[ALOE VERA MASSAGE 1939 HEALTH GURU QUACKS' HOME MOVIE]

Genre: home movie

Year Published: 1939

Description: This silent black-and-white home movie from 1939 follows a husband and wife, possibly Drs. Irene and Lloyd C. Shanklin, who billed themselves as expert biochemists and food scientists but were probably quacks. The couple were the owners of Harmony Health Center aka Shanklin Groves of Homestead, Florida. The film begins with odd footage of the couple demonstrating the uses of aloe vera as a moisturizer. They then travel to Washington, D.C., where the footage captures prominent landmarks of the capital. Later, they visit a resort, followed by scenes of various structures, some under construction, resembling Egyptian-inspired architecture. The film concludes with the couple back at Harmony Health, where they pick fruits and showcase an abundant harvest of crops, fruit trees, and plants. (Note: in 1959 Lloyd Shanklin was charged with making false claims about a preparation made of aloe leaves and papaya rica.) A man demonstrates how to harvest aloe vera from the leaves of an agave plant in a garden, while his wife sits beside him (00:25). He rubs it on the face of his wife (01:45). A scene of her standing in front of a blossoming tree, looking up (02:00). The man rubs aloe vera onto his hair, face, and body (02:06). He covers his eyes and forehead and sits under the sun, covered in aloe vera (02:59). An avenue and blossoming trees (03:18). Flags (03:32). The Pan American Union Building, built in 1910 in Washington, D.C. (03:43). Parking spot for bicycles (04:19). A car parking lot (04:24). Cherry blossom trees and views of the Washington Monument in the background and the Potomac River (04:29). Park animals, including a pigeon and squirrels (05:19). The wife and two children (05:28). A Western Union mobile telegraph office (05:33). Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone Company public telephone trailer -- make calls from anywhere ?! (05:36). The Potomac River and surrounding blossoming greenery (05:44). Photographer and his travel companions at a resort in Florida (06:06). Coast and many palm trees (06:42). Women stroll around the resort (07:31). Guests on the beach (07:51). The photographer films his travel companions seated by the beach (09:31). Various bird enclosures covered with netting (09:53). Group in and near a car (10:25). Empty arena/stadium, where the stage facilities are covered in scaffolding (11:11). People strolling down a promenade past the arena/stadium (11:54). Coastline scenes (12:04). Beached off the coast is a large wooden sailing ship or clipper that apparently ran aground (12:18). Scenes from a park, featuring statues and decor inspired by Egypt (12:38) including a Sphinx (12:50). Structures are covered in scaffolding, appearing to be under construction (14:04). Cars driving on a road (15:00). The husband and wife take photos with Egyptian-inspired statues (15:24). Footage of their surroundings (15:49). Florida City State Farmers Market (16:43). Homestead. Edward Stiling Realtor sign (16:49). Footage of the travel group picking fruits off a tree (16:54). Aloe vera plants (17:28). Footage of members of the travel group by the fruit trees (17:40). Smelling flowers (18:17). Group sitting in a garden (18:30). Entrance to a country fair with posters advertising local companies (18:46). A sausage tree (Kigelia africana) (18:56). Members of the travel group admire the fruit they have picked (19:20). Footage of various trees and plants (19:54). Large family posing for a group photo, including the husband and wife (20:08). They disperse the line-up and converse amongst each other (20:39). The husband and wife sit by a small water basin with their dog (21:57). The wife, dog, and kittens sit on a bench (22:28). The husband takes her place (22:38). The husband walks through the garden (23:03). The husband passes a crowd of nurses (23:44). The husband and wife pose with crates of fruit (23:55). The sign of the Harmony Health Center, founded by Drs. Irene and Lloyd C. Shanklin (24:27). The wife plays with a monkey (24:40).

Online Copy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZU32Kr87DQ

Metadata Source:YouTube