East of Bombay

Year Published: 1937

Creator: Denis-Roosevelt Expeditions Inc

Complete Record: The following text appears over a map of India as a introduction to the film: “A pictorial record of the Armand Denis and Leila Roosevelt Expedition in their travels from Bombay through India and Ceylon.” Cuts to a shot of a boat on a river and then to men carrying packages on their heads across the gangplank onto the boat. Cuts to more footage of boats and men at work around the boats. Cuts to shots of a market place, lots of pigeons, some livestock moving around. Cuts to footage of craftsmen work, sculptors, potters, boys working on a carpet weave. Cuts to a high angle WS of a large number of people praying in a temple. Cuts to footage of a magician performing tricks for Denis and Roosevelt. Cuts to a MS of a goat balancing on a very small wooden stand. Then cuts to men a top a high and thin seesaw like contraption which is being used to pull water from a well. Various M and L shots of expedition members crossing a perilous looking rope bridge. WS of some sort of ancient building or township carved into a plateau. MS of hand weaving. Various shots of some sort of event, participants are dressed and masked in large wooden headpieces that seem to resemble various animals such as monkeys, bulls. Cuts to MS of musicians, soon dancers enter. River footage, with rafts and donkeys alongside the river. Footage of funeral by river, the burning of a body by the river before the ashes are then swept into river MLS of a fair or carnival like event with man powered, small ferris wheel rides. Cuts to footage of a snake charmer. Cuts to footage of a market where pots and vegetables are being sold. Cuts to a beach where a dozen small sailboats are beaching and packages are being brought off. Night time footage of more celebrations, ceremonially decorated elephants are being ridden, a fire spinner performs and swordsmen perform.