British Pathe

Title Pages: "Associated British Pathe Presents" "Pathe News" "Japan Hails Princess. Technicolour. Pathe News"

Japan Hails Princess
Tokyo airport with British and Japanese flags flying as Alexandra disembarks from a B.O.A.C. Britannia. She is greeted by Princess Chichibu, widow of the Emperor's...

Title Pages: "Associated British Pathe Presents" "Pathe News" "Japan Hails Princess. Technicolour. Pathe News"

Japan Hails Princess
Tokyo airport with British and Japanese flags flying as Alexandra disembarks from a B.O.A.C. Britannia. She is greeted by Princess Chichibu, widow of the Emperor's younger brother. Various shots as Princess Alexandra meets dignitaries. L/S of the Emperor's Imperial palace. The Princess rides through in a parade and waves from her ornate carriage. People wave Japanese flags. Various shots as she arrives at the palace. C/U of a Japanese guardsman in full golden livery.

She then moves on to the Imperial Duck Reserve, and with members of the Imperial family she walks along with Crown Prince Akihito. Princess Chichibu takes photographs of the ducks. Akihito's brother joins them and Princess Alexandra chats to the group. She watches practice "Duck Netting". A hat is thrown and men with nets on sticks catch it. Then a group of them including the Princess go to the marsh land to catch 32 ducks. The Princess is handed a net and the party, including British Ambassador Sir Oscar Charles Morland, advance. The Princess laughs and chats. Various shots as they walk along and people take photographs. MS of dead ducks.

Princess Tours Japan

Group of children in uniform walking towards temple at Nara. Various shots of temples. LV The Princess walking through the crowds and waving. GV Crowds of children around the Princess. LV Children in Uniform waving flags. SV The Princess talking to one of the priests. CU Children waving. SV Pan the Princess walks towards one of the temples. Angle shot Temple pan down to show the Princess going into the temple. VS of Japanese people waiting to see Princess. GV Princess and the party coming away from the temple.

Good M/S of two Geisha girls in garden walking in front of misty lake and trees in Kyoto. The Princess walks along and takes part in traditional tea ceremony at the Cento (?) palace. Wonderful shots of the Geisha girls giggling and bowing, various shots of the ceremony as the tea is poured out in ritual. Various shots as she drinks it and compliments them. C/U of one girls. M/S of three Geisha girls in traditional make-up. C/U of one under her umbrella. Lovely shot of two swans swimming down the river with the bridge in the background. In the rain, Princess Alexandra and her party walk across a bridge all holding brightly coloured Japanese umbrellas. M/S of rain on the lake. Various shots of the Geisha girls including good C/U's. Various shots as the Geishas sing dance with their fans for the Princess.

Various shots of the Mikimoto Pearl Island. SV Pan the Princess walking onto the island. Various CUs of the diving girls in the traditional white cotton outfits and kimonos. GV as the Princess standing on the end of pier to watch the diving. VS of girls diving in to start getting the cultivated pearls. LV The Princess getting into a boat and come out and have a closer look. GV Princess in a row boat up close to the girls. Shots of oysters on pier and being opened. CU harvest of pearls. SV Zoom into good shots of the pearl divers smiling and holding the Princess's arms in affectionate way, she looks amused.

Princess in Thailand and Burma.

Princess Alexandra tours Thailand and Burma.
L/S of temple in Bangkok, various shots of it with ornate carvings. M/S of Imperial palace of Thailand. Princess Alexandra walks along with members of the royal house. Various shots of two monks in bright orange robes, C/U of one. M/S of Princess Alexandra standing outside oriental arches on a temple. M/S of solid gold Buddha inside. The Princess emerges from the temple. Various shots of the ornate decorations. She chats with a woman. Ladies perform traditional dances for the Princess. M/S of someone taking a photograph. C/U of the dancers' hands which have long curled golden nails. Various shots of the nail extensions.

L/S of war cemetery at Burma, M/S of the graves. Princess Alexandra gets out of her car, people clap and wave. C/U of young woman smiling. The Princess places (wearing an extraordinary white feather hat with large black polka dots) lays a wreath next to the cross made of sleepers in memory of those who died building the Burma-Siam railway. M/S of the cross and inscription of the regiments. Sir Philip Hay, who is accompanying the Princess, and is also a veteran of Burma, looks around the site. C/U of one inscription on a grave.

L/S of Buddhist pagoda, various shots as Princess Alexandra walks along barefoot as footwear is not allowed. A woman prays on the ground. The Princess looks up at the ornate carvings. Various shots as she walks along chatting.

"The End"