Film about the Victoria Falls on the borders of Northern and Southern Rhodesia.
Production / Donor Details: The Rhodesia Collection was ...
Groups
This film belongs to the following groups.
Rhodesia Collection
Rhodesia Collection: 'See-saw Years' 1964
This film is held by the BFI (ID: 59580) and British Empire & Commonwealth Museum (ID: 1996/087/020).
Synopsis
Dramatised history of Rhodesian tobacco growers from 1927-1963. The film opens with footage of a cricket match at the Umvukwes country club. The film's protagonist and commentator, R.S. Lawrence is playing, while his wife and father-in-law watch. He is called away to attend to one of his dairy cows, which he manages to retrieve from a ditch with the help of 'young Jim' and 'good old Sammy', the African manager. The farmer points out the 'old house' - 'really it's full of memories for all of us' - before the film flashbacks into a series of nostalgic reminiscences about early farm life. He recalls travelling as a child with Sam in the back of his father's new car, and remembers those early days - 'it was my idea of heaven to go around with Dad and take in all the noises and sights I grew up with' - while crediting his father for these early developments. He learnt and helped out with Sammy on the farm, but notes the difficulties and problems - such as storms and crop disease - that his father faced. He recalls playing with Sammy in the countryside - 'golden days in a golden land. They seemed as though they would never end' - meeting wildlife and inspecting bushmen paintings. There are further problems, not least with over production, but the tobacco growing community worked together to overcome this. The film introduces local characters, such as Bill Robson and his daughter Liz, and shows local dances and songs around the campfire. The arrival of war takes our protagonist away from the farm and on his return, he finds his father 'a tired old man with the bad years catching up on him fast'. His father dies. He subsequently marries Liz Robson. The wedding is interrupted by a fire on the lands, but he recalls these as the 'best days of all'. The tobacco people are now organised 'thanks to people like Dad', while he builds a new dam for his children to play in and a new house. Next, he visits Salisbury - the auction houses and the tractor show room - complaining about the modern developments, before the film dissolves back into the present as Sammy tells him that tea is ready. As he sits with his family, he is told that the cow is stuck again and so he heads off once more. He takes his son, but not his disappointed daughter - 'Dad used to say this is a job for the men of the family' - as they walk with Sammy towards the camera.
Production / Donor Details: The Rhodesia Collection was donated by the journal Rhodesians Worldwide and contains a number of films purchased from the collection of Henry Berriff, a cameraman in the Central African Film Unit. The collection contains amateur and professionally produced titles.
Titles
- Rhodesia Collection: 'See-saw Years' 1964 (Archive)
- Series Title:
- Rhodesia Collection
Technical Data
- Year:
- 1964
- Film Gauge (Format):
- 16mm Comopt
- Sound:
- Sound
Production Credits
- Production Company
- Central African Film Unit
- Production Details
- See synopsis
Groups
This film belongs to the following groups.
Rhodesia Collection
