Watching the news from 1936: The March of Time, Vol. 2, No. 1

Is it worth your time?

If you have any interest in how history gets packaged, then absolutely. If you’re looking for a relaxing Friday night flick, look elsewhere. People who love old-school documentary styles or just plain weird trivia will get a kick out of this. If you hate being lectured by an over-the-top, booming narrator from the thirties, you’ll probably want to turn it off within five minutes.

There’s something truly bizarre about the tone here. It moves so fast you can barely catch your breath. One second we’re looking at airplanes, and the next we’re staring at a guy whose job is to chop people’s heads off. It’s a total whiplash.

The Executioner Segment

The part about Diebler, the French executioner, is easily the most haunting. They treat him like some sort of social pariah, which he is, but the way they film his isolated house feels like a horror movie set. He walks around alone, shunned by everyone, just waiting for the next job. It’s heavy, man. Way heavier than the bouncy, patriotic stuff about the Tennessee Valley Authority that follows it.

Oddly Specific Notes

• The narrator sounds like he’s trying to shout over a hurricane, even when he’s just talking about land rights.
• The transition between the Pacific islands and the French guillotine makes zero sense. I think I got whiplash.
• They really, really wanted everyone to feel good about the TVA. It’s basically a commercial for the government.
• The grainy footage of the planes in the Pacific looks better than most stuff you see on YouTube today.

Watching this made me think about The Speed Reporter because there’s that same frantic energy. Everything in 1936 needed to happen *right now*. There was no time to explain, just enough time to tell you what to think and move on to the next headline.

It reminds me a bit of the rough edges in Hell's Highway. There is a total lack of concern for the viewer's comfort. They just throw these intense, complicated realities at you and expect you to keep up. It’s not polished, and it’s definitely not subtle. That’s why it’s actually interesting.

I caught myself pausing just to look at the background extras in the Tennessee shots. Everyone looks so serious. It’s like they knew the cameras were there to sell a version of the truth. Anyway, it’s a weird watch. Give it a shot if you’re feeling curious. 🕰️