Star 34 is one of the many industrial, educational films Herk Harvey made for Centron Films in Kansas. Here Harvey plays Bill Asher, who must travel to Kansas as a condition of his inheritance from his recently deceased aunt. As a result, this short film treats the viewer to a brief travelogue of the state. Several Kansas landscapes are featured, such as the marshes, plains, and rock formations, highlighting its geographical diversity. Lifestyle features include churches, parks, and pools. The film even touches on some Kansas history about John Brown. The film is in color, which might be a bit unusual, as most shorts were filmed in black and white during this time period. Star 34 represents the idea of Kansas being the 34th state, and the 34th star on the flag. **1/2 of 4 stars.
2 Reviews
There's no place like Kansas
Woodyanders5 August 2016
Warning: Spoilers
Young couple Bill and Mary Astor have to live on a farm in Kansas in order to collect a full inheritance from Bill's recently deceased Aunt Emily. Director Herk Harvey, who also plays Bill with appealing earnestness, basically uses the premise to provide a nice and illuminating overview of both the history of Kansas and its most notable landmarks: Besides a rundown on John Brown (gotta love that amazing painting!), we also get to see the wide open spaces of Kansas in all their breathtaking verdant splendor as well as striking shots of wheat fields, salt marshes, rock formations, military posts, capitol buildings, and buffalo herds. Robust narrator James Lantz rattles off a lot of neat facts. The slushy score is a bit much, but overall this rates as a lovely travelogue of the 34th state.
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