Australian
Screen

Clip description

This clip contains shots of children playing in a garden for the fifth birthday of Wally Albion. It begins with a fixed shot of five-year-old Wally sitting on a table playing with a train set. This is followed by a series of shots including girls playing by a swing set, two girls posing for the camera and a long dining table adorned with sweets and cakes. An intertitle ‘his numerous playmates’ is followed by a slow pan of around 30 boys and girls seated in front of the camera. The next shot shows Wally sitting in a miniature car on the grass. A group of girls are filmed dancing and the clip ends with Wally standing on the long table covered with party streamers.

Curator’s notes

This clip is of interest for a number of reasons. It is an example of the power of home movies to capture snapshots of everyday life in a way that still images cannot. The enigmatic child Wally twice engages directly with the camera (which was probably operated by his father) indicating he is aware that he is the focus of attention. However, he does not appear to be too interested in his numerous playmates and only matter-of-factly plays with his toys. He appears reflective at times and it prompts the question of what sort of grown-up Wally became? Unfortunately, we know little about Wally or his family. Historical footage that becomes detached from their owners can result in details about the makers and their family members being lost.

This clip is an example of yellow tinting. Tinting is achieved by adding a layer of dye across the image to give colour to a black and white film. The clip also exhibits water damage, scratching and shrinkage. Water damage displays as blotches on the image and shrinkage can cause the frame line to move when the film is projected or transferred. The child’s birthday party is, however, filmed with great care, showing attention to detail and with a steady hand. It is an excellent example of 35 mm home movie footage from the 1920s.