A Bronx Morning (1931)
In the National Film Registry
•
12m
Montage blends documentary & avant-garde styles. Kids play, vendors sell, families bustle. A Bronx Morning (1931) is a brief yet captivating glimpse into a New York borough awakening.
Created by a young Jay Leyda, the film transcends a straightforward documentary approach. While capturing the sights and sounds of a bustling Bronx street, Leyda employs innovative techniques.
The rhythmic editing, with its close-ups on architectural details and playful juxtapositions of scenes, imbues the ordinary with a fresh perspective.
This experimentation with form, alongside its unsentimental portrayal of an urban landscape touched by the Great Depression, places A Bronx Morning at the forefront of the American avant-garde movement.
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