In 1964, the maker of this film - my brother Tom - was a senior at the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana. One of his favorite pastimes was playing the viola, and he became quite proficient at it. From January 31 through June 4 of that year, 80 members of the U of I Symphony Orchestra plus faculty and staff toured Central and South America. Hosted by the International Cultural Exchange Program of the U. S. State Department, the orchestra performed approximately 70 concerts in 12 different countries.
Tom's film (originally 15 minutes long) was not intended to document the tour. Rather, he shot random views of scenery, cities, and various forms of transportation. Over time, some of the subjects have become historically significant. While the group was in Sao Paulo, the Brazilian capital, the violent overthrow of Brazilian president João Goulart by a military coup took place. From the window of his hotel room, Tom’s camera captured the mobs of people in the streets and the wild victory celebration (indeed, there was concern for the group’s safety).
The video opens with Tom, who had never sat in a cockpit before, co-piloting a chartered DC-4 (the FAA would've had a FIT if a USA airline allowed this)! You'll see some great scenes of vintage trolleys in Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo (for more information on South American trams, visit www.tramz.com/).
The original film is silent; background music and titles/subtitles have been added.