[1952/1955 SILENT HOME MOVIE TORNADO WRECKAGE FAMILY REUNION GRADUATION]

Genre: home movie

Year Published: 1950s

Description: Shot by an unknown American amateur filmmaker, this 16mm silent home movie captures intimacy among family intermingled with footage of wreckage from a devastating tornado circa 1952-55. Color shots open with the twin’s graduation; two young girls in dresses and later in graduation caps and gowns pose in the front and backyard. It transitions to scenes of tornado damage including mangled trees, interior guts of homes slumped along residential streets and shots of debris removal crews. A number of twisters caused significant damage in 1955. The film is possibly shot in either Udall, Kansas or Blackwell, Oklahoma. Two F5 tornados wreaked havoc from May 25th- 26th. Footage highlights the destruction a tornado can leave in it’s wake and the simplicity of family time in the 1950’s; pigtailed blondes play in the kiddie pool, kin gathers for a backyard summer party, youth and adults splash in a lake on summer retreat and play jump rope on the driveway in autumn. It’s a blend of universal and personal history. 0:00 Parents pose with their daughters (:10). The girls sit in lilac dresses on the stoop next to red flower pots (:40) and later in graduation cap and gown (:52). Scenes of tornado damage interrupt (1:12), a group stands in front of splintered trees. Others pass down a street lined with wreckage (1:21) and debris removal crews (1:33). Excavators (1:48) and cranes are put to use (1:51). A worker in a hard hat stands atop rubble (201). Destroyed residential buildings, (2:22), a backhoe scooping waste (2:28) and a bent tree follow (2:50). A bulldozer mows over trees (2:58). Another bulldozer climbs a mountain of waste (3:21). Pigtailed blondes playfight in a kiddie pool (3:30). The season changes (3:51), three stand in front of an intact home (3:51). Christmas lights hang on the neighbor’s house. Close shots feature a male member in a thick wooly jacket (4:02). Three young girls pose in the spring breeze (4:11); breaking into laughter, and on the lawn in easter dress (4:41). Another child bends to smell a flower (4:57). A 1950’s Dodge appears mangled from the tornado (5:05). The family gathers out back for a summer party (5:23) passing punch and thick slices of cake around (5:34). Three girls lay belly flat on the shoreline (5:58). Adults and youth kick up water together (6:29). The three girls play with white gloves (7:23) and swing in a circle (7:34). Women and four youth play driveway jump rope (7:49). A girl rides a Palomino (8:16). The family gathers for a group shot (8:23). Four skunks scurry over the lawn (8:29). A mother and two children pose (9:18). Winter trees house a red cardinal (9:28). A bee pollinates a flowering quince (4:50). Yellow daffodils spot the yard (9:57). The group poses (10:13) in pearls, bow ties and buttons downs. A section shows personal shots of family members; shy relatives squirm under attention (10:38), a pair of women joke together (10:45), a brother and sister pose (11:15) and an older woman and girl tease a younger sibling (11:19). A group poses by the front door (11:33). An older couple poses near the porch (11:51). A woman walks a toddler in a thick jacket (12:01). The pair join the couple by the porch (12:07). The slender male smokes a cigar (12:10), his wife folds her arms (12:10). The woman with the toddler fusses with the other relatives (12:20-12:48). A family fills a float with a hand pump by a 1950’s Chevrolet (12:51). A group drives a small boat (13:09), docks (14:27) and unloads camping equipment on a picnic table (14:40). Dark shots show dinner at home (15:06). The family poses in front of a 1946 Cadillac Series 62 Club Coupe (15:31). They drive off, a hand waves back (15:31). Final shots show a note indicating portions of the film were from a 1952 family reunion (15:37).

Complete Record: Shot by an unknown American amateur filmmaker, this 16mm silent home movie captures intimacy among family intermingled with footage of wreckage from a devastating tornado circa 1952-55. Color shots open with the twin’s graduation; two young girls in dresses and later in graduation caps and gowns pose in the front and backyard. It transitions to scenes of tornado damage including mangled trees, interior guts of homes slumped along residential streets and shots of debris removal crews. A number of twisters caused significant damage in 1955. The film is possibly shot in either Udall, Kansas or Blackwell, Oklahoma. Two F5 tornados wreaked havoc from May 25th- 26th. Footage highlights the destruction a tornado can leave in it’s wake and the simplicity of family time in the 1950’s; pigtailed blondes play in the kiddie pool, kin gathers for a backyard summer party, youth and adults splash in a lake on summer retreat and play jump rope on the driveway in autumn. It’s a blend of universal and personal history. 0:00 Parents pose with their daughters (:10). The girls sit in lilac dresses on the stoop next to red flower pots (:40) and later in graduation cap and gown (:52). Scenes of tornado damage interrupt (1:12), a group stands in front of splintered trees. Others pass down a street lined with wreckage (1:21) and debris removal crews (1:33). Excavators (1:48) and cranes are put to use (1:51). A worker in a hard hat stands atop rubble (201). Destroyed residential buildings, (2:22), a backhoe scooping waste (2:28) and a bent tree follow (2:50). A bulldozer mows over trees (2:58). Another bulldozer climbs a mountain of waste (3:21). Pigtailed blondes playfight in a kiddie pool (3:30). The season changes (3:51), three stand in front of an intact home (3:51). Christmas lights hang on the neighbor’s house. Close shots feature a male member in a thick wooly jacket (4:02). Three young girls pose in the spring breeze (4:11); breaking into laughter, and on the lawn in easter dress (4:41). Another child bends to smell a flower (4:57). A 1950’s Dodge appears mangled from the tornado (5:05). The family gathers out back for a summer party (5:23) passing punch and thick slices of cake around (5:34). Three girls lay belly flat on the shoreline (5:58). Adults and youth kick up water together (6:29). The three girls play with white gloves (7:23) and swing in a circle (7:34). Women and four youth play driveway jump rope (7:49). A girl rides a Palomino (8:16). The family gathers for a group shot (8:23). Four skunks scurry over the lawn (8:29). A mother and two children pose (9:18). Winter trees house a red cardinal (9:28). A bee pollinates a flowering quince (4:50). Yellow daffodils spot the yard (9:57). The group poses (10:13) in pearls, bow ties and buttons downs. A section shows personal shots of family members; shy relatives squirm under attention (10:38), a pair of women joke together (10:45), a brother and sister pose (11:15) and an older woman and girl tease a younger sibling (11:19). A group poses by the front door (11:33). An older couple poses near the porch (11:51). A woman walks a toddler in a thick jacket (12:01). The pair join the couple by the porch (12:07). The slender male smokes a cigar (12:10), his wife folds her arms (12:10). The woman with the toddler fusses with the other relatives (12:20-12:48). A family fills a float with a hand pump by a 1950’s Chevrolet (12:51). A group drives a small boat (13:09), docks (14:27) and unloads camping equipment on a picnic table (14:40). Dark shots show dinner at home (15:06). The family poses in front of a 1946 Cadillac Series 62 Club Coupe (15:31). They drive off, a hand waves back (15:31). Final shots show a note indicating portions of the film were from a 1952 family reunion (15:37).