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Castle FilmsAbout Bananas (1935)

Complete presentation of the banana industry from the clearing of the jungle and the planting to the shipment of the fruit to the American markets.


This movie is part of the collection: Prelinger Archives

Producer: Castle Films
Sponsor: United Fruit Company
Audio/Visual: Si, B&W
Keywords: Agriculture: Bananas; Central America

Creative Commons license: Public Domain

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Reviewer: Sheldoni - - May 10, 2006
Subject: Propaganda Works!
Just watching that ended my evening long cookie desire and sent me to the kitchen for a banana! Seriously.

On the other hand, how many beautiful island paradises must we deforest, dynamite, dredge and destabilize to cram fragrant foreign fruit in our gaping American maws? Mmmmm nutritious!

Next Up - McMeat!

Reviewer: Matthew Aleksander Earley - - June 4, 2005
Subject: The Business of Bananas
It takes a man with an idea and men with steam shovels, dynamite, concrete, locomotives, ships and 100Âs of workers to make growing bananas into a business. Definitely a pro-banana movie as none of the methods are shown for pest control and no consideration is given to the landmass used.

Being curious I googled ÂBanana Plantation :
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&safe=off&q=banana+plantation&btnG=Search

I found this silent film to be a captivating look back in history.

Reviewer: Umass_Kid - - April 3, 2004
Subject: Going bananas
Great flick on Banana growing. Watching you canÃÂt help but think of malaria :). Look for the great shots of cartoon vitamin characters. As an added bonus you get some great 1920ÃÂs sports shots.

Reviewer: Christine Hennig - - January 16, 2003
Subject: About Bananas
This 1920s silent film about how great bananas are already has a lot of the standard conventions of industrial films. The first part of it shows in detail how bananas are grown and harvested in various Caribbean countries. Then it switches into housewife mode, as it tries to convince us how nutritious and delicious bananas are. It even features animated sprites to represent the various vitamins and minerals in bananas. The "mineral" sprites are grossly obeseÃÂÃÂI'd like to see them get away with those today. Not bad for a silent film.
Ratings: Camp/Humor Value: ****. Weirdness: ***. Historical Interest: ****. Overall Rating: ****.

Reviewer: Spuzz - - December 9, 2002
Subject: Be Bold With Bananas!
Interesting film about one heck of a bizarre subject. Film starts in an unnamed South American country, where those pesky virgin rain forests are chopped down for Banana farms. Soon the Bananas grow, and we are shown how they get to market. About 5 minutes left into the show, the film starts getting PROPOGANDISTIC with titles in CAPITALS coming TOWARDS us, to NAIL THE POINT DOWN. Rather offputting for such an innocous fruit!

Shotlist

This film takes the place of an earlier one titled "Banana Land." Complete presentation of the banana industry from the clearing of the jungle and the planting to the shipment of the fruit to the American markets.

Silent film with title cards
Educational film about bananas and Central American countries.
Emphasis is given to the food value of the banana. "Complete presentation of the banana industry from the clearing of the jungle and the planting to the shipment of the fruit to the American markets. Scenes laid in Central America." (Wisconsin)

Stock shots: Child eating bowl of bananas and milk (prescribed by a doctor)
Some stop-motion animation of bananas.Children eating bananas
Man climbing palm tree
Guatemala City landmarks; Indian women going to the plaza to fill water urns which they then place on their heads;
oxcarts full of firewood; markets
Virgin jungle being converted into a banana plantation;
Felling of massive trees
Building irrigation canals with heavy machinery and explosives
Planting banana root stock.
Pack animals carrying loads of large banana bunches.
Dock workers loading stalks onto revolving machine.
GREAT WHITE FLEET (United Fruit Company banana cargo ships)
Aerial shot of banana boat.
bananas Central America