Synopsis
Produced by Encyclopedia Brittanica, this black and white educational film was released in 1940. "A Planter of Colonial Virginia" focuses on life in Virginia when it was a British colony, prior to the American Revolution Footage depicts but does not comment on racial divide between white plantation owners and Black slave laborers, and the film references many dated gender and sometimes racial stereotypes. Title screen (0:12). Footage of James River and wooded tidewater inlets (0:25). Footage of brick house of James Scott, tobacco planter and member of the Virginia House of Burgesses (0:37). Footage of Black men chopping wood (0:43). James Scott and another white man on horseback riding to inspect workers (0:46). Black African-Americans laborers singing spiritual “I Couldn’t Hear Nobody Pray” (1:10). James Scott discusses how much new clearing will yield this year (1:30). Mrs. Scott picking flowers in hedge style garden. Black gardener is visible in the corner (1:39). Undertone of dated gender stereotypes as narrator comments on how Mrs. Scott finds satisfaction in flowers and compares to her sons and husband’s interest (1:55). Footage of Thomas Scott riding horse (2:00). Henry a white indentured servant working as a skilled craftsman, a blacksmith. Footage of hammer, forge, anvil, and hand operated bellows (2:12). Thomas and Henry discuss work on coach for upcoming Williamsburg trip (2:30). Betsy Scott, the daughter, in her room packing. Assisted by Black domestic servant…
Uploader's description on archive.org
Details
- Running time
- 10 minutes
- Collection
- Ephemeral Films
Subjects on the Internet Archive
- American Revolution
- Encyclopedia Brittanica
- Colonial Virginia
- American Revolution Footage
- James River
- James Scott
- Virginia House
- Hear Nobody Pray
- Thomas Scott
- William Mary