Made by famed filmmaker Julien Bryan for the U.S. Government, ROADS SOUTH explores transportation in Latin America in the 1940s. In doing so it explains how topography affects transport and how the difficulties of transportation are dealt with throughout history. Part history lesson, part geography lesson and part loving tribute, this vintage black and white film shows old and “new” 1940s transportation systems exist side by side. The seaplane and sailboat ride the same water. Dug out canoes ply the rivers and lands whose harbors welcome great steamers. Electric trains and steam railroads operate high in the mountains.
At the 4:29 mark, the SS Brazil is seen. SS Brazil was a US turbo-electric ocean liner. She was completed in 1928 as SS Virginia, and refitted and renamed as SS Brazil in 1938. From 1942 to 1946 she was the War Shipping Administration operated troopship Brazil. She was laid up in 1958 and scrapped in 1964.
At 10:20, modern railroad systems are seen in Argentina, moving tons of freight and passengers across the Pampas. The stretch of tracks to Chile are seen, often snowbound, at the 10:40 mark. Bus systems are seen at the 13 minute mark. Seaplanes are seen at the 16 minute mark, with the Pan Am clipper arriving in South America. A Pan Am hangar is seen at 16:30. Local airlines are seen at the 17 minute mark.
At the 17:40 mark, ROADS SOUTH ends and another film begins. This one shows a drive through South America on a transcontinental highway. This includes a drive through Peru, Chile, and Argentina as well as Uruguay. (This film is unfortunately fragmentary).
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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 and 2k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com
