- Title: F-8627
- Summary: PREFACE TO A LIFE: PORTRAYS THE CRITICAL FORMATIVE YEARS OF A CHILD'S LIFE WHEN HIS PERSONALITY IS BEING AFFECTED BY THE ATTITUDES AND ACTIONS OF HIS FAMILY AND ASSOCIATES. PICTURES MICHAEL AS AN ILL-ADJUSTED MAN BECAUSE OF A TOO DEMANDING FATHER AND A TOO PROTECTIVE MOTHER. CONTRASTS WITH THIS SEQUENCE, USING FREQUENT FLASHBACKS, MICHAEL'S DEVELOPING INTO WELL ADJUSTED ADULTHOOD AS A RESULT OF WISER PARENTAL GUIDANCE. CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT
- Description:04:36:55 - NEWBORN BABY IN CRIB YAWNS. HOSPITAL MATERNITY WARD. 1950s NURSE WRAPS A BLANKET AROUND NEWBORN BABY. PICKS SWADDLED BABY UP IN HER ARMS. 04:37:22 - OLD WOMAN CLEANING FRONT DOOR OF LARGE HOUSE. KIDS RIDE THEIR BICYCLES ON THE LAWN 04:37:27 - ANYTOWN USA. MAIN STREET USA. CHURCH STEEPLE. LATE 1940s CARS. TREE LINED STREET. NICE TWO STORY HOUSE. SCHOOL. 04:37:47 - MONTAGE TOWNSPEOPLE. OLD BIDDY SCOWLS AT THE CHILDREN. MAN PUTTING SOMETHING UP IN THE BACK YARD. THROWS HIS HEAD BACK AND LAUGHS AT BOYS PLAYING IN HIS YARD. MILK MAN DELIVERS MILK, PUTS ON FRONT PORCH. GROCERY CLERK DELIVERS GROCERIES. POST MAN MAIL MAN DELIVERS THE MAIL. 04:38:13 - 1950s POLICEMAN TRAFFIC COP, SCHOOL CHILDREN CROSS THE STREET 04:38:22 - MONTAGE 1950s SCHOOL TEACHERS, ALL FEMALE. SOME STERN, SOME HAPPY. TEACHER AT BLACKBOARD USING A POINTER 04:38:37 - KIDS PLAY IN TREES, CLIMBING A TREE 04:38:38 - CU SQUIRMY NEWBORN BABY 04:38:46 - HAPPY 1950s COUPLE AT BREAKFAST, WIFE POURS COFFEE 04:38:53 - NURSE HOLDS NEWBORN BABY, BRINGS BABY TO MOTHER'S ROOM IN MATERNITY WARD. HUSBAND VISITING WIFE IN HOSPITAL. BABY BROUGHT IN TO HIS PARENTS. FATHER WONDERS WHY HIS SON IS SO RED. NURSE ASSURES HIM HIS SON IS OK. NEW MOTHER CLICHE "I THINK HE'S BEAUTIFUL" CU BEAMING PROUD FATHER 04:39:46 - FATHER DREAMS HIS SON WILL BE IMPORTANT, WANTS HIM TO REALIZE HIS UNFULFILLED ASPIRATIONS. 04:40:08 - MOTHER DREAMS HER SON WILL LOVE HER AS MUCH AS SHE LOVES HIM. SON RUNS UP TO MOTHER IN FRONT YARD AND GIVES HER A BIG HUG 04:40:15 - MOTHER HOLDS BABY'S TINY LITTLE HAND IN HOSPITAL BED 04:40:23 - NEW PARENTS TAKE THEIR NEWBORN BABY HOME FROM THE HOSPITAL LATE 1940s EARLY 1950s CAR WITH SPLIT WINDSHIELD 04:40:37 - PARENTS ARRIVE HOME FROM THE HOSPITAL WITH THEIR NEW BABY 04:40:46 - MOTHER GIVES BABY A BATH 04:41:00 - MOTHER DIAPERS BABY, PUTS DIAPERS ON BABY, PICKS HIM UP IN HER ARMS, CUDDLES & HUGS HIM, PUTS BABY BACK DOWN AS HUSBAND ENTERS. FATHER PICKS UP HIS SON, BOUNCES HIM A BIT IN HIS ARMS. 04:41:39 - PARENTS IN THE YARD WITH BABY NOW CRAWLING. A LITTLE OLDER. DOESN'T LIKE IT WHEN MOTHER PICKS HIM UP, WANTS TO CRAWL AROUND. MOTHER COMPLAINS TO HUSBAND "HE NEVER WANTS ME TO HOLD HIM ANYMORE" 04:42:08 - BABY PUTS SOMETHING IN HIS MOUTH, MOTHER SCOLDS BABY ABOUT PUTTING DIRTY THINGS IN HIS MOUTH. FATHER HAS ANOTHER OPINION "LET HIM ALONE, HE'S GROWING UP!" CHILD REARING VIEWS 04:42:25 - MOTHER SPOON FEEDS BABY IN HIGH CHAIR. BABY'S FACE COVERED WITH FOOD. FATHER WALKS IN, ASKS, "DOES HE HAVE TO BE SO MESSY ABOUT IT?" FATHER WANTS TO FEED BABY. FATHER SPOON FEEDS BABY, AGGRESSIVE FATHER, BABY TURNS HIS HEAD AWAY. WIFE TELLS HIM TO LET THE BABY ALONE. EACH WITH THEIR OWN VIEWS OF CHILD REARING "HE'S JUST A BABY" 04:42:59 - BABY PLAYS WITH HIS FOOD. MESSY BABY, FOOD ALL OVER HIS FACE. 04:43:20 - PARENTS VISUALIZE THEIR CHILD'S FUTURE IN THEIR MIND'S EYE DIFFERENT VIEWPOINTS FOR THEIR BABY'S FUTURE. 04:43:43 - BABY IS OLDER NOW, ABOUT 2 OR 3 YEARS OLD. DRINKING JUICE AT DINNER. FATHER PICKS HIS SON UP IN HIS ARMS, MOTHER SMILES. 04:43:46 - PARENTS TUCK THEIR SON IN BED AT BEDTIME. MOTHER KISSES HER SON GOODNIGHT. STILL IN A CRIB. MOTHER TURNS OUT THE LIGHT 04:44:08 - CU BOY SLEEPING, RAYS OF LIGHT FROM OUTSIDE CREATE BARS ACROSS HIS BED AND FACE. BOY WAKES UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, RUBS SLEEP FROM HIS EYES. PUSHES THE SHEETS BACK, CLIMBS OUT OF HIS CRIB, LOOKS AT HIS TOYS. RUBS SLEEP FROM HIS EYES. OPENS HIS BEDROOM DOOR AND GOES INTO HIS PARENTS BEDROOM. 04:45:26 - PARENTS STILL UP READING. BOY RUBS SLEEP FROM HIS EYES. MOTHER PUTS HER BOOK DOWN & GESTURES BOY INTO BED WITH HER OPEN ARMS. PARENTS LET THEIR SON SLEEP WITH THEM. 04:45:58 - CU SLEEPY LITTLE BOY YAWNS. 04:46:08 - FATHER PICKS UP BOY AND BRINGS HIM BACK TO HIS BEDROOM 04:46:32 - THREE YEAR OLD PLAYS WITH MODEL PLANE. GROUCHY OLD LADY SWEEPING HER FRONT PORCH YELLS AT BOY TO STAY AWAY FROM HER FLOWER BEDS. DOESN'T LIKE CHILDREN. SHOOS HIM AWAY 04:47:07 - BOY PLAYS WITH HIS MODEL AIRPLANE 04:47:18 - BOYS HELP THEIR NICE NEIGHBOR RAKE LEAVES 04:47:27 - LITTLE BOYS DRAG A BASKET OUT OF THE BARN, BOY HOLDS UP BOXING GLOVES HE FOUND IN THE BARN "LOOK WHAT I FOUND!" 04:47:47 - NEIGHBOR SHOWS BOY HOW TO BOX PUTS BOXING GLOVES ON THE BOYS, OTHER BOYS GATHER AROUND. NEIGHBORHOOD KIDS PILE ON TOP OF MAN 04:48:37 - BOY RUNS HOME WITH BOXING GLOVES TO SHOW PARENTS. FATHER IS PLEASED, MOTHER IS NOT. MOTHER IS UPSET. FATHER AND SON PUT BOXING GLOVES ON. FATHER TEACHES SON HOW TO BOX 04:49:39 - MEAN FATHER PUNCHES HIS YOUNG SON IN THE FACE WITH A BOXING GLOVE. HURT BOY CRIES. FATHER TOO ROUGH ON HIS YOUNG SON MOTHER COMFORTS HER SON 04:49:57 - PARENTS TELL SON MOTHER IS GOING TO HAVE ANOTHER BABY. PARENTS ARGUE ABOUT SEX OF THE BABY. ARGUE IN FRONT OF THEIR CHILD. BOY LOOKS BACK AND FORTH & HIS PARENTS 04:50:39 - BOY SITS ON TRICYCLE SURROUNDED BY 5 PILLARS. HEARS HIS MOTHER SAY "REMEMBER THE 5 PILLARS?" OVER & OVER. IN HIS MIND'S EYE HE DREAMS. MOTHER HOLDS A DOLL OUT, FATHER GRABS IT & THROWS IT ON THE GROUND. BOY DREAMS HE HAS BOXING GLOVES ON READY TO BOX NEW BABY BROTHER. CAN'T DISCERN BETWEEN DREAMS AND REALITY 04:51:06 - PARENTS UPSET THE YOUNG BOY HE CRIES "I DON'T WANT A BROTHER" BOY CRIES INTO HIS MOTHER'S LAP 04:51:24 - CU NEWBORN BABY. 3 YEAR OLD INTRODUCED TO HIS BABY BROTHER MOTHER WARNS TO BE CAREFUL, HE'S VERY DELICATE 04:51:44 - BOY LEFT ALONE WITH HIS NEWBORN BABY BROTHER. CU CRYING BABY BOY RUNS OUT OF THE ROOM 04:52:12 - BOY RUNS INTO THE SAFETY OF HIS OWN BEDROOM. 04:52:32 - OLDER BROTHER RUNS OVER TO HIS BABY BROTHER OUTSIDE IN THE BACK YARD. OLDER BROTHER PUSHED HIS YOUNGER BROTHER DOWN ON THE GROUND AND RUNS AWAY. 04:52:40 - BOYS RIDE BICYCLES WITH BOYS WALKING BEHIND THEM CARRYING A BASEBALL BAT. OLDER BROTHER TELLS HIS YOUNGER BROTHER TO STAY THERE. YOUNGER BROTHER THREATENS TO TELL MOMMY. BROTHER SAYS DON'T YOU DARE & THREATENS HIM WITH THE BASEBALL BAT 04:52:56 - BOY IN HIS BEDROOM THINKING, DAYDREAMING ABOUT TIMES TO COME AS HIS BROTHER GROWS UP 04:53:07 - CU NEWBORN SLEEPING. PARENTS DREAMS FOR THEIR SON ARE SUPERIMPOSED. 04:53:32 - BOY RUNS INTO HIS MOTHER'S ARMS, OUTSIDE IN THE BACK YARD. 04:53:39 - OVER-PROTECTIVE MOTHER. BOY WALKS ON A PLANK, ALMOST FALLS, MOTHER INSTINCTIVELY REACHES OUT BUT BOY REGAINS HIS BALANCE. 04:53:45 - PARENTS IN CLOTHING STORE WITH THEIR SON, BUYING HIM A SUIT. BOY GROWING UP PRE-TEEN. SAD MOTHER, BOY GROWING UP SO FAST "GEE WIZ MOM YOU GOTTA LET ME GROW UP SOMETIME" 04:54:27 - PARENTS FUSS OVER BOY GOING TO HIS FIRST DANCE. MOTHER FIXES HIS TIE. 04:54:54 - TEEN COUPLE ON A DATE WALKING THROUGH THE WOODS. BOY HUGS A TREE INSTEAD OF HIS DATE. SHY UNHAPPY BOY. MALADJUSTED 04:55:11 - YOUNG MARRIED COUPLE, MAN SMOKES & READS, WIFE BRUSHES HER HAIR. ALL WOMEN MAKE HIM FEEL GUILTY JUST LIKE HIS MOTHER MADE HIM FEEL GUILTY. BLAMING PARENTS FOR ONE'S BEHAVIOR 04:55:27 - SLEEPING NEWBORN BABY 04:55:35 - FRIGHTENED LITTLE BOY RUBS SLEEP FROM HIS EYES AT HIS PARENTS BEDROOM DOOR. FATHER YELLS AT HIS SON TO GET BACK INTO BED RIGHT THIS MINUTE. BOY RUNS OUT OF THE ROOM 04:55:50 - MONTAGE FATHER ALWAYS YELLING AT HIS SON "STOP SUCKING YOUR THUMB" "LET THAT BABY ALONE" 04:56:06 - MEAN FATHER WON'T LET HIS SON GO SWIMMING WITH HIS FRIENDS YELLS AT HIM FOR SLAMMING THE DOOR. MAKES HIM GO UP & CLEAN HIS ROOM. EMBARRASSES HIM IN FRONT OF HIS FRIENDS FATHER TEACHING HIS SON RESPONSIBILITY IN A TOUGH LOVE FASHION 04:56:48 - 1950s BOYS PLAYING BASEBALL. BOY'S TEAM WINS, HE THROWS HIS BASEBALL GLOVE UP IN THE AIR "YIPPIE, WE WON!" 04:57:09 - BOY RUNS HOME TO TELL FATHER ABOUT THE GAME, FATHER ASKS HIM ABOUT HIS PERFORMANCE, INSTEAD OF CONGRATULATING THE BOY HE TELLS HIM BETTER LUCK NEXT TIME. HURT AND DISAPPOINTMENT ON BOY'S FACE. FELLS HE LET HIS FATHER DOWN 04:57:39 - HIGH SCHOOL DANCE, COUPLES DANCING. BOY LOOKS INTO GYM AT DANCE BUT WON'T GO IN. SAD LONELY BOY WALKS DOWN THE SCHOOL STAIRS 04:58:23 - 1950s BAR, LONELY MAN DRINKS IN BAR. BARFLY. DRINKING HIS PROBLEMS AWAY. PRETTY WOMAN BESIDE HIM TRIES TO MAKE CONVERSATION, HE TURNS HIS BACK TO HER. FRIEND ARRIVES & PATS HIM ON THE BACK, ASKS HIM IF GOT THE RAISE, HE REPLIES "NO I QUIT". DRINKING TO FORGET 04:59:10 - CU NEWBORN BABY IN MATERNITY WARD. NURSE WRAPS BABY IN BLANKET, BRINGS BABY TO HIS PARENTS 05:00:10 - MONTAGE BABY GROWING UP, CRAWLING ON LAWN, OLDER IN BED, SUPPORTIVE PARENTS HAPPY FAMILY, SEES HIS BABY BROTHER FOR THE FIRST TIME, BABY CRIES AT BEING TOUCHED 05:00:51 - SUPPORTIVE FATHER SITS HIS SON ON HIS LAP AND HAS A HEART TO HEART WITH HIM ABOUT BABY BROTHER 05:01:05 - OLDER BROTHER PLAYS WITH HIS YOUNGER BROTHER IN THE YARD 05:01:12 - OLDER KIDS GOING TO PLAY BASEBALL, BOY TAKES HIS YOUNGER BROTHER TO THE BASEBALL GAME. BOYS USE BASEBALL BAT TO CHOOSE WHICH TEAM GOES UP FIRST, HAND OVER HAND TO THE TOP OF THE BAT 05:01:58 - TEENS ON A DATE WALKING IN THE WOODS. HOLDING HANDS. YOUNG LOVE. 05:02:14 - BOY NOW AN ADULT AT WORK. BOSS LOOKS OVER HIS SHOULDERS AT HIS WORK 05:02:25 - BOY NOW AN ADULT WITH HIS OWN CHILD. NOW HAS A FAMILY OF HIS OWN
- Collection: Historic Films
- Producer:Historic Films
- Transmission Date:01/01/1950
- Rights:On request
- Decade: 1950s
- File Name: F-8627