- Title: PA-55
- Summary: THIS CHARMING COUPLE: MARRIAGE TRAINING FILM DRAMATIZES A PARTNERSHIP TOO FRAUGHT WITH CONFLICTS TO SURVIVE. MARRIAGE, DIVORCE, DATING, COURTSHIP, ROMANTIC LOVE, SOCIAL GUIDANCE, GENDER ROLES. DIRECTED BY WILLARD VAN DYKE.
- Description:01:35:47 - CU DOOR WITH "JUDGE'S CHAMBERS" WRITTEN ON IT. DOOR OPENS, GRANDMA WITH CHILD IN ARMS WALKS OUT, TAKES SEAT IN RECEPTION ROOM, WITH BOOK SHELVES WITH MANY LEGAL BOOKS ON SHELVES. CU FEMALE JUDGE SITS AT DESK IN CHAMBERS PERUSING DOCUMENTS, ADDRESSES YOUNG COUPLE (KEN. AND WINNIE), SEATED BEFORE HER, SEEKING DIVORCE AS VOICE OVER NARRATOR TELLS OF "ONE IN EVERYFOUR COUPLE THAT GET MARRIED, DIVORCE". HE ASKS, "WHY DID THIS CHARMING COUPLE WIND UP IN COURT". "BEFORE THESE TWO BECAME BRIDE AND GROOM, THESE TWO WERE IN LOVE". 01:36:47 - FLASHBACKS - VARIOUS SHOTS ATTRACTIVE YOUNG LOVERS (KEN, A COLLEGE PROFESSOR, AND WINNIE A RECENT GRADUATE), RIDING IN CONVERTIBLE (CIRCA 1940S) THROUGH COLLEGE CAMPUS GROUNDS AND OUT ONTO COUNTRY ROAD, HAVING CONVERSATION, KIDDING AROUND, STOPPING ALONG ROAD AT PICTURESQUE LOCATION, WALKING HAND AIN HAND DOWN DIRT ROAD, WOODS, WITH PICNIC BASKET IN HAND, DISCUSSING THINGS THAT ATTRACT THEM TO EACH OTHER. ALSO HINTING AT THINGS THEY ARE IN DISAGREEMENT. 01:41:03 - COUPLE FIND SHADE TREE, LAY OUT BLANKET TO SIT. "NATURE WAS KIND TO YOUR FACE" HE SAYS, WINNIE: "OH. I LIKE COMPLIMENTS". TED: "I WISH YOU'D TAKE OFF THAT POWDER, THOUGH". THEY HAVE SMALL TALKS. WINNIE:"KEN YOU'RE FUN TO BE WITH". "YOU LAUGH WITH YOUR EYES. HE TAKES HER HAND, RECITES POEM, THEY KISS AFFECTIONATELY. 01:42:17 - SCENE CANGE - WINNIE ARRIVES HOME FROM DATE WITH TED, SAYS "HI" TO SISTER (?), THEN GOES TO HER ROOM. ZOOM IN ON SISTER DOING HER NAILS, THINKING AND EXPLAINING (VOICE OVER) WHY THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN KEN AND WINNIE IS WRONG. "BUT THAT'S WINNIE, ALWAYS LOOKING FOR SOMETHING BEYOND HER REACH, SHE HAS TO KNOW AS MUCH AND MORE THAN ANYBODY ELSE.". PAN INTELLECTUAL BOOKS ON BOOK SHELF. 01:43:14 - VARIOUS SCENES WINNIE WORKING IN DEAN'S OFFICE, A JOB SHE GOT AFTER GRADUATION. VOICE OVER SISTER. WINNIE AT RECEPTION DESK SPEAKING TO FEMALE STUDENT. 01:43:45 - SCENE CHANGES, WINNIE, ALL DRESSED UP, ENTERS LIVING ROOM, ASKS SISTER TO FIX HER DRESS. CAR HORN RINGS, WINNIE PEERS OUT UPPER FLOOR WINDOW, SEES KEN IN CONVERTIBLE WITH OTHER COUPLE, RINGING HORN TO SUMMON HER FOR DINNER DATE. 01:44:22 - MS WAITER AT CLUB FIXING DRINKS, TAKING THEM TO TABLE WITH KEN, WINNIE AND OTHER COUPLE. THE GROUP ARE DISCUSSING KEN AND WINNIE'S WEDDING DATE. WINNIE AND KEN SEEM TO DISAGREE ON ALMOST EVERYTHING DURING THE CONVERSATION. SHE EMBARRASSES HIM TO HIS FRIENDS. WHEN THEY STAND TO LEAVE, SHE SAYS TO THE OTHERS, "DON'T YOU THINK WE MAKE A CHARMING COUPLE?" 01:46:02 - SCENE CHANGES KEN DRIVING WINNIE HOME AT NIGHT, THEY STOP AT SPECIAL SPOT. THEY IMMEDIATELY GET INTO ARGUMENT ABOUT KEN'S FRIENDS. SHE THINKS THEY ARE SNOBS. WHEN HE OBJECTS, SHE ANGRILY ASKS HIM TO DRIVE HER HOME. HE ANGRILY AGREES. THEY ARRIVE AT HER HOME, HE ACCOMPANIES HER TO HER DOOR, THEN CONTINUE THE ARGUING AT HER DOOR. SHE INSISTS HE PURSUE HIS WRITING CAREER, HE'S NOT SURE. "CAN'T YOU BE A COLLEGE PROFESSOR'S WIFE?, ISN'T THAT ENOUGH?" THE TWO AGREE THEY LOVE EACH OTHER BUT BOTH AGREE THEY WON'T CHANGE EACH OTHER. THEY PART ANGRILY. 01:47:57 - VARIOUS SHOTS WELL-LIKED PROFESSOR KEN HAVING OUTDOOR CLASSES UNDER SHADE TREE ON CAMPUS WITH STUDENTS. MS PAN STUDENTS LISTENING ATTENTIVELY, INCLUDING FEMALE STUDENT KNITTING AS SHE LISTENS TO PROFESSOR KEN. HE CALLED CLASS "FOLK ORIGIN AND AMERICAN POETRY". 01:48:37 - VARIOUS SHOTS KEN IN APARTMENT PLAYING CHESS WITH ANOTHER, SHOWING HIS FOLK ARTIFACTS AS VOICE OVER TELLS OF KEN'S CHARACTER, SO DIFFERENT THAN WINNIE'S. 01:49:17 - VARIOUS SHOTS AND OTHERS RIDING IN CIRCA 1940S STATION WAGON THROUGH COUNTRY ROADS, WOODS FOR FIELD TRIP. MS KEN AND MALE COMPANION ,WATCH AND MAKE RECORDING OF MUSIC PLAYED AND BEING SUNG BY COUNTRY WOMAN IN TRADITIONAL WEAR, SITTING ON PORCH OF LOG CABIN IN WOODS, PLAYING GUITAR AND SINGING. american folk music. 01:50:23 - MS KEN IS SURPRISED AS CAR WITH WINNIE DRIVES UP TO SITE. BOTH TALK AND DECIDE TO MAKE UP AND GET MARRIED. THE TWO WALK HAND IN HAND INTO WOODS, SIT ON TREE STUMP, SHE PICKS FLOWER (WHICH HE PREVIOUSLY OBJECTED TOO. THEY AGREE NEVER TO DISAGREE, AND OTHER PROMISES, EMBRACE AND KISS PASSIONATELY. 01:52:17 - WINNIE STANDING BEFORE MIRROR GETTING DRESSED FOR WEDDING. VOICE OVER "GOOD LOOKING, HEALTHY, CLEVER, A BEAUTIFUL BRIDE, SHE THINKS SHE'S IN LOVE WITH KEN". MS KEN BEFORE HIS MIRROR COMBING HAIR, VOICE OVER, "INTELLIGENT, GIFTED, CERTAINLY OLD ENOUGH TO GET MARRIED, TO KNOW HIS OWN MIND, HE THINKS HE;S IN LOVE WITH WINNIE". MORE OF WINNIE AND KEN GETTING READY FOR WEDDING, AS VOICE OVER TELLS OF THEIR LIKES AND DISLIKES. 01:53:12 - VARIOUS SHOTS WEDDING CEREMONY IN LARGE LIVING ROOM WITH GUESTS AND BRIDAL PARTY APPROPRIATELY DRESSED. VOWS BEING TAKEN BEFORE MINISTER AS VOICE OVER TELLS ALL THE REASONS WHY THIS CHARMING COUPLE'S WEDDING "IS DOOMED TO FAIL". 01:54:04 - CU BRIDE AND GROOM KISS. 01:54:14 - END
- Collection: Historic Films
- Producer:Historic Films
- Transmission Date:01/01/1950
- Rights:On request
- Decade: 1950s
- File Name: PA-55