News of the Week 05-December-1914 -- December 5, 2014

The 05-December-1914 Motography featured "News of the Week as Shown in Films," with items from current newsreels.

"Indian troops en route to camp at Lyndhurst, England.  Copyrighted 1914 by Hearst-Selig News Pictorial."  Indian cavalry did not have many opportunities to operate in Europe.  Later they served in the Middle East.  Lyndhurst, Hampshire is a town in the New Forest. 

"Some of the Canadian troops snapped in England.  Copyrighted 1914 by Universal Animated Weekly."  Canada had several regiments of Highlanders. 

"Germans massing troops at Brussels.  Copyrighted 1914 by Hearst-Selig News Pictorial."  The Germans trampled Belgium on their way to invade France. 

"German wounded being taken from Ostend to Brussels.  Copyrighted 1914 by Hearst-Selig News Pictorial."  I'm not sure why the wounded are riding in the tender of a steam locomotive.  I can't tell if they are prisoners, but I don't think so. 

"Belgium's bicycle corps which has distinguished itself.  Copyrighted 1914 by Universal Animated Weekly."  The Belgians did everything they could to resist the German invaders.  The British and German armies also had bicycle infantry. 

"One of the Turk mobilization camps near Constantinople.  Copyrighted 1914 by Universal Animated Weekly."  The Ottoman Empire entered the war in 1915. 

News of the Week 28-November-1914 -- November 28, 2014

The 21-November-1914 Motography featured "News of the Week as Shown in Films," with items from current newsreels.

"British troops gathering at St. Albans, England to resist possible invasion.  Copyrighted 1914 by Universal Animated Weekly."  There was fear of an invasion early in the war, but the great strength of the Royal Navy made anything more than raids unlikely. 

"The Kronprinzessin Cecilie held in Boston harbor to escape capture by British.  Copyrighted 1914 by Hearst-Selig News Pictorial."  SS Kronprinzessin Cecilie sailed for North German Lloyd between Bremen and New York.  She was on her way to Germany from the United States when the war started.  She turned back to America.  After the US entered the war, the government commandeered her to use as a troop ship and renamed her Mount Vernon. 

"Celebrating Trafalgar Day in England.  Copyrighted 1914 by Universal Animated Weekly."  Trafalgar Day, October 21, celebrates Admiral Horatio Nelson's 1805 victory over the French and Spanish fleets. 

"Salvation Army, in Boston, making bandages for Europe's wounded.  Copyrighted 1914 by Hearst-Selig News Pictorial."  During the war, making bandages was an important act. 

"Belgian troops advancing to the Yser to meet Germans.  Copyrighted 1914 by Hearst-Selig News Pictorial."  The Belgians did what they could to resist the German invasion. 

News of the Week 21-November-1914 - November 21, 2014

The 21-November-1914 Motography featured "News of the Week as Shown in Films," with items from current newsreels. 

"U.S. Battleship New York passing under Brooklyn Bridge after making speed trial.  Copyrighted 1914 by Universal Film Mfg. Co."  USS New York (BB-34) served in both World Wars. 

"Loading J. D. Rockefeller's chartered steamer for Belgians' relief.  Copyrighted 1914 by Hearst-Selig News Pictorial."  After the German invasion, the people of occupied Belgium were starving.  Many Americans tried to provide relief. 

"French troops going to the front.  Copyrighted 1914 by Hearst-Selig News Pictorial."  You can't see it in the photo, but their trousers would have been bright red and their coats would have been blue. 

News of the Week 14-November-1914 - November 14, 2014

The 14-November-1914 Motography featured "News of the Week as Shown in Films," with items from current newsreels. 

"The Belgian retreat from Antwerp.  Copyrighted 1914 by Hearst-Selig News Pictorial." The war began when the Germans violated the neutrality of Belgium by invading that country on their way to invade France.

"Belgians in armored auto returning with war trophies.  Copyrighted 1914 by Universal Film Mfg. Co." The Italians had used armored cars in the 1911-1912 war with the Turks, but the Belgians were the first to use them during World War One. This may be one of their improvised Minerva Armored Cars.

"Fifty lives lost in mine disaster at Royalton, Ill.  Copyrighted 1914 by Hearst-Selig News Pictorial."  Fifty-one miners died when Franklin Coal and Coke's North Mine exploded. 

"England's prisoners of war at Detention Camp, near Aldershot.  Copyrighted 1914 by Hearst-Selig News Pictorial."Aldershot, a major center of the British Army, housed German POWs during the war. 

"Buying horses in New York for the Allies' armies.  Copyrighted 1914 by Hearst-Selig News Pictorial."  The British, French and Russians purchased many horses in America.  Armies in World War One depended on horses for pulling wagons and artillery.

"Arrival of English wounded at West Ham Hospital.  Copyrighted 1914 by Hearst-Selig News Pictorial."  West Ham was a borough of London. 

Tom Mix #6 -- June 9, 2013

During Tom Mix's time with the Selig Polyscope Company, they shot some of their westerns in Arizona.  Tom Mix "famous fancy rider and bulldogger," presented "the best program of Western stunts, flat and harness racing, and automobile and motorcycle races ever pulled off in Northern Arizona..." at the First Northern Arizona Fair in Prescott. Tom had won rodeo events at Prescott in 1909. 

"The Selig Polyscope Company stars will present BIG VAUDEVILLE PROGRAM at Elks' Theater..."

The ad is from the 23-October-1913 Saint Johns Herald and Apache News. Be sure to click on the image to see a larger version.

Treasures 5: The West #3 -- January 19, 2012

One of my Christmas presents was the fifth Treasures From the American Film Archives, The West.

Disc three starts with The Lady of the Dugout, which stars and was produced by former bank and train robber Al Jennings, allegedly based on true events in his life.  Jennings, who once shared a prison cell with O. Henry, was known for telling stretchers, so I wouldn't accept the movie as a documentary, but it does have a very realistic feel to it.  The only parts that didn't feel real were the Mojave Desert standing in for Oklahoma and Tehachapi with its huge mountains representing a Texas town.  Jennings and his brother Frank were good, understated performers.

The Passing of the Oklahoma Outlaw was made in 1915 by a group of lawmen as a response to and earlier, now lost, Al Jennings movie.  Marshal Bill Tilghman and two others produced the movie and appeared in it, along with other peace officers and at least one real bandit, Arkansas Tom Jones.  Tilghman and his partners felt that other movies glamorized bad men.  This one, which unfortunately exists only in parts, takes a different approach.  It includes bits about the original Wild Bunch and Cattle Annie and Little Breeches.  I liked the subtitle "Outlaws do what they do because they are what they are."  That would be a good line for a film noir.  The image above is an ad from the 09-June-1920 Tulsa Daily World, announcing a showing of The Passing of the Oklahoma Outlaws (an alternate title) with a personal appearance by Marshal Bill Tilghman. Be sure to click on the image to see a larger version.

"The Girl Ranchers" is a 1914 Nestor one-reeler, which was distributed by Universal.  It was silly, but fun.

"Legal Advice" was a 1916 Selig Polyscope one-reeler written by, produced by, directed by and starring Tom Mix.  It may have been the first entire Mix Selig movie that I have seen.  It was a funny story about a pretty female lawyer who came to a western town.  My wife enjoyed the powerful wind blowing through the interiors.  The lawyer had to hold down her dress during one scene.  The end was disturbing.

Womanhandled was a 1925 Paramount feature, directed by Woody van Dyke and starring Richard Dix and Esther Ralston.  It was a comedy, making fun of western movie cliches.  The movie includes scenes shot on location in Central Park and Houston, Texas.  The scenes by the Houston train depot include lots of streetcars.  Richard Dix was actually funny in this movie.

"Beauty Spots in America: Castle Hot Springs, Arizona" is a 1916 Essanay split reel which shows life around the elegant resort.

"The Romance of Water" is a 1931 one-reeler produced by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power to justify their stealing water from the Owens Valley.  It doesn't mention the water war and the dynamiting of the acqueduct.

"A New Miracle in the Desert" is an item from a Hearst Metrotone newsreel which tells about the Colorado River acqueduct, which allowed Los Angeles to steal water that it didn't even need.

"The West in Promotional Travelogues" is a group of excerpts from various travel movies, including Edison's 1898 "Sunset Limited," a view of the Georgetown Loop, and tours in Yosemite and Yellowstone.

I enjoyed the whole set.  I'm grateful to my family for the gift.  I recommend it highly.

Disc one: http://cablecarguy.blogspot.com/2012/01/treasures-5-west-1-january-11-2012.html

Disc two: http://cablecarguy.blogspot.com/2012/01/treasures-5-west-2-january-12-2012.html

Treasures 5: The West #1 -- January 11, 2012

One of my Christmas presents was the fifth Treasures From the American Film Archives, The West.

Disc one starts with a Biograph split reel comedy, "The Tourists," directed by Mack Sennett in 1912.  Mabel Normand and her companions get off a Santa Fe train in Albuquerque and Mabel is very enthusiastic about the crafts sold by Native American women in front of the Fred Harvey Company's Indian Building.  Failing to get back on the train before it leaves, Mabel wanders away from her party and into the area where the Native Americans live.  She flirts with a man called "Big Chief" until his wife and other ladies chase Mabel and her friends onto the next train, which pulls out with a Santa Fe California Limited drum sign clearly visible on the observation platform.

"The Sergeant" is a 1910 Selig Polyscope one reeler that was mostly shot in the Yosemite Valley.  This movie is one of the cache discovered in the New Zealand archive.  It was preserved with funds that we helped raise in the the 2010 For the Love of Film Blogathon (http://cablecarguy.blogspot.com/2010/02/why-do-we-need-to-preserve-films-brief.html).  It stars Hobart Bosworth as a cavalry sergeant who loses his stripes when he goes for a ride with the Colonel's daughter.  Their horses get stolen by a "renegade" and they spend the night out.  Later the cavalrymen and the daughter are trapped by attacking Native Americans.  The former sergeant dives into the river to get help.  The film was by Francis Boggs, an important early director who was shot to death in Los Angeles the next year.

Salomy Jane is the only surviving feature produced by the California Motion Picture Company in San Rafael and at the Russian River.   In his commentary Gary Scharnhorst does a good job of explaining how the movie is related the the Bret Harte story and Paul Armstrong's stage play.  It stars the beautiful Beatriz Michelena, wife of producer George Middleton.  She was good.  The advertisement above is from the 20-January-1915 Bisbee, Arizona Daily Review.  Alco Film Company, the distributor, did a poor job.

"Sunshine Gatherers" is a 1921 Prizmacolor one reeler which promotes the Del Monte company's canned fruits.  It opens with a cheerful history of the missions of California.  The two-color Prizmacolor process gave good results.

"Deschutes Driftwood" is a 1916 documentary shot along the Oregon Trunk Lines, showing the adventures of Weak Kneed Walter, a hobo who keeps getting tossed off of trains.  There are excellent views of the bridges and other features along the line.

"The 'Promised Land' Barred to 'Hoboes'" is a brief segment from a 1936 Hearst Metrotone newsreel, which documents the Los Angeles Police Department's humanitarian project to intercept migrants at the California border and kick them out if they didn't have money or a waiting job.

"Last of the Line" is a 1914 New York Motion Picture Company two-reeler which stars Japanese actor Sessue Hayakawa and his wife Tsuru Aoki as Native Americans.  The rest of the tribe was played by actual Native Americans.  Thomas H Ince produced this story of a chief's son, Hayakawa, who returns to the reservation ruined by his education in another world.

"The Indian-detour" is a 1926 one-reeler promoting the Santa Fe and Fred Harvey Company's special excursion which allowed riders on transcontinental trains to get off in Las Vegas, New Mexico or Albuquerque and take a three-day trip by Harveycoach (bus) or Harveycar (auto) to visit various Native American sites.

"Native Americans in Newsreels" includes clips from several newsreels showing Native Americans lobbying in Washington DC and visiting other locations.

"We Can Take It" is a 1935 silent short by the USDA, documenting the work of the Civilian Conservation Corps.  The commentary points out that many of the scenes are staged, and that the camps were actually segregated, but the movie gives a good idea of the good work done by the Corps.  Some of the flood control and fire prevention projects would be considered wrong today, but they were considered the right thing to do at the time.

I'll do Disc Two another day.

Disc Two: http://cablecarguy.blogspot.com/2012/01/treasures-5-west-2-january-12-2012.html

Disc Three: http://cablecarguy.blogspot.com/2012/01/treasures-5-west-3-january-19-2012.html