A Transfilm production, this black-and-white short promotional film “Mr. O’Flynn’s 50 Million Wheels” dates to 1956 and was made in conjunction with the National Auto Dealers Association. This print is not complete. The film sheds light on the importance of large and small delivery vehicles and trucks. The film features a story written by Burton J. Rowles, which is framed around the work of a logistics-oriented angel named O’Flynn who is breaking in a new assistant named O’Toole. The one line of the film is “how the 50 million wheels of America’s trucks keep products, goods and services moving”. The movie shows various delivery vehicles and trucks and underscores their importance as paramount agents of development and change. Although it is unclear who is behind the film, it is important to note that Ford ran a number of commercial campaigns in the 1940s centering the importance of Ford trucks with some of the models featured in this film.
Ford Model TT truck drives along desolate country road lined with barren trees, stone fence (0:06). Camera pans two story farmhouse and adjacent farm lands (0:18). Ford Model TT drives up driveway, driver greeted by young children running towards truck with excitement to receive delivery of early model ice box (0:39). Footage transitions to modern refrigerator being off loaded “contemporary” truck in driveway of suburban home (1:07). Aerial view of highway network; Suburban homes seen on left-hand side of screen (1:16). Carpenter uses power saw to cut through plywood on construction site of new home; Other contractors stand on frame of new home (1:22). Truck carrying goods in trailer drives along highway; Camera zooms in to close up on tire before montage of other semi truck tires on trucks/ commercial vehicles plays (1:26). Another aerial shot of highway – road filled with combinations of 1940s automobiles and commercial trucks perhaps 1948 Ford F6 Tractor Trailer Camper, other Ford F series trucks (1:44). Different examples of commercial trucks and vehicles: Small delivery van parks on commercial street in front of perhaps liquor store (2:02). 1945 Ford Bond Bread Truck parks in front of pharmacy on commercial street of small Connecticut town (2:11). Medic pulls gurney out of back of perhaps 1948 Ford V-8 Pilot first aid car/ ambulance (2:16). Perhaps 1941 Ford-Darley USA 50674 fire truck drives through town (2:22). Perhaps 1945 Ford Transit Bus operating as traveling library (2:27). Neighborhood kids gather around ice cream man and his truck (2:32). Mobil Gas oil tanker truck delivers gas to private home (2:37). Milk delivery truck on highway making its way from dairy farm (2:43). Grocery delivery man carries boxes of groceries from trunk of delivery vehicle (2:49). Sanitation worker loads trash into back of garbage truck (2:55). Perhaps 1945 Ford pick up truck pulls intro driveway of home, commercial vehicle for electrician (3:05). Wonder Bread delivery truck; Other delivery trucks i.e. milk and parcels etc. (3:13). Jones family checks mail in mailbox at end of driveway (3:38). Perhaps fictional operations command center – two men in work jackets stand in front of large-scale map of united states with different routes of commercial vehicles (3:46). United States Postal Service mail delivery system – Ford F-3 Parcel Delivery truck picks up letters from mailbox, drops them at post office, other delivery trucks dispatched to carry mail to other cities (4:07). Children climb onto school bus; Pedestrians board public bus (4:55). Mr. Jones pulls into parking lot of his work at Yale Transportation Corp., montage Yale Transport Corp delivery semi-trucks (5:05). Scenes from production plant of truck parts being assembled, inspection, maintenance of vehicles (6:02). “Whir” sound of trucks as they zoom along highway, night shots only headlights of truck illuminate scene (6:47). Two men in fictional operations center oversee control panel, prepare for future delivery (7:54). General Diaper Service GMC type delivery truck (8:15). Closing credits (8:35).
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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
