GRASS: A NATION'S BATTLE FOR LIFE (USA/1925)

Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack, the guys who wrote and directed the original King Kong in 1933, debuted with this fascinating documentary about the 48-day yearly migration of the nomadic Bakhtiari tribe of Persia in search for pasture for their herd. Fifty thousand men, women and children cross a wide river in rafts that float on inflated goat skins and cross the steep, snow-covered Taurus mountains until they reach the grassy plains of southern Iran. It's a most perilous journey and a most exhilarating experience for the viewer. Grass: A Nation's Battle for Life was made originally for the University lecture circuit but was such a hit with audiences that Paramount Pictures decided to release it in commercial theaters. I watched a TV broadcast of the film, now available on a dvd said to include commentary from Mr. Cooper himself.