[1936 HOME MOVIE VISIT TO CHICAGO, ILLINOIS & GENEVA, WISCONSIN]

Genre: home movie

Year Published: 1936

Description: Shot by an unknown filmmaker, this black and white silent home movie shows a tour of Chicago and Wisconsin circa 1936. It encapsulates life and style in Chicago in an era characterized by economic depression and architectural growth. Chicago was in a peak period of construction and urbanization. Shots begin with straw hatted Chicagoans watching the water show at the eternally attractive Clarence F. Buckingham Memorial Fountain in Grant Park. It sweeps the skyline capturing Chicago’s Art Deco design emphasizing vertical lines, terracotta and abstract geometric ornamentation. Footage tours Museum Campus and Soldier Field in downtown Chicago. The stadium is home to the Chicago Bears, though footage captured here is the 1936 Chicago Police Benevolent Association Fundraiser. The event's opening ceremony features a parade of 1,200 police officers through the stadium, accompanied by fireworks and music from police bands. About 45,000 spectators attended the opening ceremony. Elephants and masquerade clowns also wobble the greenway. Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey circus acts perform. The Teachers Union and AFL-CIO’s Utility Union march. Lucky Teter and his Hell Drivers perform stunts. The film also captures the traces of racism and segregation in Chicago as black and white athletes are notably separated. The end part of the film shows Wisconsin and Lake Geneva touring the historic Lake Geneva Hotel. Initially developed by John J. Williams and Arthur L Richards, the hotel was turned over to Frank Lloyd Wright in 1911. 00:00 Shots opens on an unidentified port (:20). Images of Buckingham fountain begin with the art deco designed seahorses (:34) representing the four states bordering Lake Michigan. Designer, French artist Marcel Loyau was awarded the Prix National at the 1927 Paris Salon for this project. Fountain construction was commissioned by art collector and philanthropist Kate Sturhes Buckingham as a memorial for her brother. Close shots detail the Rococo “layer cake” design of architect Edward H. Bennett (:49). Wide shots portray the style and texture of Chicagoans as well as the immensity of the fountain (:57). It is one of the largest designed after one of the fountains at the Palace of Versailles. Locals mingle at Grant Park (1:05). Four males walk towards the camera (1:37), the Art Institute of Chicago hangs in the background (1:37). A few shots highlight Chicago’s architecture style (1:58-2:02); chunky geometric shaping and hard lines. Vintage cars cross an intersection (2:15). A police cabbie drives through Soldier Field on Police Field Day (2:22) including a march and reenactment of “Chicago Day”. The brass band passes (2:28) with Field Museum in the background (2:30). A float parade begins (2:41). A police float reads Local 344 (2:46), likely referring to a specific district. Chicago has 22 labeled by three numbers beginning with three. The Board of Education marches (2:50). Lucky Teter and his Hell Drivers man a stunt car (3:25), a regular local event of the 1930’s. Teter was known as Ashland’s Evil Knievel. He perished in 1942 during a stunt. Ringling Bros. Branum and Bailey elephants appear (3:29). The UWUA Local 18007 Gas workers of Chicago Union float follows (3:34). A masquerade clown tips his head (3:38), an acrobat performs stunts (3:45) and another clown wags a long tongue (3:58). Clowns interrupt a boxing match (4:00). Elephants put on a show (4:43). An early iteration of a loop-the-loop structure appears (4:22). A large water slide shows the transition to Wisconsin (5:15). A white double ended ferry boat (5:39) and Hotel Geneva (5:40) follow. A 1925 Lincoln Model L sits out front (5:45). The hotel was reportedly involved in illegal booze driving during Prohibition and known for using the basement cavern bar for illegal horse race gambling. By 1948, it was Lake Geneva’s most famous hotel. Golf courses (6:00) ferries (6:16) and sunbathers (6:20) close the film.

Online Copy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmpHLcaG1_8

Metadata Source:YouTube