BFI

Topical Budget made at least two items with this title and subject matter, both featuring children sampling the delights of London Zoo. They are shown riding on elephants (complete with authentic Indian driver, resplendent in a turban) and looking more passively on tigers, mountain goats (who butt each other on the artificial slope) and brown bears.

But at this point the film abruptly changes tone, and we are informed that "amid the sunshine, poor Sam's heart is dark with grief." The polar bear Sam was one of the zoo's longest residents, and was clearly not in the best of health - Topical Budget would later give him his own separate item, 'Tragedy of Sam' (27/8/1925), recording that he was put down "to end his infirmities".

Michael Brooke

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