Daily life in a South Dakota town during the Great Depression, shot by Ivan Besse. This footage is on 0692_HM_Ivan_Besse_collection_Britton_South_Dakota_1938-39_Reel_1_12_01_09_00

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Reviewer: pietertothemuze - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - March 5, 2019

Subject: I like the director's cut, and I watch it while listening to Pet Shop Boys. - March 5, 2019I like the director's cut,

Reviewer: LorraineHansberryLives - favorite favorite - October 14, 2018

Subject: The children, tho I watched only the first minute or so and stopped after seeing how so many of the children were in distress. - October 14, 2018The children, tho

Reviewer: Bud J - favorite favorite favorite favorite - June 15, 2017

Subject: Remarkable Remarkably well preserved footage. The football team ran the old single wing formation. - June 15, 2017Remarkable

Reviewer: el grandengringo - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - March 30, 2017

Subject: What a gift ! The entire series is a true gift to all future generations from the 1930's on. Dust bowl, depression etc they survived it and it and that Ivan Besse left us an excellent review of rural America ! I for one have really enjoyed the entire look at the time, place and people ! - March 30, 2017What a gift !

Reviewer: RogerDaCodger - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - June 27, 2015

Subject: Genuinely Beautiful Few films have had such an effect on my emotions as this little jewel. Especially the reactions of the ladies and those

fabulous smiles. All the reactions of all the folks. The guy that filmed this must have had a ball. I ain't no sissy, but the overwhelming sense of joy 'bout brought tears to my eyes. I love this film. - June 27, 2015Genuinely Beautiful

Reviewer: littonracker - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - December 24, 2013

Subject: A Look at an America That Was This collection of movies is very fascinating to me. I've watched every one of 'em and enjoyed the experience immensely. I went to Google Earth and looked at the locations of much of the filming and was amazed at how empty and lifeless it now appears to be. It certainly causes one to question the value of "progress". - December 24, 2013A Look at an America That Was

Reviewer: The_Emperor_Of_Television - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - February 15, 2013

Subject: 1930s people doing their 1930s thing Charming footage, I found the cars during the parade to be particularly interesting. The_Emperor_Of_Television -- February 15, 20131930s people doing their 1930s thing

Reviewer: eydie - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - September 9, 2012

Subject: awesome i love the girls who hid their faces or ran smiling from the camera, the guy who made the wiggly fingers on his nose. they look happy and some of the girls were sooo pretty. i love this, i wish someone had done this in our town. what a wonderful piece of living history. the only sad part: i wonder how many of these people are still alive. they aren't young and pretty anymore. - September 9, 2012awesome

Reviewer: stacyann0702@yahoo.com - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - March 31, 2011

Subject: family Its so nice that he had these made for the next generations. I can now see what my mom K. Johnson was talking about with her home town! I admire everyone back then! No matter how tough things get, hold your head high! Very nice to see my Aunt Annie Gunderson in this, whom my middle name was after. stacyann0702@yahoo.com -- March 31, 2011family

Reviewer: ERD. - favorite favorite favorite favorite - January 2, 2010

Subject: Delightful amateur film (Part 1) of South Dakota town in the lated 1930's Mr. Besse did a nice job filming the people and activities of his town, Britton, South Dakota,during 1938-39. In part I, the babies and children seen are very cute, and the citzens looked like a very nice bunch of people. I am glad this silent black & white historic documentary has been preserved. All the parts should be watched. - January 2, 2010Delightful amateur film (Part 1) of South Dakota town in the lated 1930's

Reviewer: Crod Rootnum - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - August 11, 2009

Subject: Some Hometown Fun I figured at the start of the film that the kids were gathered to watch the public flogging of the town barber. Poor little survivers of bad hair cuts!

Other than that, I thought everyone seemed in good spirits, with the photographer seemingly picking out all the towns pretty girls. - August 11, 2009Some Hometown Fun

Reviewer: norton67 - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - December 7, 2007

Subject: see what u wanna see I guess. I thought this was cool and didn't see the negative things some other reviewers mentioned even though they gave the film high marks. I thought most people WERE smiling and happy. The parade was kinda funky but I bet it was fun. I got a real good feeling seeing this film. - December 7, 2007see what u wanna see I guess.

Reviewer: TrapperJohn - favorite favorite favorite favorite - September 21, 2007

Subject: Beautyful This ia amazing.But you have to look behind the action.It seems that behind the few buildings there is just a big emptynes,when you look at the people who just walked by you sense some kind of hollownes.I recognise the images from films of people in the Netherlands after the depression years.There is hope again,action;but they all look as if they have been beaten up in the past. - September 21, 2007Beautyful

Reviewer: Spuzz - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - December 10, 2005

Subject: The Lady On The Roof I liked this installment of Besses travels in his own back yard.. Here we discover the shell shocked kids of the town. None of them are really smiling, most are just wondering whats going on. Perhaps during this time, noone really had a camera? We then go to what Besse does best, shoot people on the street and see how they react. Some of them cower, some of them smile, but best of all, I like how some people walk past with this damned If Im going to take part in this expression. We also see some shots of unexplained thing. Was that a rather large wheel with rats on it? Was that an oil rig? We then watch a pretty lame parade with practically every single business having a car in it with streamers on it. And a pretty lady on the roof if youre lucky. And a pretty lady on the roof with streamers on her neck if youre really lucky. And 3 pretty ladies, 1 on the roof, 2 on the bumper if youre really really lucky. If you cant find any, just use any spare children and disregard any child safety laws.. After that, we go to school! Well, outside of a school, where we see mostly older kids going to school, the yunguns are just below camera range, those camera hogs. Soon, theyre JAMMED into school, my goodness! No Pushing!



I loved it! This is a MUST SEE on this site! - December 10, 2005The Lady On The Roof