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This promotional film covers the timeline of the automobile age in America dating from 1902 until 1959 when the film was released, focusing on the automobile brand “Rambler”. The film portrays the evolution of the ordinary American family’s car, the two world wars’ influence on the development of military vehicles and aircraft, and the construction of highways, freeways, and expressways, all from the point of view of the Barter Family. The film is presented by American Motors Corporation and is hosted and narrated by broadcasting journalist Frank Blair.
This film begins with birds-eye footage of cars driving on American highways (00:09). “America – The Automobile Age” title banner (00:32). Inside the studio of host and narrator Frank Blair, the film is introduced (00:58). Zoom-in on the TV-screen inside the studio showing Los Angeles, California in 1902 (02:09). Husband Elmer Barter is interviewed about his 1902 Rambler Model C (02:21). His wife Peg accompanies him for the first drive in their car (04:01). One wheel gets stuck as they drive on a muddy road (04:32). Elmer and Peg Barter arrive at the Palace of Transportation at the St. Louis World’s Fair in 1904 (04:46). In the studio, Frank Blair comments on the previous interview (06:11). A network of paved roads is emerging in the big cities as more cars appear (06:32). Elmer Barter informs his wife that he is leaving to serve in the transportation army after the war broke out in America (07:08). The engineering industry is speeding up its pace due to the war increasing demands (07:53). The post-war period in the 1920s portrayed with the people’s need for entertainment, with performances of dangerous stunts, marathons, and air circuses (08:37). In 1929 Peg’s and Elmer’s son Edward Barter marries his wife Kathy (10:00). Inside the studio Frank Blair is holding a model aircraft of the first ever all-metal monoplane made in 1930 (10:21). Two automobile engineers in white lab coats are interviewed by Frank about their revolutionary constructions, explaining the science, structural safety, and testing (10:46). Inside an assembly-line factory in 1940, workers are producing the 1941 Model 600 Nash car, developed by the engineers (18:27). Inside home of Edward and Kathy Barker’s home, Edward is cooking breakfast for his wife’s birthday, with their daughter and two sons (18:55). Kathy’s birthday present is a new car (22:16). Through the car radio, the bombing of Pearl Harbor is announced (23:20). Military factories increase their speed to produce in line with the war’s demands (23:34). An automobile assembly-line is converted into an aircraft assembly-line (24:26). In the studio, Frank Blair introduces the post-war sellers-market, and is showing photographs of new cars and engine types built in line with modern standards (24:23). The first successful modern American compact car was the 1950 w 100-inch Wheelbase Nash Rambler (27:10). At the Barker’s house, Edward and his son Joe are having a conversation about the current market for buying cars (27:35). The exploding market of transportation led to substantial constructions of new highways, expressways, and freeways and the blossoming of suburban communities (30:32). In the studio Frank Blair expresses overload-problems caused by the rapid market growth (30:32). The following segment explains how Rambler overtook the entire automobile market in 1958 due to their high quality, resell value, and Rambler’s brand integrity (33:02). At Barker family’s household, Joe Barker has married, and now has his own children (35:25). For their 7th wedding anniversary, Joe gifts his wife a Rambler car (36:18). The film is concluded at the studio with Frank Blair making an outro (37:14).
The film is produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, with Robert Drucker as producer and Bill Gibbs as executive producer. It is directed by David Monahan with the assistance of Carl Roup, written by Robert C. Bennet, photographed by Robert Bronner, edited by Robert Kern, Jr., with music by Hoyt Curtin, make-up by William Tuttle, and sound by Franklin Milton. Lastly Malcolm Brown was the art director.
Here is the original press release for the film:
This film traces the history of the automobile through the eyes of a typical American family. The movie was designed for showing to fraternal, church, youth, business, school and civic groups. Frank Blair, a nationally known television newscaster, narrates the film.
This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD and 2k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com
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