HOME MOVIES: 1940’s

Genre: home movie

Year Published: 1940

Format: 16mm

Description: Shot by an unknown amateur filmmaker, this silent home movie presents viewers with a brief look at Ceylon and British Malaya. It's not clear when this was shot, but it certainly appears to be pre-war, probably 1940. Ceylon at that time was the British Crown colony of the country known today as Sri Lanka (1815 to 1948). It is located in South Asia in the Indian Ocean. The "British Malaya" shown in the film was comprised of a set of states on the Malay Peninsula and the Island of Singapore. The film begins in Ceylon with shots of the country’s architecture including a tall red and white pagoda (:16). Much of the architectural design was heavily influenced by Buddhism. Natives mill through the streets of the market place along side a large covered wagon pulled by oxen (:34). Local stores and hotels appear along the streets including the Brahmin Hotel (:43). One man pulls a covered litter through the streets (:52). One of Ceylon’s seven ports is seen with small boats in the waters (2:06). A decorated elephant (2:21) is pulled by it’s ear by a young man to steer it in order to give a rider a leg up onto the elephant’s back (2:46). In shallow waters, a man leans up against a black cow (3:37) as others wash up nearby (3:40). More natives wash under a small waterfall (4:52). A span of animal skins hang as they dry outside (5:39). The film switches to British Malaya and opens with a shot of a traditional pagoda (5:59). Tourists play in a large pool (6:13). Three of the tourists of the trip are seen standing in a grassy area near the water (6:52). The British Union Jack flag is seen waving near the American flag (7:01). A small elephant is pictured afterwards (7:11). A gathering of military personnel follows with sailors in white uniforms (7:20). The Malayan Airways building appears (7:42) as the tourists prepare to fly to Hawaii and then back to their homes (7:48). Enlisted men are pictured in Kapolei, Hawaii at the Barbers Point U.S. Naval Air Station (7:53) as a Hawaiian woman passes lays over the heads of the visitors (8:05). The film wraps up with a sunset and a passenger plane’s silhouette against it (8:27).

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