Titles from the 1930s
133 titles - sorted alphabetically or by year prev 1 2 3 next
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The 1930 Australian XI: Winners of the Ashes spoken word – 1930
Members of the victorious 1930 Australian cricket team talk about the Ashes winning tour.
A 5000 Mile Tour Through Central Australia documentary – 1930
Clearly, exploring Australia’s interior back in the 1930s was very challenging.
A
Activities of the Royal Aero Club of South Australia home movie – c1935
Amateur filmmaker and professional photographer John Mack manages to convey the experience of flight in a light aircraft.
Aeroplane Jelly Song advertisement – 1938
The most famous recording of the ‘I Like Aeroplane Jelly’ jingle.
The Alfred, Melbourne: One of Australia’s Greatest Hospitals advertisement – 1931
This four-minute cinema advertisement made by Australian Sound Films promotes the activities of the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne in order to raise funds.
Along the Road to Gundagai music – 1931
This is a famous recording of one of Australia’s most popular songs.
Archibald Family: Family Scenes and Outings in Sydney home movie – c1932
Much like a family album, this home movie collection records events over a period of time. From baby shots in the backyard, to outings at the beach.
Archibald Family: Noorong Gazette: Parts XXI - XXIV home movie – c1930
The Archibalds were a successful business family who had interests in the milling industry in Queensland and New South Wales.
The Arrival of Miss Amy Johnson in Brisbane newsreel – 1930
In this silent newsreel footage, British aviator Amy Johnson arrives in Brisbane on the final leg of her solo flight between England and Australia in 1930.
Athol Tier as Napoleon historical – c1931
Athol Tier’s performance as Napoleon was one of the many routines filmed for the Efftee Entertainers series of variety shorts.
Australasian Gazette – Highlights of the Cricket Series England vs Australia newsreel – 1933
This Australasian Gazette newsreel footage features highlights of the first test in the 1932–1933 England versus Australia cricket series.
Australasian Gazette – Historic Cricket newsreel – 1933
This newsreel shows highlights of the second Test in the 1932–1933 series, which was won by Australia.
Australasian Gazette – Mermaids Swim Well newsreel – c1931
This newsreel from approximately 1931 shows highlights of the Bondi Ladies’ Annual Carnival at the local Bondi Baths, including excerpts from various races.
Australasian Gazette – The Ups and Downs of Cricket newsreel – 1933
This newsreel shows highlights of the third Test cricket series – the notorious 'Bodyline’ series – between England and Australia in Adelaide in January 1933.
Australia documentary – 1934
This record of the man on the land in the 1930s, aimed at UK audiences, would have been narrated by the filmmaker when screened.
Australian Navy: Destroyers documentary – c1930
The capacity of Royal Australian Navy destroyers to carry and launch torpedoes in the 1930s is demonstrated here.
Australia’s 150th Anniversary Celebrations, Sydney home movie – 1938
Interestingly, the 26 January 1938 parade celebrating 150 years since the arrival of the First Fleet does not reflect Australia’s convict history.
Australia Today – Customs Officers Fight Against Drugs newsreel – 1938
Stories in this Australia Today newsreel cover topics like illegal drug importation and crime syndicates; and SP bookmaking and gambling.
Australia Today – Fort Denison: [Pinchgut]: A Relic of Early Sydney newsreel – 1939
This newsreel looks nostalgically at the history of Fort Denison, a fortified island in Sydney Harbour, and its place in Sydney’s military and cultural heritage.
Australia Today – Lucky Strike at Larkinville, WA and other segments newsreel – 1938
Segments in this newsreel cover gold prospecting in Western Australia; deadly Australian snakes; and proposals for the extension of pub drinking hours.
Australia Today – Man-Eater newsreel – 1939
Shark attacks on populated beaches are statistically not that common in Australia, but they attract sensational media coverage of the type seen in this newsreel.
Australia Today – Men of Tomorrow newsreel – 1939
Depicting the family life of a young boy in the poorer suburbs of Sydney, this newsreel touches on society’s responsibility to offer its youth a better future.
Australia Today – The ‘Pyjama Girl’ Murder Case newsreel – 1939
This newsreel reconstructs the coronial inquest into the Pyjama Girl mystery, one of the most baffling unsolved murder cases in Australian criminal history.
B
Balinese Holiday home movie – c1933
This rare example of amateur footage of Bali and Java in the 1930s represents a particular Westerner’s view of the Asian region at that time.
Berlei Cinema Advertisement: It Isn’t Done advertisement – 1930
The art deco interiors with shaped mirrors, door frames and seating all align with Berlei’s reputation for quality and beauty.
A Brief Survey of the Activities of the Brisbane City Mission sponsored film – c1939
This is a moving portrait of the charity work of the Brisbane City Mission for the poor at a time when many people struggled financially because of the Depression.
The Broken Melody feature film – 1938
A film with music rather than a musical, The Broken Melody is one of the few films of the 1930s that tries to depict the Depression’s effect on real people.
Browne, George: Blue Mountains home movie – c1930
This family holiday footage shows landmarks such as Katoomba Falls, the Sublime Point Lookout, Orphan Rock and the Three Sisters rock formation.
C
Captain Cook’s Cottage documentary – 1938
Russell Grimwade paid £800 for the family home of Captain Cook and transported it from Yorkshire to Victoria.
Catching Crocodiles documentary – 1933
If you’ve ever wanted to catch a crocodile, this nine-minute instructional video tells you how, 1930s style.
Centenary Celebrations of Melbourne, Victoria newsreel – 1934
This unedited newsreel footage includes a speech given by the Duke of Gloucester opening Melbourne’s centenary celebrations.
Chas E Blanks: Families at Seaside, Sydney Harbour advertisement – c1930
This ad is filmed in a home movie style, and features the producer’s own family.
The Cheaters (sound version) feature film – 1931
Paula Marsh decides to end her career as a thief after falling in love with Lee Travers, son of a wealthy businessman.
Cinesound Varieties historical – 1934
This variety show originally ran for about an hour, but only a few segments survive.
Cockatoo Island: Newsreel Film of Dockyard Activities historical – c1939
The largest island in Sydney Harbour became the major shipbuilding and dockyard facility for the Pacific during the Second World War, following the fall of Singapore.
Colleano on Tightwire, Rehearses in Arena home movie – c1939
Con Colleano was the first performance artist to perfect the toe-to-toe forward somersault on a wire.
Colleano on Tightwire Rehearsing at Home home movie – c1939
This footage offers a unique behind-the-scenes look at one of Australia’s most accomplished circus performers from the early twentieth century.
Commonwealth Bank – Willie Wombat: Waste Not Want Not sponsored film – c1939
Willie Wombat was produced by Eric Porter – Australia’s first career animator – to promote the Commonwealth Savings Bank of Australia’s School Banking program.
Conquest advertisement – 1936
This ad for the Rural Bank of New South Wales pitches the story of the ‘man on the land’ as one of industry, courage, determination and progress.
Construction of Sydney Harbour Bridge documentary – 1931
Looking back now, the lack of safety equipment used during the construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge is shocking.
The Cremation of a Balinese Chief at the Hotel Bali home movie – c1930
This Balinese cremation was apparently the first such ceremony to be witnessed and filmed by a white man.
D
Dad and Dave Come to Town feature film – 1938
The question this fish-out-of-water comedy is really asking is whether Australians have the confidence to be modern in the context of the wider world of 1938.
Dad and Dave from Snake Gully – Episode 1 radio – 1937
The first episode of the long-running Dad and Dave radio show from 1937.
A Day in a Biscuit Factory sponsored film – 1932
While not the film’s primary intention, it offers an interesting examination of the division of labour and factory-line production processes in a 1930s biscuit factory.
Diggers feature film – 1931
Pat Hanna first told stories from his time in World War I as part of a travelling comedy troupe, then adapted the material into film.
Don Bradman in England newsreel – 1930
Don Bradman is interviewed in 1930. This informal interview also gives him the chance to effectively demonstrate his batting technique.
Double-decker Bus and Rail Motor home movie – c1936
The bus-rail hybrid was designed to service minor rail lines in Sydney that did not have enough passengers to justify the larger rail motor.
E
Efftee Film Productions Congratulates Miss Dorothy Fricke newsreel – 1931
This silent newsreel item shows the debutante celebration of Miss Dorothy Fricke, held at Chelsea Memorial Hall in Melbourne on 24 August 1931.
Efftee Studio Opening in Melbourne: Speech by Frank Forde historical – 1931
This short film from 1931 records the opening of Frank Thring Senior’s Efftee Film Studios and the screening of the first ‘all-Australian talkie program’. Forde expresses optimism about the future of Australian film making, with a positive impact on local jobs and the presentation of ‘typical Australian characters’ onscreen.
Endurance documentary – 1933
After watching Home of the Blizzard Ernest Shackleton asked Frank Hurley to film his expedition across Antarctica with the aim of funding part of the expedition through film sales.
