Los Angeles, at the time of the end of World War Two. John Lee is a young man torn between his simple Chinese background – his grandfather was a railway worker – and the aristocratic side that he inherited from his French mother. He is obsessed by trains, at a time when the car was rapidly superseding the train. When John hears that the 78-mile Yosemite Valley Railway is threatened with closure, he tries to become manager of the railway with the assistance of a rich businessman, in the hope of turning the inevitable tide for the railways.Color of a Brisk and Leaping Day is based on a true story. The film shows several key moments in the history of the American railroad, but the real story focuses on the obsessive determination of John Lee, and the precision that such a obsession demands. With meticulous detail, Münch exploits the artefacts of the old railroad: from the beautifully restored trains, the points and the variety of machinery to objects in the desk drawers of the station master. The black & white film images – akin to Ansel Adams’ beautiful photographs – are just as crafted. Kay Armatage (Toronto Catalogue): ‘Color of a Brisk and Leaping Day is an unforgettable work from a budding visionary.’
