Francis Line Filmmaker

xxvRed Rock Trail to Supai 1975, and later. “On, of the most beautiful waterfalls in all America.” That was Francis’ excited assessment of Havasu Falls, hidden from the world a couple of miles below the Havasupai Indian village in the remote lower reaches of Grand Canyon. He was speaking not alone of the cascading waters […]

XXIVJohnnie Discovers the Canyonby Francis and Helen 1965, and later. First impressions are vital. A psychiatrist, Leonard Zunin, M. D., has written a book titled CONTACT: THE FIRST FOUR MINUTES. The title explains itself. When persons meet for the first time, says the doctor, it takes only a few minutes — usually about four — […]

XXIIICow Pasture Landingby Helen “So near and yet so far.” We had hiked the Canyon, Rim to Rim, 22 miles,’ in one day. But the trip back to our car, by road, would be 215 miles. Now we realized the North Rim ranger’s predicament on election days. He could see his voting booth, at El […]

XXIIAdventure by Nightby Helen We sat silently for awhile, waiting to cool off, physically, and mentally. No food for us at the Inn. Only a cup of rice and some raisins in our pack. We said, “Let’s take a shower and really cool off.” It was an antidote for our disappointment. The cool water soothed […]

XXIDown — and Out.  Rim to Rimby Helen 1963“Too bad we don’t have a thermometer. It must be nearly freezing,” I chattered through my teeth to Francis as we prepared to start down the North Kaibab Trail from Grand Canyon’s North Rim. The day was June 4; the time about 4:30 a.m. “How about this? […]

XXGrand Canyon Retreatby Helen 1956 On an early April evening in 1956 we pulled our battered Jeep into Cameron trading post, on the Little Colorado River. We were headed for Grand Canyon Village, 60 miles west. We liked Cameron in those days; a good place to spend the night. Navajos and Hopis padded softly about […]

XIXBy Jeep to Toroweapby Helen 1955 Parts of Grand Canyon are in the sphere of the Navajo Nation; for nearly 70 miles, their reservation’s western boundary borders Grand Canyon National Park. During two years while producing a documentary film on the land of the Navajo, we traveled by four-wheel-drive Jeep over more than ten thousand […]

XVIIISay Uncle! Next morning it was raining. Enroute back to Grand Canyon, we headed for Payson, home of a noted rodeo. Payson’s affair is not like the ones at Pendleton or at Bozeman, where the riders are mainly professionals who travel the circuit. These Payson riders — at least the majority of them — are […]

XVIIHospitality, Western Style A.small light was burning in a rear room of the hamburger place. It was closed. “Look, mom, there’s a man in there.” Adrienne, as well as Victor and Gail, had their noses pressed to the window, hands shielding their eyes — peering in. The front room of the cafe was rather large […]

XVICape Royal Celebration We needn’t have been frantic about our filming. The hummingbird worked about the thistle plant until dark. And it was there again at dawn. I was set with my camera while the whole Canyon was still swallowed in blackness, so I even beat the hummingbird to its work. “The early bird catches […]