Bond-Williams: Niagara, New York, Detroit, El Paso

Summary

A visit to the USA in the winter of 1948 that takes in one of the Great Lakes and visits to New York and Detroit.

Year:

1948

Duration:

0:48:32

Film type:

Colour / Silent

Genre:

Home Movie

Company:

Master format:

16mm

Description

The film starts at Lake Erie with a brief shot of the Peace Bridge at Buffalo, New York. We are then treated to many different views of Niagra Falls as well as further down Niagra River where a train, driven by a steam locomotive, is seen reversing high up on a bridge across the gorge. The cable car over Niagra Whirlpool also features.

We then jump to New York, where we initially see the Queensboro Bridge spanning East River and a tug travelling up river. Focus then shifts to Manhattan and its buildings and streets including sky scrapers and churches. This is followed by Macey’s Thanksgiving Day parade ending with crowds of people dispersing. After shots of Central Park we see the numerous neon illuminations of Times Square at night. Signs include: 'Joan of Arc' featuring Ingrid Bergman (1948); Simon Ackerman; Hotel Astor; Danny Kaye and Virginia Mayo in 'A Song is Born' (1948) at the Astor; Gillette blades; Pepsi Cola; Myron Cohen and Mary Small in Harem.

Focus then shifts to Detroit where we start at the docks and large moored ships and then to the Ambassador Bridge over the Detroit River. After brief shots of squirrels we turn to the city and its buildings and traffic including Greyhound buses and rubbish in the street. A series of posters for the Olympia Arena are next and include include a boxing match between Joe Louis and Vern Mitchell on 19 November (1948) and the Harlem Globetrotters playing the Philly Sphas on November 20th. We also see the exterior of the Michigan cinema where 'Smart Girls Don't Talk' (1948) is playing. A few shots of some black labourers at work and another cinema , this time showing 'An Innocent Affair' (1948). Advertising hoardings for Camel cigarettes: 'Camels - The Choice of Experience' and more street views, one with signs for Community Chest on lamp posts. This is followed by street cars (trams) and exteriors shots of Brass Rail bar and Derry's Cafeteria on Michigan Street, Detroit.

We then jump to Cleveland where we see a streetcar advertising Leisy's beer of Cleveland, the Federal Building and the Detroit-Superior Bridge from which we get a view of the city including Terminal Tower, Columbus road bridge and the city's industrial area. Then to shots from Cleveland Bridge into the city and down to the railway lines where steam locos from the New York Central System are working and across to advertsiing hoardings: 'Clear Heads Choose Calvert' and 'Squirt Quenches Quicker'.

Then to Washington International Airport where we see an American Airlines passenger aircraft being refuelled and loaded and then a view from a window at take-off. On arrival at El Paso in Texas we see an American Airlines Douglas DC-6B taxiing and the passenger door being opened from the outside. We then see street scenes of El Paso and an exterior of Hotel Hildalgo and the train station where a Southern Pacific steam locomotive is at work. We then travel through the desert and visit another town and then on to a large quarry where see an excavator at work and the exterior of the large processing plant including trains. The film ends with views of the desert and sign: 'Rattlesnake Canyon' (Colorado?).


Credits

No credits specified


Notes

Billboard of November 27th 1948 includes a review of Harem featuring Mary Small and Myron Cohen.