The Middleton Family at the New York World's Fair (1939)

★★★★★ · “Why, all of this is only a sample of the REAL world of tomorrow!” -1939 · Cartoonbear · 2022-03-23

This movie is a tragedy of Shakespearean proportions—with a soupcon of anti-Semitism for spice! I picture poor, stupid, briefly hot Babs Middleton sometime in 1960, reading Betty Friedan and wondering why her old grandma gave such terrible advice. “Grandma, you said WESTINGHOUSE gave us women OUR emancipation proclamation, but it’s not Juneteenth yet!” Never mind the racism of the Black maid… I mean, 1939? Just capitalizing (!) on the whole butterfly McQueen thing, you know—a simulacrum—as capital does. I did keep expecting to see Howard Roark emerge from one of the corny exhibits. All in…

★★★★★ · Wonderful addition to Prelinger Archives! · Visual16 · 2008-01-02

Thanks so much for this great film. Great digital rendering! Very enjoyable viewing! A nice lookback at the 1939 New York World's fair. Prior to this, there were the silent "home movies" on the archive. This is a dramatic upgrade for students of film history.

★★★★★ · What Goes Around.... · TheFailsafeIsNeutral · 2010-02-25

A second Time Capsule was buried with the first during the 1964/65 World's Fair. The time capsules are buried fifty feet down at 40° 44' 34".089, 73° 50' 43".842 Before you whip out your GPS finder, go to Flushing Meadows Park. Take the #7 train to 111th Street in Queens. Walk south on 111th Street four blocks. The site marker is on the opposite side of the New York State Pavilion from the Unisphere. This film presents an optimistic look at industry and private/corporate enterprise, as well as easily discredited stock Socialist arguments against the same, all framed by a visit to the 1939/40…

★★★★★ · Early form of infommercial · ERD. · 2008-07-31

A glossy, well done pre World War II film by Westinghouse that is now charmingly nostalgic, despite the fact most people didn't live in such an affluent and idealistic life as the Middleton's. Jimmy Lydon and Marjorie Lord went on to better things in their acting career.

★★★★★ · Good story · mlwvandenberg · 2008-12-24

People back in 1939 must have been more spiritual and aware because they understood the problem of communism, modernism and leftism. Notice the judic, unhumorous and wining communist. Why would America accept people like this? They did not and that is why America was save from leftism... for a while. Now America is a socialist state.

★★★★★ · Top 3% if that in '39 · tribtower · 2013-05-23

Family depicted here is upper-middle class the maid is a give-away. They also own a sucessful store. Even grandmother is rather polished. And certainly daughter is the sorority type. How many Americans (EUROPEAN DESCENT) were in this class in the late 30's maybe 3%. Most people were scrambling to stay employed. The dishwasher shown might have been available for around $400.00 at this time ($2500.00 in today's $) I think even well-heeled people like these would think twice. And the household help would be out a luck. Dishwashers did come along for the masses in the 60's. Don't know if these…