Image: A film still showing a group of fishermen in the river (SPRA 1974.74.22E, Fonds 138: Griff James fonds)
Movie Monday highlights videos from the Archives’ film collection. Every week, an archival film will be featured on our YouTube channel and here on our blog. The Movie Monday project is made possible with the generous funding support of Swan City Rotary Club of Grande Prairie
As we have seen over the course of the Movie Monday initiative, swimming, boating, fishing, and hunting were some of the most popular pastimes in the South Peace during the 1950s and ‘60s; many films from that era focus largely on one or more of those activities. This film from the Griff James fonds includes footage of all of the above!
What is particularly special about this film is that it brings together two of Movie Monday’s most featured families – the Jameses and the Stojans. The families shared very similar interests, so it is not surprising to find that they enjoyed outings together. In this video, we see the children playing in the water, and various family members boating on the river. Interspersed among these shots of family outings are scenes of a forest fire and an airplane excursion.
At the end of the film we see fathers and sons hunting and fishing along the river; the James and Stojan parents were obviously eager to pass on their love for adventure and the outdoors to their offspring, and the children shown in the film seem happy to comply!
There are only three more Movie Monday posts to come, but remember that you can watch these films and many others on our YouTube channel!