Nice-a Da Banan: From Fiji to Pushcart Prosperity

Savor the hustle of "Nice-a Da Banan," a silent 1920s film echoing the cry of an Italian pushcart vendor in San Francisco: “The street his market place, a push cart his store, this son of foreign immigrants shouts his slogan of prosperity—‘Nice-a Da Banan.’” In crisp black-and-white, the reel follows this spirited vendor—likely a North Beach son of Italy—hawking ripe bananas to bustling crowds. It then whisks across the Pacific to the Fiji Islands, where lush groves yield the golden fruit, and tracks their voyage aboard swaying ships to U.S. shores. Blending immigrant grit with global trade, this footage charms history buffs, food trade enthusiasts, and San Francisco heritage fans, peeling back a tale of ambition and bananas in a bygone era.