1:51-3:17). A woman looks out at the water. Men and women relax on a sailboat, including a man in chef’s uniform (3:30). Boat name: Idle Hour from Seattle is anchored nearby. Man smokes a cigarette at the dock. Boats in the dock. Sunset in the distance. Tide crashes on the shores of Waikiki Beach. A group of women and a baby look over the side of a hill at the water. A family enjoys a cookout (3:18-5:03). A boy eats a hamburger on the beach. A man sunbathes. Man and a boy in the surf. A woman and a boy on the beach. A boy tosses a ball. A young boy plays at the mouth of the ocean. Women pick flowers off of a tree. A car pulls up and stops. A woman exits and she walks by palm trees down a path. Exterior of the Royal Hawaiian Hotel (5:04-6:44). A hand holds a flower. A woman looks at flowers. A man smokes a cigarette outside. People on the beach of Waikiki. A man climbs the stairs. Low clouds over the Diamond Head. Boats in the harbor. A family walks (6:45-8:13). A boy walks, holding an ice cream cone. Family walks around on a street. Women enjoy lunch. People in the water and on the beach of Waikiki. Two women and a man sit. A young boy wears a gas mask that his mother removes while his father smiles (8:14-9:45). A boy walks with two women. A young boy plays in the sand. A boy runs and plays with a woman. A young boy plays a drum and walks. The same boy charges the camera with a toy pistol. He is then dressed as an Indian Chief and carrying the same pistol. The costume reads Chief Lone Wolf. A woman takes a flower off a tree and hands it to an older woman. The boy, dressed as the Indian, runs after another boy with a scooter and slips, falls backwards onto his back but quickly gets up (9:46-11:58). A man walks with young children, holds the hand of a little girl. A family. Children hug one another. Aloha tower at the port of Honolulu (12:46). It appears the family is now aboard a ship, possibly a military vessel as it seems to have fairly primitive deck facilities. Children climb on a man. Hawaiian policeman. A young boy puts on a life jacket. A family on a tourist boat around the islands, boat rocks (11:59-13:33).

Dwight Long, sailor, lecturer, and filmmaker, was born and in Seattle, Washington. In 1934 he left Seattle to sail a 32 ft. ketch, the “IDLE HOUR”, around the world via the Pacific, Indian and Atlantic Oceans to the East Coast of the United States when the ketch was destroyed in the hurricane of 1938. Long wrote a book, “Sailing All Seas” documenting his circumnavigation of the globe. He lectured in numerous cities both during and following his journey. During World War II he joined the U.S. Navy and became a documentary film producer. After the War, he continued making films, such as “Tanga Tika”, released in 1954.

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