This 1937 black and white travelogue film follows a Pan American flight to the Southern Americas. It is narrated by Edward Tomlinson. In 1929, Colonel Charles Lindbergh pilots his Spirit of Saint Louis plane loaded with air mail to South America. Mail is loaded aboard a Pan American Airways Boeing 314 Clipper; the cargo shown includes live baby chickens. Well-dressed passengers board the floating airplane, which taxis and takes off. The coastline of Miami is below. Passengers play cards at a table, read magazines, are served drinks by a steward, and smoke cigarettes (1:17-4:08). Shown are Havana’s capital building and the Malecon Boulevard with its USS Maine Monument. The control tower radios communicate with the pilots. The radio stations type weather reports (4:09-5:15). The plane lands at Kingston, Jamaica. A traffic policeman is passed by a trolley. Tumbling water falls are picturesque. Imported zebu cattle graze (5:17-6:38). The plane leaves for Port-au-Prince, Haiti. It flies over the French Cathedral and presidential palace. People ride donkeys past hand-turned lathes and a trimmer using bed springs as a base. Men fashion beams with a two-man saw (6:40-8:35). The plane heads for Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Shown are the Columbus Tree, the Columbus Lighthouse Cathedral (who claim he’s buried there) with its bell tower, and the ruins of Diego Columbus Castle (8:37-10:51). The plane leaves for San Juan, Puerto Rico. The cockpit instrument panels are shown. The cliffside Morro Fortress is shown (10:53-12:50). The plane refuels in Saint John’s, Antigua. It flies past the volcano Mount Bailey and to the Port of Spain, Trinidad. Caribbean Clipper planes are serviced (12:52-15:13). They fly over British Guiana to Dutch Guiana. The Suriname government house is shown. A woman carries objects on her head in Paraiba. The Blanche Marie waterfalls are magnificent. Ndyuka villagers make sugar and bread. A baby is bathed in a basket. Hardwoods are dragged down a hill by men or by teams of yoked water buffalo. The villagers use large dugout canoes to travel, including through rapids (15:15-22:40). The plane leaves for Rio de Janeiro. It flies past the Sugarloaf Mountain and the city is shown below. The Avenida Rio Branco is full of busses and cars. People lounge at sidewalk cafes. A street vendor carries brooms. Mosaic sidewalks decorate the boulevards. The President’s home is shown. The Copacabana Beach is crowded. Pilgrims climb to the Church of the Rock. The Christ the Redeemer statue towers over everything (22:42-26:48). Back on the plane, passengers play bridge at a table. Mail is dropped off at Montevideo, Uruguay. They fly on to Buenos Aires. The Avenida Florida is lined with shops. A traditional chimney sweep rides his bicycle. The fountains and carved monuments are shown. Ocean liners load and unload cargo. Horses race at the Palermo Racetrack in front of the grandstand of betters wearing straw hats. Casinos face the beach full of sunbathers. Candle vendors line the street by the Lujan Cathedral. Gauchos round up cattle (26:50-32:57).

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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