Roaming Through Arizona

This being during the Second World War, travel restriction meant that James A. Fitzpatrick could not send his Technicolor cameras far afield for the MGM TRAVELTALKS series. Although some of them went south of the border to Mexico, most featured US states, in which we are informed of such fascinating facts as above.

Although the pictures, as always are good, and when, as here, well preserved, quite lovely, Fitzpatrick's droning voice makes me want to shout at the screen. Usually he sounds like he is reciting dull facts out of an almanac. Apparently the budget for this one was more generous, since it sounds like he bought a geology textbook and an AAA guide to the state and has pored over the maps and words to find the dullest things to say in the dullest way.

During the War, Americans were urged to avoid unnecessary travel, to avoid wasting rationed goods like rubber for auto tires and gasoline. Perhaps Fitzpatrick was trying to discourage travel. If so, this seems like a mixed success.