
Movie spotlight
Believe It or Not (Second Series) #10
This omnibus of film clips include a Savanna golf course made from Civil War trenches, wooden Indians used ourside cigar stores, an American Indian artist from South Dakota who paints upside down, the smallest residence house, a Bronx River statue with mysterious Civil War origins, the Ocean Grove community in New Jersey that closes on Sundays and a futuristic automated parking garage. Vitaphone No. 1364.
Insights
Plot Summary
This installment of the popular 'Ripley's Believe It or Not!' series continues to showcase a collection of unusual and astonishing facts and occurrences from around the world. Each short film presents a variety of strange sights, unique talents, and peculiar events, all narrated with Ripley's signature flair for the unbelievable. Viewers are treated to a montage of the bizarre and the extraordinary, reinforcing the show's motto that truth is indeed stranger than fiction.
Critical Reception
As a short documentary series in the early 1930s, critical reception was largely framed by its novelty and its ability to deliver on its promise of the bizarre. 'Ripley's Believe It or Not!' was a significant hit, appealing to a broad audience eager for entertainment that was both educational and astonishing. Its format was widely imitated, cementing its place as a cultural phenomenon of its time.
What Reviewers Say
A fascinating collection of oddities that truly lives up to its name.
Robert Ripley's narration effectively highlights the 'unbelievable' nature of the presented facts.
The short format makes it an easily digestible and entertaining piece of early cinema.
Google audience: Audience reception from the 1930s suggests widespread fascination with the presented unusual facts and human curiosities. The series was celebrated for its ability to surprise and engage viewers with the world's strangest occurrences.
Fun Fact
The 'Believe It or Not!' franchise, originating from Robert Ripley's newspaper cartoons, was so popular that it spawned not only films but also museums, radio shows, and even a Broadway musical.
AI-generated overview · Verify ratings on official sources