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Land of Mexico (1939)

1939 · Short film · 10 min

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Synopsis

This black & white educational film is about the nation of Mexico. This was made in 1939, in collaboration with Wallace W. Atwood, an American geographer and geologist who served as president of Clark University. Opening titles: Encyclopaedia Britannica Films presents Land of Mexico (:06-:25). Map shows the land of Mexico, directly south of the United States. Palm trees southern Atlantic Coast. Palm trees near a building. Port of Vera Cruz, harbor. Workers in large sombreros load a ship with sugar bags. Mountains, and a train trestle shown in the mountains as the narrator discusses the difficulties of building railroads through the mountainous regions of the country. Large silver mine, possibly outside Guanajuato (:26-2:29). Snow capped peaks of mountains. Mexico City downtown, with trolley cars running past the historic Plaza Santo Domingo. Modern PEMEX gas station (3:15). Botica or drug store "Farmacia Reforma". A hotel downtown. Modern Mexico home. Mexico City's famed swap meet or Market Place. Oxen work in a field; most of the nation's farms are not mechanized. Corn is the main food of Mexico. Harvesting corn (2:30-4:17). People pick corn and pour it into piles. A woman climbs the ladder to access corn stored in a granary, constructed of corn stalks. A man separates wheat. Cactus in Northern Mexico's Sonora Desert. Living fences of ocotillo cactus are created. Bamboo reeds are used to make baskets. Process of making adobe bricks. A man uses a pick to collect clay…

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Details

Running time
10 minutes
Collection
Ephemeral Films

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