AN EXCURSION TO EUROPE

Genre: home movie

Year Published: 1951

Description: “An Excursion to Europe” is a color home-style silent travelogue film by an unknown filmmaker in the Spring of 1951. This is the immediate post-War period and the film includes stark footage of damaged buildings in Frankfurt. The film takes the viewer on a tour across Western Europe to France, Denmark, and Germany. Specifically, the film features footage of major sites across Paris like the Louvre and the Versailles Palace estate as well as the royal Amalienborg Palace in Denmark and traditional Fachwerkbau in the rural German town of Gelnhausen. Film opens, opening credits (0:08). TWA Lockheed Constellation (1943-1990) preparing for take off from airport in Gander, Newfoundland, Canada (0:25). Camera pans views of austere landscape surrounding airport (0:39). Paris: Various views of Vendôme Column at center of Place Vendôme in 1st arrondissement of Paris (0:56). Place de la Concorde: British Consulate Paris, Hôtel de la Marine, Luxor Obelisk (1:51). Eiffel Tower seen in distance towering over barren tree tops (2:17). Exterior of Grand Palais, French flags wave in wind (2:47). Dome of Hôtel des Invalides seen in distance (2:59). Arc de Triomphe standing at western end of Champs-Élysées (3:06). Equestrian statue of Joan of Arc, Place des Pyramides (3:36). Tuileries Garden (3:42). The Louvre and Carrousel du Louvre entrance gate (4:16). View of La Cour Napoléon at Louvre c. 1930s (prior to addition of glass pyramids) (4:41). Another view of Carrousel du Louvre (5:22). Camera pans royal castle of Versailles, Equestrian statue of Louis XIV in central courtyard (5:41). View of the castle from the gardens, tour groups seen traversing garden grounds (6:25). Bosquet de la Colonnade in Versailles gardens “the Groves”, Latona Fountain (7:17). Palace amphitheater, “Ballroom Grove” (8:04). Colonnade Grove (8:37). Grand Trianon, French Baroque style château on the northwestern part of Versailles palace grounds (8:56). The Queen’s Hamlet - Marie Antoinette’s English-style garden and farm house (9:21). View of the seine (9:42). Martigues (ocean-side commune in Southern France): Camera pans facades of homes, fishing boats as they bob in the harbor, skyline sprawling away from water (10:14). Copenhagen, Denmark: Amalienborg Palace (The King’s Residence, Christian X), royal guard march along perimeter of palace (11:59). Germany: Camera pans rooftops, skyline of Gelnhausen (West German town near Frankfurt) (12:39). St. Mary s Church Gelnhausen (13:04). Examples of typical German architectural style of Fachwerkbau (half-timber houses) around town, snow-covered rooftops (13:44). Obermarkt central square (14:12). Various clips of perhaps relatives/ family of videographer walking towards camera, smiling, waving (14:23). Frankfurt: Bombed out frames of buildings heavily damaged during World War II, empty streets devoid of city-dwellers and pedestrians (15:45). Film ends (16:39).

Complete Record: “An Excursion to Europe” is a color home-style silent travelogue film by an unknown filmmaker in the Spring of 1951. This is the immediate post-War period and the film includes stark footage of damaged buildings in Frankfurt. The film takes the viewer on a tour across Western Europe to France, Denmark, and Germany. Specifically, the film features footage of major sites across Paris like the Louvre and the Versailles Palace estate as well as the royal Amalienborg Palace in Denmark and traditional Fachwerkbau in the rural German town of Gelnhausen. Film opens, opening credits (0:08). TWA Lockheed Constellation (1943-1990) preparing for take off from airport in Gander, Newfoundland, Canada (0:25). Camera pans views of austere landscape surrounding airport (0:39). Paris: Various views of Vendôme Column at center of Place Vendôme in 1st arrondissement of Paris (0:56). Place de la Concorde: British Consulate Paris, Hôtel de la Marine, Luxor Obelisk (1:51). Eiffel Tower seen in distance towering over barren tree tops (2:17). Exterior of Grand Palais, French flags wave in wind (2:47). Dome of Hôtel des Invalides seen in distance (2:59). Arc de Triomphe standing at western end of Champs-Élysées (3:06). Equestrian statue of Joan of Arc, Place des Pyramides (3:36). Tuileries Garden (3:42). The Louvre and Carrousel du Louvre entrance gate (4:16). View of La Cour Napoléon at Louvre c. 1930s (prior to addition of glass pyramids) (4:41). Another view of Carrousel du Louvre (5:22). Camera pans royal castle of Versailles, Equestrian statue of Louis XIV in central courtyard (5:41). View of the castle from the gardens, tour groups seen traversing garden grounds (6:25). Bosquet de la Colonnade in Versailles gardens “the Groves”, Latona Fountain (7:17). Palace amphitheater, “Ballroom Grove” (8:04). Colonnade Grove (8:37). Grand Trianon, French Baroque style château on the northwestern part of Versailles palace grounds (8:56). The Queen’s Hamlet - Marie Antoinette’s English-style garden and farm house (9:21). View of the seine (9:42). Martigues (ocean-side commune in Southern France): Camera pans facades of homes, fishing boats as they bob in the harbor, skyline sprawling away from water (10:14). Copenhagen, Denmark: Amalienborg Palace (The King’s Residence, Christian X), royal guard march along perimeter of palace (11:59). Germany: Camera pans rooftops, skyline of Gelnhausen (West German town near Frankfurt) (12:39). St. Mary s Church Gelnhausen (13:04). Examples of typical German architectural style of Fachwerkbau (half-timber houses) around town, snow-covered rooftops (13:44). Obermarkt central square (14:12). Various clips of perhaps relatives/ family of videographer walking towards camera, smiling, waving (14:23). Frankfurt: Bombed out frames of buildings heavily damaged during World War II, empty streets devoid of city-dwellers and pedestrians (15:45). Film ends (16:39).