The World's Greatest Fair (2004)

User Rating:

8.4/10   

Directors:

Scott Huegerich (co-director)
Bob Miano (co-director)

Writers:

Mike Ketcher (writer)
Jim Kirchherr (head writer)

Genre:

History

Plot Keywords:

Arch | World's Fair | St. Louis | Missouri | Louisiana Purchase

Cast

John David

...

Narrator

Runtime:

USA:116 min (original release)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Company:

Technisonic Studios

It was the GREATEST World's Fair of all !

Around the beginning of the 20th century during the Victorian Era and the Industrial Revolution, a series of World's Fairs were held in Europe and the United States. They displayed the latest inventions, manufacturing processes, agriculture advances, and brought together the peoples of the world to see the world--all in one location! The Victorian World's Fairs attracted millions of people, and reached an apex in 1904 in St. Louis at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition.

Scott and Bob produced a magnificent portrait of this amazing Fair, not by descriptions of the fantastic buildings and exhibits, but by telling numerous detailed and intimate stories about the Fair. The viewer will learn all about the Fair, including David Francis (the President of the Fair), the music, food, art, and people that at the Fair, the Pike (the mile of entertainment), the 1904 Olympics, and the great Ferris Wheel. Since the Fair reflected the culture of the times, there are stories about women and the only official woman photographer at the Fair, and the treatment of the minorities that were brought to the Fair as part of the young science of Anthropology. Stories about the transportation of the time include an automobile 'race' from New York to St. Louis, and the wreck of a train full of would-be Fair visitors.

Critically acclaimed, the movie was thoroughly researched and photographed, and features many famous St. Louis voices, including Mayor Slay and Stan Musial. Written with the help of many St. Louis World's Fair enthusiasts, it has shown to sold out audiences many times in St. Louis. This movie will interest anyone who is interested in history or entertainment of the early 1900s from beginning to end with it's variety and scenery.

Even though I was a "Fair Fan" and one of the lucky ones who got to help Bob and Scott, I learned many new things from this movie. You'll see that the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair truly was "The World's Greatest Fair".