A short excerpt of the film survives, showing a wedding celebration in Złaków Borowy, Poland. The film also circulated with the title, "Une Noce a la Campagne."
"The praises of California's beautiful scenery, so often sung, rarely have been intoned as convincingly as in West Coast, by W. W. Champion. The high standard in the selection of scenes, to be noted first in the choice of shots around lovely Monterey Bay, in itself would make this picture exceptional. Added to that quality are artistic compositions and sequencing remarkable for its unstilted continuity. As the picture's subject shifts from the harbor to the town of Monterey and then down the coast to Carmel, the historical features of this section of California are brought out clearly, while the pleasures of country club and bathing beach add human interest. Smoothly and swiftly, by means of expertly executed transitional devices and fades, the story of life unfolds against a background that is colorful and charming." Movie Makers, Dec. 1938, 617.
"Lancashire's Fylde Coast resorts have year-round appeal, as we can see in this reel from the early 1930s. The seaside is not just for swimming and sandcastles; you can feed seagulls at Southport, or slide down sand dunes with your dog, or stroll across Blackpool's wide beaches on a cold day. And, at the time this film was shot, this coastline had many fine piers to enjoy, whatever the weather."(BFI Player)
"'West Texas Panther Hunt,' by Tom D. Park of Tulsa, Okla., caused the averting of more than one pair of feminine eyes as the dogs closed in on the big cat, which cuffed them back and might have won freedom except for the man behind the gun behind the dogs" American Cinematographer, April, 1938, 173.
"In making Western Wild Life, Frank E. Gunnell has infused considerable imagination into a film of an essentially factual nature. Broken down into its component parts, this movie is purely didactic — each bird and animal sequence is receded by an identifying title. As a teacher, Mr. Gunnell knows that this type of film is ideally suited for educational use. Technically, it would be difficult to improve Western Wild Life; accurate exposure and focus added to good composition make an excellent film. The closeups of wild birds are some of the finest yet filmed. However, Mr. Gunnell has achieved more than technical excellence, for the film is attractive to naturalist and layman alike. An outstanding characteristic of the film is its highly selective editing. No sequence is too short or too long. Amazing shots of the very rare trumpeter swans provide a fitting climax for a nature film of first rank." Movie Makers, Dec. 1941, 567.
"A tourist film promoting the sights of the London Borough of Westminster." (EAFA Database)
"Film record of the procession along Parliament Street before the Coronation ceremony of George VI, the activities of the spectators in Parliament Street during the ceremony and the procession in Parliament Square following the ceremony, prefaced by footage of street scenes in London the day before the Coronation and concluded by a shot from outside Buckingham Palace." (EAFA Database)
"Edited footage of western scenery on a road trip to Yellowstone Park. Includes scenes of camping and numerous landscapes, Mount Rushmore and the various grounds of Yellowstone with their hot springs and geysers." Chicago Film Archives
A classic surfing film featuring the Hobie-MacGregor Sportswear Surf Team; it features surfers modeling swimwear while they surf.
"The Meet of the Whaddon Chase fox hunt on Boxing Day in 1930, with riders on horseback and foxhounds gathering first in Winslow’s market place, attracting a crowd of locals, before heading off to the countryside on this rather grey and foggy day." (EAFA Database)
Total Pages: 203
Amateur Cinema