In the Golden Age magazine for September 13, 1922,
three films were advertised for purchase by the Kinemo Film Corporation. Back
in 2016 there was a series of articles on this blog about them, the most detailed
one being found at:
The three films were made over 1920-1921. There was
one on Palestine, one on the Great Pyramid and one on Imperial Valley,
California. The latter was seen as an example of what could be done to
cultivate land and make an area into a paradise.
There is quite an amazing review of the Imperial
Valley one by Paul Johnson in his paper for September 1925.
"BRO.
RUTHERFORD TAKING A TRIP THROUGH IMPERIAL VALLEY, CALIFORNIA"
"The picture shows Bro. R. and party in an automobile, ready for the tour. Then it shows them driving to some of his friends, to ask them if they would allow their son to go with him through Imperial Valley to take pictures. The boy's parents readily consented to let him go with the judge, though they were all prepared to start on a trip of their own through the mountains. The boy kisses his family good-bye, jumps into Bro. R.'s car, and away they go. Then the pictures go on to show Bro. R. passing through the valley on foot, examining fruit, vegetables and many other things grown there. According to the pictures, everything certainly was in good condition. Of course, the picture shows Bro. R. walking through these gardens, which takes up quite a time. On one occasion he is pictured as looking around and laughing as he turns over a very large pumpkin, saying: `It reminds me of the pumpkin pies mother used to make.'
Then the
picture changes. It shows Bro. Rutherford's party with a newspaper giving the
picture of a terrible automobile accident. Then the auto is shown falling down
the side of a steep mountain, the occupants falling out and all being
killed—they were the boy's family. Thereupon Bro. R. is seen trying to comfort
the boy. It also shows Bro. R. writing a letter and handing it to the boy,
telling him not to open it until when in 1925 he would hear of Abraham being
resurrected. Later, the pictures show the boy in 1925 reading a morning paper
with large head lines: 'ABRAHAM RESURRECTED IN PALESTINE.' Suddenly it dawns on
the boy to read the letter the judge had given him. He looks at the calendar,
which shows 1925; then he opens the letter, which tells him to telegraph
Abraham and ask him that his famliy might be resurrected and restored to him.
Finally, the boy is shown very happy as he telegraphs Abraham in Palestine in
1925."
This
would be a fascinating film to see with JFR in such a prominent acting role. It’s
a shame the Oscars didn’t start until 1929. There is only one slight problem
with all of this – the description and review is FALSE FROM START TO FINISH.
We can
see the actual film today because a copy has survived, although missing a
little footage at the end of the reel.
The
Imperial Valley film is just a travelog, taking you around the area, showing
roads being built, ditches beng dug and produce being harvested, as an
illustration of what could be possible for the earth in the future. That is
about it. JFR appears briefly in long shot looking over a field, a bit like an
Alfred Hitchcock cameo.
When you
read the small print Johnson tries to excuse himself:
“The
Editor never saw these moving pictures, but sometime ago one of the brethren
sent him a brief description of them.”
So that’s
all right then. It’s someone else’s responsibility.
Taking his words at face value, one of the brethren must have been just “messing around.”
Taking his words at face value, one of the brethren must have been just “messing around.”
And none of his readers apparently noticed.
With grateful thanks to Zion’s Herald for bringing
this amusing item to our attention.
For a revised series of articles on the ill-fated
Kinemo project you can also use the search term: Kinemo, at: https://jeromehistory.blogspot.com/
3 comments:
Typical of Johnson.
Backtracking entry sources on this site I came across a Polish message board, where, allowing for the quirks of Google translate, someone was arguing that Johnson's "review" was of course accurate, and there had been a secret cover-up to censor all existing prints after 1925... (In reality, Kinemo was a commercial flop and people who bought them were trying to sell them cheap in the pages of the New Era Enterprise by 1925. So the market was awash with prints in private hands).
But it is an interesting and unexpected take on the subject. Oh yes, and Elvis was abducted by aliens...
I've learned that the Polish site is full of unfounded speculation. It's not worth the read. Sound historical evidence does not exist on that site except where they've borrowed from their 'betters.' Perhaps if more of them visit here, one or two of them will learn something about relative evidential value.
Post a Comment