HOME MOVIES: OCCUPIED JAPAN

Genre: home movie

Year Published: 1947

Format: 16mm

Description: Shot just after WWII by an unknown member of the U.S. military, this silent home movie shows Japan during the occupation era. The film begins with title cards indicating that the person who shot the film was living aboard the USS Blackford (APB-45), a Benewah-class self-propelled barracks ship that was in service with the United States Navy during the waning days of World War II and was decommissioned in April 1947. So clearly the film predates that. Blackford is seen at :20 in her berth, and some of the crew are seen as well. At 1:43 a single stack ship, possibly a coastal patrol boat, can be seen. At 3:00 Japanese pose and clown for the camera. At 6:11 are placid scenes probably near Tokyo (if you know where, please let us know). At 8:17, neon lights up with a "Merry Xmas" sign. At 8:35 street traffic including trolley cars are seen, and military trucks rumble past. At 10:01 the Yokohama Oyster Beds are shown. At 11:38 a trolley car passes with U.S. troops holding onto the exterior. At 12:00, Japanese women pose for the camera with broad smiles. At 13:30 Mt. Fuji is shown from a train. At 14:30, U.S. servicemen relax in a Japanese inn and are attended to by a Japanese woman. At 17:25, a U.S. man tries to use chopsticks. At 19:23, Army soldiers visit a Japanese shrine and take pictures with a Speed Graphic. At 23:57 large mountains loom behind a town. A sign indicates that this is the Jyoshuya Hotel. At 24:22, Aeko Iwamoto of Tokyo is introduced. She appears to be a school girl and from the looks of things might have had a romantic attachment to whoever shot the film. At 27:19 the city of Hiroshima, devastated by an atomic bomb, is shown. A title card proclaims it as a "ghost city". At 27:40, the ruins of a church are visible. At 30:10 a man walks by with a Speed Graphic, taking photos in the ruins. At 32;24 a bridge is visible. At 32:35 the docks are once again seen and the USS Blackford. At 35:02 the Tokyo Inlet Casino is shown and there are more shots of Aeko. At 35:50, a title card indicates "Norlander Hits Tokyo". At 37:59 the railway station and a sign for the Yokosuka Line is shown. At 38:40, a trip on a trolley car or high speed train takes place. At 41:12, the American fleet is seen in what is either Yokosuka or Tokyo Bay, with many aircraft carriers and battleships evident. At 42:08, the side of the USS New Jersey looms into view and we're apparently going to take a visit on board. At 44:16, airplanes neatly arrayed on the deck of a carrier are seen. At 45:38, another Speed Graphic is shown.At 48:43, sweeping panoramas of Tokyo are seen with many blocks of debris evident. At 50:00, sweet Aeko is seen again. At 53:31, Aeko gets a kiss on the lips. At 54:30, a title card says "We say goodbye to our Limey Pals who are shoving off back to England."

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