Shot by a member of the Forcheeimen (or possibly the Forchheimer) family, this 8mm home movie from the 1940s and 1960s shows a visit to New Orleans, a family gathering, as well as other scenes. This film displays the fashion of the era, personal shots of family gatherings, the Douglas DC-3, a trip to Washington DC and to Atlantic City.
The film opens with images shot in the 1940s, with bright pastel flowers around the family’s home (:06). Blurry shots show a man powering the engine of a small fishing boat (1:00). Children of the family swing a bat at a family gathering in the evening (1:28). Their African American nanny or maid is shown playing baseball with the kids (1:54). A small red passenger plane touches down (2:05) onto an airstrip. Eastern Airlines Douglas DC-3 tail #346 returns from flight (5:18). The DC-3 had a major impact on the airline industry in the 1930’s and 40’s as well as for WW2. Flight crew unload (2:26). Cargo is unloaded (2:35). The Eastern Airlines logo is pictured (2:29). A black Stinson 108 (2:37) takes to the sky. The entrance to the New Orleans Lakefront Airport (2:40) is pictured. Passengers head for their flight (3:02). Passenger flights of this time period boasted comfort and luxury. Flights only reached speeds of about 300 mph. ‘The Great Silver Fleet;’ a nickname for crafts of the Eastern Airline is written across the side (3:16). A golf match with many spectators is shown next (3:57) as the ball is putted in. Another player takes a swing (4:08). Spectators in trims suits and heavy coats discuss the game over cigarettes (4:55) following the game to each hole (7:02). Town homes appear (7:52) as a woman plays with her pup. Footage shot in the 1960s or early 1970s follows. It starts with a shot of an older female of the family who squints and holds her beer can for the filmmaker (8:32). A black and tan Buick LeSabre cuts through the forest (8:57). A redhead in a gold jumper twirls a baton (9:45). One of the men of the family dances a gig (10:15). Footage follows of a mother and baby within their home (10:21). The family meets for Christmas orThanksgiving dinner (11:14). More footage from the 1940s follows. First, the Washington Monument appears before the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool (12:25). They visit the Lincoln Memorial (12:36). Cars run over Arlington Memorial Bridge (12:47). Stone steps and pillars of the Lincoln Memorial follow (13:08). Aerial shots capture the Department of Labor Building (13:13) and the Lincoln Memorial again (13:31). A steamboat is pictured on the water (13:39). The family visits a zoo; a rhino is filmed in his cage (13:43). A spotty giraffe follows. Brief shots of a fireboat (13:54).. An elephant’s flaps his ears (13:58). Brown bears fight in water (14:21). A polar bear sticks his nose up (15:13). The family goes to Atlantic City as a massive advertisement for Seagram’s whiskey appears (15:39). Hamid’s Million Dollar Pier Theater in Atlantic City (15:42) long since demolished. A billboard advertises Camel cigarettes (15:37). Sea foam waves crash on the shore (15:46). Evening footage runs down the exuberant Atlantic City Boardwalk (15:52). A football game interjects (16:06). The marching and moves over center field (16:13). A view follows from the stadium stands (18:37) as the film wraps up.
Motion picture films don’t last forever; many have already been lost or destroyed. For almost two decades, we’ve worked to collect, scan and preserve the world as it was captured on 35mm, 16mm and 8mm movies — including home movies, industrial films, and other non-fiction. If you have endangered films you’d like to have scanned, or wish to donate celluloid to Periscope Film so that we can share them with the world, we’d love to hear from you. Contact us via the weblink below.
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
