1937 America's Cup

 

The library has two amateur color films of the 1937 America’s Cup races in its collection. Color film for amateurs that was reliable and easy to use really only became available with the introduction of Kodachrome in 1935, and these films are rare examples of early color yacht racing footage.[1]

 

Ranger & Endeavour II

 

The first is a 30 minute long 16mm film, filmed and produced by Frank Conant, who was later to be Director of the Graphic Arts, and Audio-Visual, departments at M.I.T. The film begins with views of Newport harbor, then moves out into Narragansett Bay where it shows the assembling spectator fleet, including, oddly, a submarine. The film then covers the races very closely, including details of activity on both Ranger and Endeavour II.

 

 

The second part of the film shows fascinating footage as five J-Class yachts - YankeeRainbow, Endeavour I, Endeavour II and Ranger - sailed from Newport to Marblehead, all filmed from the deck of the 1930 America’s Cup contender, Yankee. As well as Yankee's owner Gerald Lambert, her designer Frank Paine was also a member of the afterguard, as was the young sailor and yacht designer C. Raymond Hunt, all of whom can be seen in this film. Races between these five J-Boats took place at Marblehead about three weeks after the America's Cup races ended, and thousands of spectators watched the races there as well; in part as it was a significant gathering of J-Class boats, and also perhaps because people realized that the era of these large and expensive yachts was drawing to a close.

 

AC1937

 

The second film in the collection was shot on smaller 8mm film (first available in black and white in 1932, and in Kodachrome in 1936), which produced a smaller, and often less sharp, image. However, in spite of some of its visual shortcomings, this film reveals much about the excitement and activity that surrounded the races. The film was shot from one of many spectator boats, and provides an uncommon view of race-watching at this time; the Newport waterfront, fellow passengers, a professional movie cameraman, other enthusiastic race goers, and more. 

 

Sopwith1937

 

Luckily, this particular spectator boat was able to get remarkably close to the two competing yachts; at one point someone in front of the filmmaker raises his hand to wave at the crew of Endeavour II and there is a very brief shot, seen past this waving hand, of Thomas and Phyllis Sopwith, Endeavour’s owners, waving back. The filmmaker also catches very close footage of Ranger - including Harold Vanderbilt waving back, too - and at another point the yacht’s designer Olin Stephens at the wheel, his brother Rod, and Harold and Mrs Vanderbilt, sitting close by.

 

Olin Stephens etc.

 

In the late 1920s and 1930s amateur movie camera advertisements quite often featured yachts and sailing images. The better movie cameras made by the principal manufacturers at the time - Bell & Howell and  Eastman Kodak - were expensive, especially considering that this was in the years of the Great Depression, and would easily have cost over $2,000 in today’s dollars.[2] The people that were actively involved in sailing would likely have been the type of customer that could afford this.

 

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Although we do not know exactly what cameras were used to take these films it is probable, since we believe that both photographers were amateurs, that they would have used a  fairly top-of-the-line amateur camera with the ability to add a telephoto lens. The chance to film a race such as this only came occasionally,[3] and we imagine that they would have wanted to be absolutely certain that the results were as good as possible.

 

Cine-Kodak and Bell & Howell

 

The best amateur Eastman Kodak movie camera at the time was the Cine-Kodak Special, which had been introduced in 1933. If this was too expensive a proposition (it was intended as a cross-over camera for both amateur and semi-professional use), then the Cine-Kodak Model K, introduced in 1930 and still popular at this time, might have been used. Bell & Howell movie cameras were widely used in the professional field in the 1920s and 30s, and consequently popular with serious amateurs, and the Filmo 70-D would have been another likely candidate.

 

Cine-Kodak cameras

left: 1930 Cine-Kodak Model K; right: 1937 Cine-Kodak Magazine 16

 

As mentioned earlier, 8mm movie cameras had been introduced in 1932, and the smaller size and weight, and possibly lower price, was clearly appealing to the photographer of the second film. Some cameras at the time were designed to accept film on magazines instead of reels, and this might also have been a consideration. The maximum amount of film most of these cameras could shoot at one time, either roll or magazine, was 100’[4] - which would provide only about 4-8 minutes of footage depending on film size - so clearly numerous film changes would have had to have been made.

Both of these films are from the collection of George O’Day; Olympic and America’s Cup sailor, boat builder, film maker and collector.

Please visit our YouTube channel regularly, to view the newly digitized films we have added there.

 


[1] Dufaycolor 16mm film became available in the United States in the same year, having been in use in Europe for some years prior, however it never really gained a foothold in the America, presumably due to the existing widely established network of Kodak dealers. Kodacolor had been available since 1928 but it was a somewhat difficult film to use well, and was quickly eclipsed by Kodachrome.

[2] In 1937 the Bell & Howell 70-D cost $190, and the Cine-Kodak K $100; in 1934 the Cine-Kodak Special had cost $375 but was probably less by 1937.

[3] The three prior races had been in 1934, 1930 and 1920.

[4] The Cine-Kodak Special, with an attachment, could hold 200’.