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Sound MastersAbout Faces (1941)

State of the American people's teeth during the Great Depression.


This movie is part of the collection: Prelinger Archives

Producer: Sound Masters
Sponsor: U.S. Public Health Service
Audio/Visual: Sd, B&W
Keywords: Health and hygiene; Medicine: Dentistry

Creative Commons license: Public Domain

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Reviewer: Venckman - - August 21, 2005
Subject: Worthy of David Lynch
The banal subject matter (oral hygiene), the bizarre scenarios (long scenes of a man deciding whether or not to go to the dentist), and the terrifying earnestness (driven home Lowell Thomas' deeply professional narration) make this one a keeper. The clip goes from strength to strength, as we first watch a bunch of people run their tongues over their teeth, a task that seemingly takes all the mental powers they posses. We then follow the pathetic life of a man with lousy teeth as he's rejected by the army, various employers, and women. Then we are introduced to our somewhat peculiar but handsome mama's boy of a hero, who has great teeth and a bright future ahead of him. Clips of apparently intoxicated lower class yokels with mouths like broken picket fences are interspersed throughout to urge the audience to go to the dentist -- or else Hitler wins! Brilliant!

Reviewer: Christine Hennig - - February 1, 2003
Subject: About Faces
This film, made by the Public Heath Service, laments the sad state of the nation's teeth and exhorts all audience members to see their dentists immediately. It was made on the eve of World War II, probably as a response to the large amounts of 4-Fs that were being given due to bad teeth. This film is a lot of fun and very mstable. Priceless moments include the narrator ordering everybody in the audience to run his or her tongue over his or her teeth (and we get to see a movie audience actually doing this), and a poor toothless sap getting spurned by a pretty woman ("He doesn't even make it to first base," laments the narrator). Lots more fun than going to the dentist.
Ratings: Camp/Humor Value: ****. Weirdness: ***. Historical Interest: ****. Overall Rating: ****.

Reviewer: Spuzz - - December 9, 2002
Subject: Doesnt live up to promise
For some reason, About Faces starts off strongly, with a great shot of an audience doing rather weird tongue exercises, but then gets sidetracked into a blah patriotic story about one Danny Smith, who is somewhat of a dental masochist I guess. Watch for the scene during the army physical where this guy's suspenders are hiking his pants to the middle of his torso.

Reviewer: revel - - October 31, 2002
Subject: A good enough reason?
Saw this one motivated by recent dental work....certainly don't share the same reasons as presented herein for taking care of my teeth! Only sound advice: see your dentist!

Shotlist

Semi-dramatic film. Danny Smith's teeth prove they are in good condition. Shows how Danny took care of them. Also shows results of inadequate dental care.

22:12:11
MCU Man getting throat examined
22:12:37
MCU Audience members making strange faces as they are told to run their tongues over their teeth.
22:15:22
Small child getting teeth examines
22:16:20
July, August, September fly by on calendar
22:18:00
Establishing shot Bar, bartender and two men on stools
22:18:04
CU Bartender with bad teeth
22:18:09
CU First drunk with bad teeth
22:18:11
CU Second drunk with bad teeth
22:20:12
Establishing shot - Dentist's office with dentist. Nurse's view of patient's back in chair.



Teeth Tooth care Dentistry Dental hygiene Dentists Health and hygiene Boys Tooth decay
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