https://peertube.dngr.us/videos/watch/0642691d-8531-493a-a48a-31fcbe530d1a Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCddem5RlB3bQe99wyY49g0g/join Want to learn more about Periscope Film and get access to exclusive swag? Join us on Patreon. Visit https://www.patreon.com/PeriscopeFilm Visit our website www.PeriscopeFilm.com This 1940 home movie shot by an unknown American features a Wendell Willkie for President rally held at an unidentified amphitheater. Wendell Willkie was a former lawyer and corporate executive who campaigned as the Republican candidate against incumbent Democrat President Franklin D. Roosevelt. As a politician, Willkie actually operated under the Democratic party until late 1939 as he transitioned his registration to Republican. He positioned himself as their only interventionist. Republicans turned to nominate the newcomer following news of German advances in western Europe. Historically, Wendell’s rallies were energetic, drawing large crowds and numerous speakers. His campaign was a blend of effective media use and grassroots movements. Roosevelt would ultimately win the 1940 election for an unprecedented third term. Willkie attempted to run again for Republican candidacy in 1944. A poor Wisconsin primary in April forced him to bow out early. He passed the same year in his early fifties after surviving numerous heart attacks. Much of the footage features various speakers and entertainment acts. The Republican candidate appears briefly, however; due to his untimely death, footage of any Willkie rally is considered historic. It is reported the Republican National Convention held in Philadelphia where he won the nomination for candidacy and his final campaign address against FDR at Madison Square Garden were considerably animated and full of passionate speakers. 0:00 Film begins with curtains opening and closing over numerous speakers accented by a horn man bearing a Willkie flag. It continues to show a number of performances including show girls carting ‘Elect Willkie’ signs, fire eaters a knife thrower and his target girl. It opens with a speaker reading from a script under the spot light (:09). Shots pan over attendees (:13). A man runs down the aisle (:24), crowded with rows of supporters. A stream of speakers in colonial style attire address the crowd (:35). Close shots show the horn man’s flag reading “Willkie” (:54). The stream of speakers continues (1:13-2:11). A gray haired man takes to a podium (2:51) equipped with press microphones. He introduces two others (2:56). Willkie takes to the podium briefly (3:15) as sound man adjusts the microphones (3:18). Female performers in top hats encourage the crowd to ‘Elect Willkie’ (3:45). The fire eater’s performance follows (3:58). Female dancers take center stage (4:47). A cowboy performs rope tricks with a lasso (4:57) prior to a woman’s gymnastics routine (6:27). The knife thrower sets the stage in a silk button down (6:27). The target girl changes position (6:47). Another performance involves entertainers dressed as a farmer and a cow (7:15). Tap dancers (9:19) and a roller skating duo (9:31) follow. Speakers in colonial attire return to the stage (10:01) followed by female dancers (10:07). A group in overtly patriotic costume (10:21) carting American flags (10:36) close the film. Wendell Lewis Willkie was an American lawyer, corporate executive and the 1940 Republican nominee for president of the United States. Willkie appealed to many convention delegates as the Republican field's only interventionist: although the U.S. remained neutral prior to Pearl Harbor, he favored greater U.S. involvement in World War II to support Britain and other Allies. His Democratic opponent, incumbent President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who had made campaign pledges against direct U.S. involvement in World War II, won the 1940 election with about 55% of the popular vote and took the electoral college vote by a wide margin. Motion picture films don't last forever; many have already been lost or destroyed. For almost two decades, we've worked to collect, scan and preserve the world as it was captured on 35mm, 16mm and 8mm movies -- including home movies, industrial films, and other non-fiction. If you have endangered films you'd like to have scanned, or wish to donate celluloid to Periscope Film so that we can share them with the world, we'd love to hear from you. Contact us via the weblink below. This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPZcRt1Uq8g Mirrored from Periscope Film (https://www.youtube.com/@PeriscopeFilm) Sat, 20 Jun 2026 16:25:56 GMT https://validator.w3.org/feed/docs/rss2.html PeerTube - https://peertube.dngr.us https://peertube.dngr.us/lazy-static/avatars/41a6fee9-7f57-42d0-a5fc-5db4f1af2e31.png https://peertube.dngr.us/videos/watch/0642691d-8531-493a-a48a-31fcbe530d1a All rights reserved, unless otherwise specified in the terms specified at https://peertube.dngr.us/about and potential licenses granted by each content's rightholder.