3rd Ave. El

Year Published: 1955

Format: 16mm

Color: Color

Sound: sound

Description: A portrait of the Third Avenue Elevated Railway in New York City in 1955. Preserved by the Academy Film Archive. The music is Haydn’s Concerto in D, played by harpsichordist Wanda Landowska. Davidson was a great fan of Landowska, and the rights to the music were held by HMV, who told the filmmaker that he could use the music, provided Landowska gave her approval. Through her secretary, Davidson discovered that Landowska distrusted filmmakers, had only seen one film in her life (which she disliked), but nevertheless "snapped up an offer of $200, all the money I had at the time," says Davidson. For more on Carson Davidson, visit http://www.afana.org/davidsoncarson.htm