HOME MOVIES: 1930s

Genre: home movie

Year Published: 1930s

Format: 16mm

Description: Shot by an unknown filmmaker, this playful home movie shows summer recreation from roughly 100 years ago. It includes scenes of people playing golf, swimming, boating and competing in sack races and other events. Great 1930s fashion with golf attire and swimming costumes, including people who dress up in costumes for entertainment. Unfortunately, we don't know where this film was shot, although clues might be found within some scenes. Recognize anything? Men and boys stroll down the grass slope of a golf course. Camera pans to show a large group of people leisurely walking about. Everyone is in a hat and some of the women carry parasols. The men watch another man make swing his golf club. Medium shot of a man in a tie making a shot. Three children all dive into the water and swim back and forth. Adults join in the diving. An older woman smiles from under a visor and umbrella (2:30). A boy paddles around in a float. A man tips a woman over in the float. Two people in swim caps and vintage bathing costumes start a splash fight (3:30). A man pretends to spank a woman with a canoe oar (3:50). A woman struggles with a horse float. Pan of a dock and people standing by the water’s edge. Shot of a small boat in the water. Children swim towards shore. More children take off swimming from a floating platform, they look to be racing. A woman carefully makes a golf shot. Medium shots of different people swinging their clubs on the course. Two people play in the water on a log. A woman speaks into the camera. Children hold balloons and eat outside. A man peers through the viewfinder of a Bell & Howell 16mm movie camera (8:20). People do dives and flips off of a diving board. People move around a small steam boat; the boat takes off. Wide shot of a different boat zooming by. Two girls spin around in their aprons and bonnets. A woman shows off her outfit. A man in a baby mask pushes a small baby stroller intended for a doll. He is also wearing a bonnet and skirt (10:10). Another man prances around in a costume with a mouse mask and tail (10:18). He swings from a bar. Children have a potato sack race and hop towards the camera. Next is the three-legged race. Children play more games and race each other. Camera pans to show the festivities. Close up of a little girl with missing teeth.

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