1959 VACATION HOME MOVIE BRAY FAMILY TRIP TO SWITZERLAND, FRANCE & GERMANY GG43415b

Genre: home movie

Year Published: 1959

Description: Dating to September through October 1959, this color, silent home movie was shot by members of the Bray family of Pasadena, California, as they visited France, Germany and Switzerland. The film opens with gray scenes along Switzerland’s Swiss Riviera by Lake Geneva and continues to tour Lausanne, Thun, Fribourg and Gstaad. They cross borders between France and Germany frequently touring France’s Kuhlendorf and Chaumont as well as Germany’s Baden-Baden. The Bray’s home movie provides viewers with intimate views through the Swiss Alps and of various historic sights including Thun Castle, Chateau d’Ouchy, Trinkhalle, Beau-rivage Palace, Chillon Castle and more. (Note: Bray family patriarch Ulric Bray, was the founder of the Bray Oil Co. and invented many oil industry processes and devices.) 00:00 Young girl by two boats on Lake Geneva 00:10. A paddle steamer of the Belle Epoque Fleet operated by the CGN 00:21 and sailboats including a dragon class keelboat 00:27-01:51 follow. The 12th Century Neo-Gothic Chateau d’Ouchy of Lausanne 01:55 appears. The iconic Palais de Beaulieu is renowned for it’s architectural style cultural significance as a major hub for important events 02:07. International flags wave at the Place du Port 02:23. A macabre exhibit features dairy farmers and cows 02:42. Lusso Ice Cream crane attraction. Vibrant shots pass over Relais Cafe’s outdoor seating area 03:14. The historic Simplon passenger steamer appears at a pleasure cruise terminal 03:46-04:06. It was built between 1914 and 1920 by the Sulzer brothers. 5:33 Lausanne Trade Fair celebratory parade.The family views a marching band featuring youth representing various countries 05:16. Switzerland’s medieval architectural style 07:34. Locals offer wine 07:41 and small vendor stalls fill the streets 07:55-08:03. The family attends a local fair with a large swing carousel 08:24. Little boys with mustaches and glasses. 9:35 see saw A farmer drives a cart alongside rural roads 10:00 as they enter Germany’s countryside, German flag at 10:38 Cars are ferried across the border for France 11:26. French customs house 11:34 Car POV runs down wooded roads 11:35 for the countryside 12:06-12:30 and into Kuhlendorf; a commune of the Bas-Rhin Department in northeastern France 12:35. The area is well known for it’s half timbered houses 12:56. Distant shots capture the town’s expanse 14:00. They sight the Monument to General Rapp in the Colmar France 15:55. Youth inspect a 507 series BMW 16:37 manufactured between 1956 and 1959. The Swiss flag indicates a return to Switzerland 17:01 where the family tours films Lausanne’s Beau-Rivage Palace on the banks of lake Geneva 17:25. They enter the Swiss Alps 19:18 and sight Villars Palace 19:31. The medieval Chillon Castle 20:10 stands on a rocky island in Lake Geneva. Grape farmers in a terraced garden area in wine country wave 20:43. A Citroen DS Sedan 21:32 appears. Point of view footage from the car drives through the Alps 21:40. They enter Gstaad 22:03, visit Gstaad Palace 22:04 and the Gstaad Promenade 22:09. The area’s architectural style was drawn from the Simme Valley tradition 22:20-22:41. Locals sell cattle at an auction 22:47. 26:08 Thun Castle. From the car, the Bray’s pass armed servicemen 26:36 and pigs 26:50 as they head for Fribourg 27:08 Hotel Suisse, Cafe Viennoise 27:36 Nuns walk down the street 28:21 University of Switzerland 28:53 Le Port de Fribourg along the Sarine River 29:11. The French Customs house 31:52 as they head for Germany 32:13. Cars are checked as they cross the border 32:39. Footage from Baden-Baden 34:05 Hotel Badischer Hof 34:38-34:45 and Trinkhalle 38:44 of the Kurhaus Spa Complex. Chateau du Hart-Koenigsbourg 40:02-40:31 Basilica of Saint John the Baptist in Chaumont 41:43 and a town junction in La Seine showing road to Paris 42:42 Pasadena City Hall indicates a return to the US 43:34.

Online Copy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7f8IkoXU_3A

Metadata Source:YouTube