I love the people in this film. They are so unmistakably, so completely 1920s-looking, it could almost be a clip from one of Jay Gatsby’s home movie. That is, if Gatsby had led a somewhat more ordinary life.
The story here is straightforward – some fairly well to-do people go for a spin in their snazzy car, and hang out at the park. Children are brought along. A dog is petted. People have fun.
This simple little reel totally comes to life at the end, with the gorgeous final shot of the young woman and her two male friends getting out of the car and walking towards the camera. Then something happens – does she get a stone caught in her shoe? – and one of the men tries to help her. The two of them smile and laugh as they attempt to keep her from falling over. Then there’s some kissing. It’s plain to see how much this couple adore each other.
The reason why this footage made such an impression on me is that the subjects could really be young people from any era. When the woman snuggles the man’s cheek and looks lovingly at him, almost in an instinctive kind of way, it is a genuinely touching moment. Is he her husband? It’s unclear whether she’s the mother of the child we see at the start. She could also be an older sister. In which case, is this man her boyfriend? Did they end up staying together forever?
Either way, it’s an adorable slice of life that seems astonishingly relatable at a distance of nearly a century. Just look at them. They seem so young and invincible, don’t they?
As we say – the past is closer than you think…
This footage is part of the Prelinger Collection at Archive.org, and is in the public domain. The song is ‘Take a Picture,’ written by Chris Bussey and Craig Bussey. The wistful vocalist is not credited on the track, which is published by Audio Network.
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