HOME MOVIES: 1950s COLOR SILENT

Genre: home movie

Year Published: 1950s

Format: 16mm

Description: This is a family-home movie that likely dates to the early 1950s. Shot in a family home and property in Italy, the film features beautifully vibrant footage of intimate family scenes, highlighting in the short five minutes the beauty of a multi-generational family and the ephemeral nature of life as the seasons change throughout the film and the various generations age. Film opens to young girl flipping through pages of American women’s magazine ‘Ladies’ Home Journal’ (0:13). Another scene of young girl jumping rope on outdoor terrace, footage changes to slow motion (0:26). Young girl once again, this time featured in a different outfit, fixes and fluffs hair while looking at the camera (0:34). Dimly lit hallway, view from top of staircase, young girl from prior scenes is now a young woman walks up staircase of family home towards camera carrying baby boy in arms, perhaps her mother follows suit (0:59). Shot of dimly-lit salon area with wood paneled walls, young woman props baby on chair next to perhaps great-grandmother (1:26). View of terraced garden through large window displaying various multi-colored glassware i.e. vases, stemware (1:53). Another angle of same window, light pours into living room area with bar and art works on display (2:12). Close-up women from three different generations of same family drink aperitifs in corner of living room (2:36). Back in dimly lit salon area, grandfather and grandmother play with baby and show him shiny metal tray; Other shots of the baby being played with and tended to by different family members (2:46). Camera zooms into great-grandmother and great-grandfather as they sit on sofa together (3:53). Close-up portraits faces of young woman’s mother and father as they post in outdoor garden (4:14). Change of seasons - Members of family play in snow outside on property, women wear luxurious fur coats (4:37). Another change of season, appears to be spring, elderly woman wears lavishly embroidered black silk shirt with floral details and matching black hat, poses in outdoor garden under tree (4:45). Same woman this time in more casual dress, stands with other members of family and is presented a bouquet of flowers (5:22). Film ends (5:36). Founded in 1883, Ladies’ Home Journal was an American monthly magazine, one of the longest-running in the country and long the trendsetter among women’s magazines.

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