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Believe It or Not (Second Series) #12

Name: Believe It or Not (Second Series) #12
Released: 1932
Duration: 8 min

Representation Score

3.4/10

Limited

1932

TV-G

Runtime

8 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

This documentary serves as a survey of global curiosities. It offers significant geographic breadth by showcasing various international landmarks and communal labors. While the film provides visibility to non-Western cultures 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 captures a wide variety of global phenomena without modern multi-layered depth.

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Category Breakdown

Does Believe It or Not (Second Series) #12 have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film does not depict any LGBTQ+ identities or non-straight relationships. It focuses on physical oddities and traditional communal rituals.

How does Believe It or Not (Second Series) #12 portray gender?

Limited

The story focuses on spectacle and physical feats. The role of the boat builder is defined by physical strength rather than gendered power dynamics.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Believe It or Not (Second Series) #12?

Fair

The film showcases non-Western cultures in the Philippines, China, and Japan. These cultures are presented through a 1930s curiosity lens.

How does Believe It or Not (Second Series) #12 represent religion and culture?

Fair

The film presents cultural practices, including religious rituals in Luxembourg, as unique spectacles. It operates as a neutral observer without critiquing Western institutions.

Does Believe It or Not (Second Series) #12 include disability representation?

Fair

The film features a one-armed boat builder who demonstrates adaptive skills. However, the disability is framed as a curiosity within the broader context of the series' spectacle.

Present on Screen

Provides 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.

Limited or Absent

Lacks any representation of LGBTQ+ identities.
Frames non-Western practices as exotic spectacles for Western audiences.
Does not provide a critique of gendered power dynamics or social roles.

Official 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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