Believe It or Not #11: A weirdly fun time capsule

You should watch this if you have ten minutes and like looking at old things that feel a bit dusty. It is perfect for people who enjoy those "did you know" facts you find on the back of old cereal boxes. Most people today will probably find it boring, or just plain weird, but I kind of liked the vibe. ✈️

The whole thing starts with people getting into a mockup of an airplane. It doesn't even look like a real plane interior, honestly.

It looks like they built it in a garage over a weekend. Robert Ripley stands there looking very confident in his suit.

He shows off these oddities like he is selling you a used car. The first thing is a town with just one guy in it. One guy!

Imagine the silence in that post office. I wonder if he ever got lonely or if he just liked having no neighbors to complain about his grass. 🌵

Then these two guys, a father and son, start folding their shoulders. They basically touch their shoulders together in front of their chests.

It looks incredibly painful. I actually winced a little bit watching them do it.

It is not like The Big House where there is a big dramatic plot to follow. This is just a series of "look at this" moments that stop as soon as they start.

The armless trombone player is definitely the highlight for me. He uses his foot to move the slide while he plays.

He is actually better at it than I would be with two hands. It’s one of those moments where the movie stops being a gimmick and feels actually impressive. 🎵

The film quality is super grainy. But that adds to the charm, I guess, like looking at an old photo album you found in an attic.

It feels like a very early version of internet clickbait. "You won't believe these 3 weird people!" but from 1931.

Unlike Ship Ahoy, this isn't trying to be a big musical production. It is just short and punchy.

The "passengers" in the plane look so bored. They are clearly just extras waiting for their lunch break to start.

One lady in the back keeps adjusting her hat. It was more interesting to watch her than the map they were supposed to be looking at. 👒

I also noticed the sound is a bit fuzzy. Sometimes you have to really lean in to hear what Ripley is saying over the crackle.

It’s much shorter than something like Going Wild, so it doesn't overstay its welcome. It just does its thing and ends.

Watch it if you want to see how people were entertained before we had phones. Don't expect a masterpiece, just a strange little window into the past.