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[Home Movies of Ship Arriving at Port of Los Angeles; 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles and more / 1932]

[Home Movies of Ship Arriving at Port of Los Angeles; 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles and more / 1932]

Date1932
Mediumfilm, metal
DimensionsDiam: 7 in
ClassificationsMoving Images
Credit LineGift of Mrs. Toshiko Nagamori Ito
Object number96.324.10
DescriptionBlack and white home movie footage of the port of Los Angeles and Exposition Park, Los Angeles for the 1932 Olympics, filmed by Seiichiro Nagamori in 1932. The footage shows a ship’s arrival and welcome party for the Japanese Olympic delegation, a car caravan and views of Exposition Park, and coverage of opening ceremonies and sporting events at the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

Timecode list:

0:30 -- View of the Armory Building (site of fencing competition for the 1932 Olympics) from the sunken rose garden at Exposition Park, Los Angeles. Panning views of the rose garden and natural history museum, makes nearly a 360 degree view from the rose garden.
1:34 – Blimp overhead.
1:44 – Camera operator pans close up across a group of men, a woman (likely Kei Nagamori), and a young girl (likely Toshiko Nagamori (Ito)), all sitting on the rose garden fountain edge.
2:25 – Group stands by a flat topiary cut to read “Olympic Stadium” at the Coliseum in Exposition Park. Shaky views of Coliseum exterior. Closeups of group members.
3:19 – Same group sits on rocks by the ocean, eating picnic food. A young girl (likely Toshiko Nagamori (Ito)) tries to eat an adult’s watermelon; he offers her a bite.
3:52 – Upward view of passengers on a large ship waving at camera operator. Streamers visible from ship railings, ship sailing away from operator.
4:24 – Small airplane flies overhead.
4:32 – Smaller ship (“Avalon”) crosses from right to left in front of camera.
4:43 – View of earlier large ship moving slowly.
5:12 – Other small boats in the harbor.
5:50 – Same large ship from a distance.
6:13 – Views of crowds on the dock next to the large ship. People in the crowd have small Japanese flags to wave; the occasional woman is seen in kimono. Most people wear Western clothing.
6:39 – Large welcoming banner with images of Japanese flags (both state/hinomaru flag and military flag) and olympic rings is visible by the crowd.
6:42 – View of the side of the ship; people waving with hinomaru flags and hats from the railings.
7:14 – Crowd waving again. Some men in military-style uniforms on shore, women and children have large flower bouquets.
7:39 – Closeup views of people in the crowd. One woman has quite a large taxidermied fox stole. Panning across young women with bouquets and corsages; many in blazers (likely Japanese olympic athletes).
8:20 – Group of young women posing on a ship’s ladder between deck levels.
8:28 – Group of young men (Japanese olympic athletes) in matching dark blazers, white pants, and flat straw hats stand up after posing for a photograph on deck.
8:43 – On shore, the young men walk together towards camera operator; one in front carries the Japanese flag. “N.Y.K Line” is visible on the gangplank in the background.
8:50 – Large group in matching blazers walks through the welcome crowd.
9:00 – View of street with car and bus caravan; buses are decorated with bunting. First bus has sign reading “Welcome Japan Committee.” People wave Japanese flags out the bus windows. Car caravan may be in Little Tokyo or downtown Los Angeles.
9:32 – View of Los Angeles City Hall covered with semi-circle bunting.
9:54 – Inside the Coliseum, with packed seating. Film is visibly scratchy. Delegations of athletes with flags walk around the track. Signs for Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Czechoslovakia, Finland, France, Haiti, Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Jugoslavia [Yugoslavia], Latvia, Mexico, and South Africa are visible. Many delegation groups walk the track. Extra screen time is given to the entire Japanese delegation, including the women and military members walking behind.
12:31 – Extended view of quote on Olympic stadium.
12:40 – Olympic flag raising; doves released from small cages on the field and fly away.
13:09 – Flag salute and panning view across delegations on the field.
13:23 – Views of people in the grandstands.
13:48 – Close up of woman and young girl, likely Toshiko Nagamori (Ito) and her mother Kei Nagamori. More grandstand views.
14:17 – Views of the field as the delegations exit the Coliseum.
14:30 – Close up of the young girl and a man (possibly her father, Seiichiro Nagamori); closeups of other party members.
14:40 – Athletes running a hurdle event; sprinters; standing high jump; long distance runners; hammer throwing; steeplechase; broad jump (likely Chuhei Nambu from Japan).
18:11 – Flag raising for broad jump event results (including Nambu from Japan for bronze).
18:50 – Running event.
19:06 – Film ends.

1 reel of B&W film.

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