¡Vámonos con Pancho Villa! -- May 5, 2016

www.lucywho.com

Happy Cinco de Mayo everyone. ¡Vámonos con Pancho Villa! was an unpopular 1936 movie directed by Fernando de Fuentes.  The movie flopped when it was first released.  It showed the cruelty of war and of Pancho Villa.  In later years, it was seen as a classic. 

News of the Week April 29, 1916 -- April 29, 2016

The 29-April-1916 Motography featured "News of the Week as Shown in Films," with items from current newsreels.

"just a sample of preparedness at Fort Scott, California.  Infantry at drill before a Selig-Tribune camera."  Fort Winfield Scott was established within the Presidio of San Francisco to command the Artillery District of San Francisco. After World War II, Fort Scott became a sub-post of the Presidio.  My father was stationed here.  "Preparedness" became a popular term as events led towards the US entering the Great War.

"When the 'bos'un' pipes "Coal Ship" the boys get busy.  Caught at Guantanamo Bay by a Pathe man."  Coal burning warships were coaled (loaded with coal) by their crews.

"Fifteen automobile ambulances for service in the battle fields of Russia, the gift of the American Red Cross.  Pathe."  An Orthodox priest blesses the new ambulances.

"Uncle Same is make new arms and legs for the crippled soldiers in Europe.  British supervisor at work.  Universal."  The war led to much new development in the science and art of prosthetics. 

"How the Selig-Tribune gathers Chicago camera news for its semi-weekly.  Editor Jack Wheeler with driver."  Someone who knows more about autos could probably identify this one. 

"Unloading supplies from the States of the U.S.A. field headquarters at Cascas Grande, Mexico.  Mutual News."  The Punitive Expedition chasing Pancho Villa established its headquarters at Casas Grandes, Mexico. 

News of the Week April 22, 1916 -- April 22, 2016

The 22-April-1916 Motography featured "News of the Week as Shown in Films," with items from current newsreels.

"The good ship Jerome Jones taking to the water for the first time, at Bath, Maine.  Pathe News."  Jerome Jones, a five-masted schooner, was launched on 31-March-1916 by GG Deering.

"Raw! Raw! for Hawvahd! The crimson crew off for first spring practice, and Captain D. P. Morgan."  The Crimson crew went on to win the 23-June-1916 regatta against Yale. 

"The allies of Uncle Sam in the 'Mexican war.'  Troops of Carranza at a noontime pause.  Selig-Tribune." Venustiano Carranza was the leader of the Constitutionlists during the Mexican Revolution and President under the new constitution in 1917.

"Ambulance of Troop G, Eighth Cavalry, picking up wounded in Mexico.  Caught by a Mutual camera reporter."  The 8th Cavalry Regiment participated in the Punitive Expedition against Pancho Villa. 

"The triple train wreck near Amerst, Ohio, recently in which twenty-five persons were killed.  Pathe News."  On 29-March-1916, three New York Central trains ran into each other in a thick fog.  About 30 people died.  The trains included the Twentieth Century Limited.

"'Getting Villa' American cavalry working their way into the mountains of Mexico.  Hearst-Vitagraph Pictorial."  Pancho Villa withdrew to the mountains to avoid pursuing US cavalry.

News of the Week April 15, 1916 -- April 15, 2016

The 15-April-1916 Motography featured "News of the Week as Shown in Films," with items from current newsreels.

"Not a submarine victim.  The wreck of the 'Herman Winter' off Boston.  From the Selig-Tribune News Films."  SS Herman Winter, carrying 800 bales of cotton, caught fire on 14-March-1916.

"Flyers are not so light on their 'feet.'  Freighting one of Uncle Sam's 'planes to Mexico. Pathe News."  The First Aero Squadron used Curtiss JN3s to perform liaison duties and aerial reconnaissance for the punitive expedition.

"Uncle Sam's boys receiving supplies on the troublesome Mexican border.  Scene from Hearst-Vitagraph News."  On 09-March-1916, Pancho Villa attached the town of Columbus, New Mexico:
http://cablecarguy.blogspot.com/2016/03/columbus-raid-100-years-march-9-2016.html

"Rescue of an adventurous horse who plunged into a New York subway.  Taken from the Universal Weekly."  Sources say that the pavement had to be cut away to free the horse. 

"The first United States dirigible navy airshop, just previous to its first trials.  Pathe News."  This looks like the DN-1, which was based on the Parseval type, but it didn't makes its first flight until 1917.
http://cablecarguy.blogspot.com/2011/02/parseval-airship-february-1-2011.html

"Specialists in the business of war.  Scene in the trenches at Solmka, from the Hearst-Vitagraph News."  In 1915, an Allied expeditionary force occupied the Greek port of Salonika to support the Serbians.

News of the Week April 8, 1916 -- April 8, 2016

The 08-April-1916 Motography featured "News of the Week as Shown in Films," with items from current newsreels.

"Chubby little future Jess Wiilards being weighed at Chicago's Baby Week.  A scene from the Universal Weekly."  National Better Baby Week took place in March, 1916.  Jess Willard was the very large heavyweight champion.

"One of the many varieties of gas masks used in the European war.  Pathe News Weekly."  Gas warfare took place starting early in the war.  I'm not sure this is a soldier in a gas mask.  It may be a Red Cross worker spraying disinfectant. 

"Seminole Indians give the Sun Dance before a big society affair at West Palm Beach, Florida.  Selig-Tribune.  " The Seminole Sun Dance was a festival held in West Palm Beach from 1916 to 1923 to try to get people to come to Florida.

"The cause of the Mexican war of 1916.  Funeral of the Columbus raid victimes.  Hearst-Vitagraph News."  On 09-March-1916, Pancho Villa attached the town of Columbus, New Mexico:
http://cablecarguy.blogspot.com/2016/03/columbus-raid-100-years-march-9-2016.html

"All aboard the 'Aero sled' and we're off at forty miles an hour.  From the Mutual Weekly."  Not long after World War One, an older uncle of mine and some of his friends put an airplane engine and propeller on an ice boat.  He said it was a wonder they didn't get killed.

"These mermaids of Long Beach, California, may look 'tired' but they're not.  The tires hold 'em up.  Pathé."  Bad pun.

News of the Week April 1, 1916 -- April 1, 2016

The 01-April-1916 Motography featured "News of the Week as Shown in Films," with items from current newsreels.

"The 'boys' at Fort Sheridan, Illinois, near Chicago, awaiting the order to entrain to Mexico.  Selig-Tribune."  These soldiers may have joined the punitive expedition against Pancho Villa.  Fort Sheridan closed in 1993.

"Looks like spring!  Larry Doyle, 'king of second baseman' of New York Giants, at early practice.  Mutual Weekly."  New York Giant Laughing Larry Doyle won the batting title in 1915. 

"A thousand dollars for a dress design.  J. A. Pugh presenting prize to (M)arguerite Johnson, after the Chicago dress-making contest.  Universal Weekly."  Commodore James Pugh put up a $1000 reward for the best American-designed gown.

"Hattie is a dainty girl, but she enjoys playing 'horse' in the snow with the keepers of Central Park, New York.  Pathe News."  It looks as if Hattie is pulling a snow plow. 

"This picture, from the Pathe Weekly, gives an idea of how Villa and his men put the '___l' in Columbus, New Mex."  On 09-March-1916, Pancho Villa attached the town of Columbus, New Mexico:
http://cablecarguy.blogspot.com/2016/03/columbus-raid-100-years-march-9-2016.html

"This is said to be a good sample of the troops Villa has gathered about him.  Hearst-Vitagraph News Pictorial."

Villa is Getting More Famous Every Day! -- July 15, 2014

Moving Picture World, 18-July-1914

Pancho Villa was a general during the Mexican Revolution.  In 1916 Villa and his troops raided Columbus, New Mexico.  The US Army spent nine months trying to catch him, but never succeeded. 

Before that, Villa had been popular with many in the United States.  The Mutual Film Corporation released The Life of General Villa, a movie that combined documentary footage with reenactments of General Villa's life.  DW Griffth produced from a distance.  Christy Cabanne directed.  Future director Raoul Walsh played Villa as a young man.  Villa received a nice chunk of American money to finance his fight against General Victoriano Huerta, who had staged a military coup, deposing and murdering President Francisco Madero. 

The movie was a success, but is probably lost. 

Moving Picture World, 04-July-1914

"Villa is getting more famous every day!"  "The Mexican War Pictures -- the only authentic ones actually taken under fire -- are in seven full reels, filled with thrilling, throbbing excitement from start to finish." 

In 2003, HBO made a movie about the production of this movie, And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself.  Antonio Banderas played General Villa. 

Moving Picture World, 20-June-1914