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Believe It or Not (Second Series) #12

Believe It or Not (Second Series) #12

1932

TV-G

Runtime

8 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

Synopsis

In Robert L. Ripley's absence, Leo Donnelly acts as the guide to the unusual from around the world. A group of people in the Philippines are moving a house, foundation and all, six miles, by carrying it on their backs. A one-armed boat builder demonstrates the water crafts he has devised for his disability. A junk in China propelled by treadmill propeller. Dwarf trees in Japan, some as old as 700 years. Also in Japan, chickens are shown with tail feathers measuring up to twenty-five feet in length. A sun dial in Manila is the world's largest at 30 feet in height and 65 feet in length. A group of church goers in Luxembourg are dancing as a ritual toward good health. Livestock with unusual physical attributes are shown. Tree limbs are displayed in Tacoma, Washington that form an alphabet. The world's largest collection of the smallest books. And celebrity footprints displayed outside of Grauman's Chinese Theater. Vitaphone No. 1427.

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Diversity & Representation

Overall Score

4.4/10

Fair

Category Breakdown

LGBTQ+ Representation

Minimal

The film lacks any discernible depiction of LGBTQ+ identities or non-heteronormative relationship structures. The content focuses exclusively on physical oddities and traditional communal rituals.

Gender Representation

Limited

The narrative architecture is centered on spectacle and physical feats. Roles like the boat builder appear defined by physical capability rather than a commentary on gendered power dynamics.

Racial & Ethnic Diversity

Fair

The film provides visibility to non-Western cultures in the Philippines, China, and Japan. These populations are shown as subjects of interest, though framed through a 1930s curiosity lens.

Religious & Cultural Diversity

Fair

Cultural practices, including religious rituals in Luxembourg, are presented as unique variety. The film operates as a neutral observer rather than critiquing Western or colonial institutions.

Disability Representation

Fair

A one-armed boat builder demonstrates adaptive ingenuity and competence. However, the disability is framed as a curiosity within the broader context of the series' spectacle.

Strengths

  • Provides meaningful visibility to non-Western cultures in Asia.
  • Showcases individuals with disabilities through the lens of competence and ingenuity.
  • Offers significant geographic breadth across multiple continents.

Areas for Improvement

  • Lacks any representation of LGBTQ+ identities.
  • Frames non-Western practices as exotic spectacles for Western audiences.
  • Fails to provide a critique of gendered power dynamics or social roles.

AI Analysis

This documentary functions as a curated survey of global curiosities. It offers significant geographic breadth by showcasing various international landmarks and communal labors. While the film provides agency to non-Western subjects and individuals with disabilities, it remains rooted in an early 20th-century spectacle framework. The presentation often leans toward exoticism rather than deep cultural nuance. Ultimately, the work serves as a historical artifact of its era, capturing a wide variety of global phenomena without modern intersectional depth.

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