THE GOLD LOCKET

Genre: amateur film

Year Published: 1950s

Creator: ralph-mcnitt

Description: “The Gold Locket” is an elaborate silent, 1950s amateur film by Ralph McNitt. This is the first half of the movie; the second half which included a trip to India is sadly missing. Also unfortunately, we don't know much about McNitt, but there are many intriguing clues in the film! The film documents McNitt and "Uncle Ben"'s look back at family history dating to the Gold Rush, a search for a treasure map, and a trip to Asia aboard the M/S Fermoor. This trip spans Japan, China, Malaysia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Hong Kong and Indonesia. Footage includes SF’s Chinatown, Tokyo’s Imperial Hotel, the Mojiko Retro District, Chinese junks and sampans in Victoria Harbor, Adrien-Jean Le Mayeur’s home, Tiger Balm Garden and a number of temples and mosques. (Note: We believe the film dates to around 1950 as it identifies Malaysia as Malaya. M/S Fermoor was scrapped in 1960.) (0:00) Main titles (:23) and a California carnival with rides including a miniature train (:42). Ben visits a fortune teller (1:42) who foresees a trip to strange lands (1:58). A quote from the New York Tribune’s founder leads to the California Gold Rush and Ben’s ancestry (2:42). A letter from William Egan to his wife details success in the Gold Rush and a gift of a gold locket (3:06) which is later passed to Ben’s niece Mary (3:19). The letter is uncovered in a trunk (4:29). The family hosts a meeting. Ben decides to locate Mary (5:27) booking a train for San Francisco (7:10). Footage captures skyline views from Nob Hill (7:40) and Chinatown along Grant street (7:55) with Shanghai Low. The restaurant was featured in Orson Welles 1947 “Lady from Shanghai”. Ben books a trip aboard a freighter (8:29). The Overseas Shipping Co (8:57) near the San Francisco-Oakland Bay bridge follows. The M/S Fernmoor of the Norwegian Merchant Fleet launched in 1922 (9:05). A tugboat (10:25) drags the Fernmoore through the Golden Gate (10:53) and into the Pacific. They arrive in Yokohama’s port (11:48). Tokyo’s Imperial Hotel (12:45) designed by Yuzuru Watanabe in 1890. Frank Lloyd Wright designed 1920’s additions. Kobe’s shopping district; Nankinmachi, appears (13:36) jammed with stalls (13:55) and locals carting goods with carrying poles (14:00). Female shoeshine boys (14:00) and Japanese women performing a farewell dance follow (14:42). Cyclists fill the streets of Mojiko Retro Town (16:33). Ben tours the Mekari Shrine (17:46), the Worship Hall (17:54) and Seitenkyu temple (18:18). Japanese wash in water (18:40). Chinese junks (20:56), the Hong Kong Star Ferry boat (21:31), central Hong Kong and Victoria Peak (21:51), iconic Hong Kong double decker buses (23:25) and Tiger Balm Gardens (24:50) follow. Ben continues for Thailand (27:50). Wat Arun (29:28), Bangkok (31:08), Jakarta harbor (3131), Adrien-Jean Le Mayeur’s residence (32:57), Ubud Monkey Reserve (33:51), Klungkung (32:25) and Besakih Temple (35:04) are captured. Ben heads for Singapore Harbor (37:42) sighting the Fullerton Hotel (38:35), statue of Sir Stamford Raffles (39:34), Raffles Palace (39:44) and Singapore’s Tiger Balm Garden (40:18) before traveling to ‘Malaya’. The Sultan Sulaiman Mosque (4123), Sultan Abdul Samad Jamek Mosque (42:36), old Istana Negara National Palace (41:47), Sultan Abdul Samad building (42:06), Kek Lok Si Temple (43:30) and Penang Hill Railway (44:46) follow. The customs house in Ceylon (45:09) reads “HM Customs” indicating British rule. The Gale Face Hotel (45:24), Buddha in the Dhyana Mudra in Anuradhapura (45:45), the Isurumuniya (45:57), panel of lovers sculpture (46:09), entrance to the Bodhi tree (46:23), Abhayagiri Dagaba (46:40), the Sacred City of Anuradhapura (46:52) and Thuparamaya (47:07) follow. Ben tours King Parakrama Bahu’s statue (49:07), Palace bath (49:28), Vatadage (49:54), Lankatilaka shrine (50:05), Kiri Dagaba (50:41), Latamandapaya stone platform (50:59), Chaste Siva Devale (5112), Thuparama (51:26), Sigiriya (51:46), Chatham Street Clock Tower (53:03), Ceylon’s American Embassy (53:20) and the Wolvendaal church (53:39). Kandy’s (53:52) tea industry (54:16). End of Part 1.

Complete Record: “The Gold Locket” is an elaborate silent, 1950s amateur film by Ralph McNitt. This is the first half of the movie; the second half which included a trip to India is sadly missing. Also unfortunately, we don't know much about McNitt, but there are many intriguing clues in the film! The film documents McNitt and "Uncle Ben"'s look back at family history dating to the Gold Rush, a search for a treasure map, and a trip to Asia aboard the M/S Fermoor. This trip spans Japan, China, Malaysia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Hong Kong and Indonesia. Footage includes SF’s Chinatown, Tokyo’s Imperial Hotel, the Mojiko Retro District, Chinese junks and sampans in Victoria Harbor, Adrien-Jean Le Mayeur’s home, Tiger Balm Garden and a number of temples and mosques. (Note: We believe the film dates to around 1950 as it identifies Malaysia as Malaya. M/S Fermoor was scrapped in 1960.) (0:00) Main titles (:23) and a California carnival with rides including a miniature train (:42). Ben visits a fortune teller (1:42) who foresees a trip to strange lands (1:58). A quote from the New York Tribune’s founder leads to the California Gold Rush and Ben’s ancestry (2:42). A letter from William Egan to his wife details success in the Gold Rush and a gift of a gold locket (3:06) which is later passed to Ben’s niece Mary (3:19). The letter is uncovered in a trunk (4:29). The family hosts a meeting. Ben decides to locate Mary (5:27) booking a train for San Francisco (7:10). Footage captures skyline views from Nob Hill (7:40) and Chinatown along Grant street (7:55) with Shanghai Low. The restaurant was featured in Orson Welles 1947 “Lady from Shanghai”. Ben books a trip aboard a freighter (8:29). The Overseas Shipping Co (8:57) near the San Francisco-Oakland Bay bridge follows. The M/S Fernmoor of the Norwegian Merchant Fleet launched in 1922 (9:05). A tugboat (10:25) drags the Fernmoore through the Golden Gate (10:53) and into the Pacific. They arrive in Yokohama’s port (11:48). Tokyo’s Imperial Hotel (12:45) designed by Yuzuru Watanabe in 1890. Frank Lloyd Wright designed 1920’s additions. Kobe’s shopping district; Nankinmachi, appears (13:36) jammed with stalls (13:55) and locals carting goods with carrying poles (14:00). Female shoeshine boys (14:00) and Japanese women performing a farewell dance follow (14:42). Cyclists fill the streets of Mojiko Retro Town (16:33). Ben tours the Mekari Shrine (17:46), the Worship Hall (17:54) and Seitenkyu temple (18:18). Japanese wash in water (18:40). Chinese junks (20:56), the Hong Kong Star Ferry boat (21:31), central Hong Kong and Victoria Peak (21:51), iconic Hong Kong double decker buses (23:25) and Tiger Balm Gardens (24:50) follow. Ben continues for Thailand (27:50). Wat Arun (29:28), Bangkok (31:08), Jakarta harbor (3131), Adrien-Jean Le Mayeur’s residence (32:57), Ubud Monkey Reserve (33:51), Klungkung (32:25) and Besakih Temple (35:04) are captured. Ben heads for Singapore Harbor (37:42) sighting the Fullerton Hotel (38:35), statue of Sir Stamford Raffles (39:34), Raffles Palace (39:44) and Singapore’s Tiger Balm Garden (40:18) before traveling to ‘Malaya’. The Sultan Sulaiman Mosque (4123), Sultan Abdul Samad Jamek Mosque (42:36), old Istana Negara National Palace (41:47), Sultan Abdul Samad building (42:06), Kek Lok Si Temple (43:30) and Penang Hill Railway (44:46) follow. The customs house in Ceylon (45:09) reads “HM Customs” indicating British rule. The Gale Face Hotel (45:24), Buddha in the Dhyana Mudra in Anuradhapura (45:45), the Isurumuniya (45:57), panel of lovers sculpture (46:09), entrance to the Bodhi tree (46:23), Abhayagiri Dagaba (46:40), the Sacred City of Anuradhapura (46:52) and Thuparamaya (47:07) follow. Ben tours King Parakrama Bahu’s statue (49:07), Palace bath (49:28), Vatadage (49:54), Lankatilaka shrine (50:05), Kiri Dagaba (50:41), Latamandapaya stone platform (50:59), Chaste Siva Devale (5112), Thuparama (51:26), Sigiriya (51:46), Chatham Street Clock Tower (53:03), Ceylon’s American Embassy (53:20) and the Wolvendaal church (53:39). Kandy’s (53:52) tea industry (54:16). End of Part 1.