Movie spotlight
Believe It or Not #10
This entry in the Believe It or Not series finds Mr. Ripley aboard a U.S. naval ship speaking to a group of sailors. The film he shows them includes items on a Mr. Curt Thompson, a blind telephone operator, and John R. Voorhees, who, at age 102, has voted 81 times since his 21st birthday. The finale is a demonstration of skill by Otto Reiselt, the three-cushion billiards champion.
Insights
Plot Summary
This short documentary presents a series of bizarre and unusual facts and phenomena from around the world, as curated by Robert Ripley. From peculiar individuals to strange natural occurrences and unique cultural practices, the film aims to surprise and intrigue the audience with its collection of oddities. It showcases the breadth of human experience and the wonders of the natural world, all presented in a rapid-fire, engaging manner.
Critical Reception
As a short documentary from 1931, formal critical reviews are scarce. However, the 'Ripley's Believe It or Not!' brand was immensely popular, indicating that audiences of the time found these shorts to be entertaining and astonishing. They were a staple of the newsreel and short film circuit, appreciated for their novelty and ability to present the strange and unusual.
What Reviewers Say
Appreciated for its novelty and the presentation of unusual facts.
Entertained audiences with its collection of oddities from around the globe.
Reflected the broad appeal of the 'Ripley's Believe It or Not!' brand.
Google audience: As this is a 1931 short documentary, specific Google user reviews are not available. However, the overall popularity of Ripley's content suggests that audiences were highly engaged and entertained by the surprising and bizarre information presented.
Fun Fact
The 'Ripley's Believe It or Not!' franchise, which produced these shorts, originated from Robert Ripley's syndicated newspaper cartoon, which first appeared in 1918.
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