Instructional Videos/Social Guidance Films

[donnie]

This one is rather odd.

I don't really think the problem with the people of Africa speech is lack of gestures, do you? I doubt the most animated motions in the world are going to pull that one out of the fire.

The graphic of the arm sprouting out of the head looks kind of very strange, as does that revolving display in the store window.

I think the "good" speaker is kind of overdoing it with the gestures, do you? And the reformed George at the end is definitely overdoing it.

Speech: The Function of Gestures (1950)

https://youtu.be/PGYmDIRmRqw

[donnie]

I enjoyed seeing the music, clothing, and dancing in this one. The '40s was the best decade ever in style.

This must have been filmed in the New York area, as there are some really strong old-fashioned Brooklyn accents. I like hearing them. It must have been rather low-budget, as there are only three couples at the party.

The answers to most of the questions here are pretty obvious (though the dialogue is a little unclear at times). I wonder why all the titles are in BIG BOLD CAPS.

1:27 Ethel looks a little too young to be in this group. Good dancer, though. And do you think Bill has enough oil in his hair?

Betty at 2:25. That gal is hungry.

You and Your Friends (1946)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ol4CMjFhn-I

[donnie]

:48 What the heck is that big figure on the counter?? A mascot for a paint brand, I guess, but if so, an odd one. He looks kind of like the Shoney Big Boy.

Is that a photo of Tom’s girlfriend in his wallet? She looks kind of old. I guess it could be his mother?

I looked up Coro-Ton (might be Coro-Tone) as a paint brand, but couldn’t really see what looked like a good match.

6:39 That’s an oddly sparse-looking store. I like the smile and politeness of the clerk.

Isn’t it odd to think of buying a radio on time? But that would be the equivalent of $432 today, so I guess it’s not out of line. I’m always astonished to see how much common items actually cost then. No wonder they had repair shops instead of just everything being discardable.

8:51 I’ve also noticed that all bank tellers back then were separated from customers by barred windows. I wonder when that practice ceased.

This one got me thinking how rarely I actually use cash anymore. I'll bet it's been years since I paid with a five dollar bill.

What is Money (1947)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ANcnBw_gLk

[Kitty]

What is Money (1947) response #1

:48 What the heck is that big figure on the counter?? A mascot for a paint brand, I guess, but if so, an odd one. He looks kind of like the Shoney Big Boy.

From what I can gather, I think this is an odd, possibly short-lived depiction of Dutch Boy.

Is that a photo of Tom’s girlfriend in his wallet? She looks kind of old. I guess it could be his mother?

You can't even see the face for the video quality. I'm gonna say it's his beloved Aunt Corinne.

I looked up Coro-Ton (might be Coro-Tone) as a paint brand, but couldn’t really see what looked like a good match.

From what I've searched with multiple different spellings and not finding anything, I think this may be a fictional brand, possibly derived from the Coronet name, the company that produced this film.

More comments to come soon about the video itself.

[donnie]

From what I've searched with multiple different spellings and not finding anything, I think this may be a fictional brand, possibly derived from the Coronet name, the company that produced this film.

I think you're right. There aren't any more cans like it one the shelf, and the label doesn't have any other lettering or information you would expect to see on a real one.

Here's another one where an imaginary person shows up as a guide (this time, future you).

:30 Judging from his appetite, this smartie must be related to Betty in You and Your Friends. His father has that classic instructional film voice.

That’s the biggest shirt collar I’ve ever seen at 2:15.

When you think about it, what exactly are the purposes for some of those rules? For example, a separate fork being needed for each course? And using them from the outside in?

And was there an original reason of any kind for dipping the soup spoon away from you rather than toward you? Or was that something someone created just to have a rule?

If table manners were that strict every place, no wonder the boy was resistant about going.


Good Table Manners (1951)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dkxt5c3x8w

[donnie]

This one seems very odd (or at least on the delightfully quirky side), and I can’t put my finger on exactly why. For one thing, the background harp music doesn’t sound like it belongs here. The styles are unusual, too. And do a lot of the voices sound unnatural or dubbed or you? Some of the children's voices sound too adult-like; maybe it’s just the way they were miked?

I like the braid on the mother’s hair in the first scenes. That’s a very pretty style.

When Margaret goes to prepare the chicken, her hair band magically changes color. Either there’s a continuity error, or she has a special chicken-frying hair band. And how about that turquoise piano?

The extreme close-ups of the teacher asking Jim to do the science project seem unusual. Jim is a nice-looking young man, but I was kind of disappointed in his rocket, considering that he had most of month to work on it.

The later Coronets were still pretty low-budget.

Developing Responsibility (1970)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6LQXe1fdHw

[Kitty]

Re: Speech: The Function of Gestures (1950)

This one is rather odd.

Very odd.

I don't really think the problem with the people of Africa speech is lack of gestures, do you? I doubt the most animated motions in the world are going to pull that one out of the fire.

What in the world is this speech about, anyway? So the people of africa are all different shapes and sizes, just like everyone else of the world. Did his third grader write this speech for him last night at 8pm before he went to bed?

The graphic of the arm sprouting out of the head looks kind of very strange, as does that revolving display in the store window.

Yes, the head/arm illustration was unnecessary, and I don't think the revolving display would even be effective. It is going way too fast, and definitely detracts from the product. (What is that, anyway? )

I think the "good" speaker is kind of overdoing it with the gestures, do you? And the reformed George at the end is definitely overdoing it.

The gestures are just too broad. Be normal. Do you really swing your arms around that much in normal conversation? I'd be sure to give him a wide berth if I was around him!

And the reformed George looks like a very drunk George. He's so dishevelled and wild armed!

It's interesting that the narrator claims that a good speaker should be seen as well as heard. That point proves to be wrong immediately. After all, the narrator is also a speaker, and we don't need to see him to find him interesting. It's mostly inflection and a feeling that the speaker believes in his words that makes a story or speech engaging. Gestures come naturally, and if they are overdone, it's exactly as if the speaker is acting or trying to pull one over on you. Are they really trying to say that people on radio are boring? Nope, just the stilted overacting performers are. Have you ever heard those monotone, yelling droners on public radio, with their voices bouncing off the walls with rarely a believable inflection in their voice? That is the boring speaker. Care about your subject and be excited to teach otheres about it rather than worrying too much on performance, and it will come naturally and be interesting.

Maybe you totally disagree with me, but that is my opinion. *hops off soapbox*



Re: You and Your Friends (1946)

I wonder why all the titles are in BIG BOLD CAPS.

I think it's interesting that there are film credits. B. K. Blake was an Oscar Nominated producer of short films. George Blake (director) was his son, who also directed a series of shorts called Candid Microphone. Scriptwriter A.R. Perkins is listed on IMDb to have written two scripts: This one and You and Your Family. Don Malkames (Photography) was in the photography and cinematography business for many decades. He started when he was 17 as a photographer for Fox. Film editor Leonard Anderson also had a long career, and edited The Honeymooners. Narrator Don Goddard was a newscaster and after he retired from broadcasting, he moved to Arizona and became a therapist, best known for helping older people with addiction and alcoholism.

The answers to most of the questions here are pretty obvious.

My ratings - You know, the ones you didn't ask for:

Frank: Minus (I mean, why did he even bring up Eddie? Jealous? Trying to steer the girl away from Eddie so he can have her for himself?)

Mary: Plus (She isn't engaging in any of this bashing Eddie nonsense.)

Betty at 2:25. That gal is hungry.

Betty: Neutral. (Not everything is black and white, Mr. Goddard! My first thought was maybe she doesn't get enough food at home. And it's not like she took the food across the street. She's still in the same room, and can easily talk through bites.)

Mary: Minus (It looks like she's learned a bit about gestures from the last film we watched!)

Joe: Minus (Stop moping at parties. This is worse than what Betty did. In fact, it kind of seems like he's more antisocial than any of them. After all, he was alone in the dining room in the beginning, and then he was alone on the couch, making Ethel ask him what was wrong. Why is he here again?)

Ethel: Minus (Blabbermouth! 'Nuff said!)

George: Plus (Didn't even complain!)

Betty: Minus (Double-crosser!)

Bill: Minus (Girl-stealer!)

Frank: Plus (Didn't stand her up)

Ethel: Plus (Understanding, and still got up and danced with him joyously afterward!)

1:27 Ethel looks a little too young to be in this group. Good dancer, though. And do you think Bill has enough oil in his hair?

Ethel looks young, but compare her to Bill. I think he looks pretty young, too. They are probably about 14 or 15. Now Mary, well, she looks like she's 22. Bill looks like he could be Jon Bauman's rival in the hair grease department.


I enjoyed over-analysing this one.

[donnie]

.Maybe you totally disagree with me, but that is my opinion. *hops off soapbox*

Well said! No, you nailed it, I absolutely agree. They seem to conceive of the gestures and voice inflections as a kind of separate or pasted-on element, when actually it should arise naturally from the content and the speaker's feeling about it.

I think it's interesting that there are film credits...

Interesting background. There's usually a paucity of information about the people involved in these.

Bill looks like he could be Jon Bauman's rival in the hair grease department.

I hope he doesn't get too close to any open flames!

I enjoyed over-analysing this one.

I always enjoy your reactions! I agree with the ratings, with the exception that I'd probably go a little easier on the guy who's worried about moving.

[donnie]

This one has some good advice, especially the emergency fund.

I wonder if this was an actual family. They all look in one way: their eyebrows. But then, the one playing the father has an awfully familiar voice. I know I've heard it a lot, but I can't identify where. Does it sound familiar?

What do you think of Polly's scrapbook? That's kind of sweet—if a little odd.

Edit! The father is not that guy who later became famous for saying "YEEEESSSS?" is it? Imagine him with a mustache.

Your Family Budget (1949)
https://youtu.be/pIsVvNshlZo

[Kitty]

Your Family Budget (1949) Preliminary Comment:

Edit! The father is not that guy who later became famous for saying "YEEEESSSS?" is it? Imagine him with a mustache.

No, that's not Frank Nelson. He was extremely recognizable. By the way, Frank Nelson is Captain TinTop