Checking in on the 1936 world: March of Time Vol. 2, No. 3

Is this worth your time?

If you're a fan of old newsreels or just someone who gets a kick out of how people talked about the world before everything was digital, then yes. Watch it. If you want a smooth, cohesive narrative, you will absolutely hate this. It jumps from place to place like a hyperactive radio broadcast.

There is no fluff here. The pacing is breathless, almost like they were afraid you’d change the channel if they lingered for more than three minutes.

The French Guiana segment is the heavy hitter. It’s bleak. Seeing the penal islands on film feels almost intrusive, like we aren't supposed to be witnessing these men in their striped rags. It reminded me a bit of the grit in The Wilderness Trail, though obviously a completely different animal.

The transition to the Japanese military colleges felt jarring. One second you're looking at a man in a cage, the next you're hearing a serious, clipped voiceover about the Japanese minister to the U.S. and political revolts.

The narration is so aggressive. It’s that old-school, booming news voice that demands you take it seriously, even when it’s talking about something as mundane as fishing equipment.

Speaking of the fishing part—that was actually the most relaxing bit. The contrast between the high-stakes politics and the guys hauling in cod off the New England coast is weirdly funny. It’s like, 'Okay, the world is on the brink of chaos, but look at this boat!'

• The footage of the ships is surprisingly steady.
• The editing feels like someone was cutting the film with a pair of rusty scissors.
• The sound of the ocean is mostly just crackly static, which honestly makes it better.

I caught myself wondering what the people watching this in a theater in 1936 were actually thinking. Were they munching on popcorn while hearing about military coups? It's a surreal thought.

It lacks the grounded, human scale of something like Battling Jane. It’s much colder. It’s all 'the state of the world' and very little 'state of the person.' That said, it’s a time capsule. You aren't watching for the plot, you're watching for the texture of the era. The way they frame the Japanese revolt is so confident, so sure of itself, which is kind of terrifying given what happened a few years later.

If you have twenty minutes, put it on. Don't take notes. Just let the narrator yell at you for a while. 📽️