The Unchained Goddess

A Frank Capra WONDERS OF LIFE film.

THE UNCHAINED GODDESS of weather, Meteora, finds two humans who know quite a bit about her secret ways.

In the mid-1950's, AT&T and Bell Science teamed with famed Hollywood director Frank Capra to produce a series of CBS television science films to educate the public about the Universe around them. A far cry from the dreary black & white fodder so often foisted off on young scholars, the Capra films would both instruct and entertain with lively scripts and eye-catching visuals shown in Technicolor. The four films - OUR MR. SUN (1956), THE STRANGE CASE OF THE COSMIC RAYS (1957), HEMO THE MAGNIFICENT (1957), THE UNCHAINED GODDESS (1958) - quickly became schoolhouse favorites, where they were endlessly shown in 16mm format.

The star of the series was Dr. Frank C. Baxter (1896-1982), an affable English professor at the University of Southern California. This avuncular pedagogue proved to be the perfect film instructor, genially imparting to his audience the sometimes complex facts in a manner which never made them seem dull or boring. Dr. Baxter, who won a Peabody Award for his achievements, continued making high quality instructional films after the Capra quartet were concluded.

THE UNCHAINED GODDESS, which was produced & co-written by Capra, relates the story of wind patterns and cloud types, thunder, lightning and rain, using humorous animation and dramatic photography. Film star Richard Carlson, who also directed, appears as the Fiction Writer, energetically helping Dr. Baxter relate the scientific facts.

The devotional sentiment & Scripture quoted by Dr. Baxter at the film's conclusion is completely in tune with the tenor & tone of the production.

Frank Capra stikes again! This is an interesting video. This used to be available free to schools through the old Bell System. It was listed as being for all audiences-and boy were they correct. Everyone from first graders to AARP types could learn something from this video and enjoy doing it. I have been showing this movie (now a video) for over 30 years and student get as much out of it today as they did 3- years ago. Why don't they make more science videos like this today!

First-class technical background is blended with superior animation to create an ideal learning experience for all ages. WARNING - If you let your children watch this film, they will probably want to become meteorologists.

I used this movie to introduce Air Force student pilots to the science of meteorology in the late 1960's at Craig AFB in Selma Alabama. During the four years I was assigned to Craig AFB this movie became an integral part of the weather course for over 2000 Air Force pilots I taught, all university graduates many of whom were Air Force Academy graduates. The movie was used as a motivational tool and always kept the student's attention as the hazards of flying in weather were introduced to them. This movie could still be used today to inspire young children to consider a career in meteorology. I give this movie 9 stars for its content, scientific credibility, and presentation. It includes such topics as fronts and air masses, global circulation, thunderstorms, tornadoes and hurricanes. It even includes material on climate change which the world is debating today.