America as Seen by a Frenchman (1960)

This documentary is a general, unquestioning travelog of the United States through the eyes of French director and co-cameraman Francois Reichenbach, a director often fascinated with life in the home of the French-made Statue of Liberty. From the attractions of the West Coast including Disneyland to the skyscrapers of New York, Reichenbach is curious about everything. A prison rodeo (later to come under closer and more critical scrutiny in the ’90s), culturally and ethnically mixed neighborhoods, religions outside the mainstream, ghost towns, and the unique world of the American teen are all given a peek. These views of the U.S. are informative though absent of critical analysis.