British Pathe

A British Instructional Films presentation. "An introductory or revision film." Intertitle reads: "This film has been supervised by James Fairgrieve and viewed and approved by the Geographical Association and for the Commission on Educational and Cultural Films."

Graphic world map. The island...

A British Instructional Films presentation. "An introductory or revision film." Intertitle reads: "This film has been supervised by James Fairgrieve and viewed and approved by the Geographical Association and for the Commission on Educational and Cultural Films."

Graphic world map. The island of Cyprus is highlighted. Relief map of the island. Mountainous landscape. View of the mountains from the central plains. Panning shot of Nicosia. Baton is used to show the location of Nicosia on the relief map. Man sits in the shade of a building smoking a hookah. The narrator points out the shadows cast as "Cyprus is a sunny land." Horse and cart passes through the shot. Primitive irrigation system. A waterwheel worked by a donkey. C/U of the cog mechanism. Woman crouches down by the water channel and scoops water into a container. Shepherd herding a flock of goats down a flooded road. Man sits outside a house weaving chair seats. Another man turns wood - probably chair legs. Hillsides covered with trees - pine and cedar trees. "Maquis" - scrub is described. Two men cut down a large tree. Two monks walk through an archway. View of the mountains. Dry river bed. C/U of a dry plant typical of the maquis. Flock of sheep. Goats. Ox and donkeys are used to pull carts. Men cover a crop stack with a piece of fabric. Ox pull carts and ploughs. Close shots of threshing boards being pulled by ox. Men stand on the boards as they are dragged across a crop. The bottom of the threshing boards are seen in C/U. Horses pull threshing boards. A man knocks olives down from the trees with sticks. Women and children collect them. Woman puts handful of olives into a large basket then carries it away. Donkey works a crushing machine. The olives are then pressed - men turn levers of press. Oil runs out of the press into a well.

Oil is scooped from this well by ladle and poured into an urn. Women work in an orange grove. C/U of women picking oranges. They are wearing large white head scarves. Mulberry trees. Silk factory. Interior of factory with large pile of cocoons. Woman brings cooked loaves of bread out of an outdoor oven. Narrator speaks of the simple life led by these people. Women operate large weaving looms in the open air. C/U of woman at loom - prickly pear plant in the background. The village potter makes jars in an open air workshop. Camels are led past the doorway. C/U of potters hands as he throws pots and of his feet operating the potters wheel. Glaze is applied in the open air.

Graphic map showing neighbouring countries. Palm trees - rounded dome of a church. Camels are used to carry goods, four camels walk past camera. Church - Grecian in architecture. C/U of Greek Orthodox priest holding a relic. Two men perform a traditional dance. Some men are wearing fez hats and baggy trousers. A man plays a lute (?) and other men watch the dancing. There are no women, the narrator observes: "they do not take part in such entertainments, but stay indoors." Remains of a Roman marketplace. A car drives along a dry and dusty mountain road into the distance. Old Roman aqueduct. Seascapes, small motor boat passes the camera.