Name: Swing High
Genre: Documentary
Released: 1932-11-12
Duration: 10 min
Rating: 7.1
Cast: Pete Smith, Edward Codona, Lalo Codona, Alfredo Codona, Vera Codona

Swing High

Swing High is a 1932 American Pre-Code short documentary film directed by Jack Cummings. In 1932, it was nominated for an Academy Award at the 5th Academy Awards for Best Short Subject (Novelty). The film documents The Flying Codonas, a family of flying trapeze artists.

Documentary

DirectorJack Cummings

StatusReleased

LanguageEnglish

Release DateNovember 12, 1932

Runtime10m

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

February 11, 20247/10

The usually lightly sarcastic Pete Smith narrates this short documentary looking at the acrobatic Codona family. We start with a little bit of Vera's practice session before Alfredo tests the apparatus before a live show with a packed audience below. He flies through the air with the greatest of ease (at up to 60mph) with pirouettes and turns before being caught by his brother Lalo. There's quite an interesting perspective from a top-down slo-motion camera that gives some indication of the perilous nature of their routines. Despite an early visit to the safety net, Alfredo manages the first ever airborne double somersault ever, anywhere... then a triple pirouette. Can he manage a triple somersault? Blindfolds - well a pillowcase? It's fascinating to watch this, and though I would have liked some natural sound with some crowd oohs and ahhs, the use of the slow motion imagery does work well and Smith's on quite good form, too. I did enjoy this.