Aug 30, 2009

Modern New Orleans, 1940


Too wonderful!

The then newly built Huey Long, spotlighted in the beginning of the film, is famously narrow and scary. I remember the driving instructor in high school having used it as part of our final exam.

One of my later teachers once told the class that the bridge was the reason she'd become a nun. As a girl she'd been riding in the back seat of her parents' car, in the rain with a train running alongside the car. Right then and there she swore to God that if He got her safely over, she'd go into the convent...so she did. Can't say I blame her.

10 comments:

larry said...

this is wonderful,jason! so glad to see this...

mrpeenee said...

O jeezus honey, that fucking bridge always made me cringe and close my eyes, even when I was driving. Thank you for setting me up for a nightmare.

mrpeenee said...

Amazing that they include how many bananas come through the port, but don't even mention the French Quarter. I guess in 1940 it was still a slum.

The Mistress said...

Mr.Peenee: And how many bananas have come through YOUR port?

ayeM8y said...

That bridge and the old Mississippi River bridge in Vicksburg used to scare me to death. Trains running right beside you? Who exactly thought this stuff up?

It was while praying to get across the old Mississippi River bridge that I decided to become something that deals with making things more attractive. Both are hideous mangles of steel torture. I would fashion lovely creations from my Erector set’s and Lego’s and wonder why other’s have no vision.

Jill said...

Really!! She gave up sex because of a train?!!

jason said...

Heck, Jill, I gave it up for less than that.

Silly Monkey said...

What an awesome clip! I particularly liked seeing the airport back then.

Kim Hambric said...

Thanks for posting this. I love coming across vintage New Orleans photos. But now I've got video. Fantastic! I smiled, I laughed, I cried, I shook my fist in the air. All in 7 minutes.

My adventures said...

My mother used to drive across the Huey P going down the middle with the flashers on, shrieking the whole way. It was better than a roller coaster. I used to get so excited just knowing we were going to drive over it. Great Flick!!!