What Makes A Good Party?
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Shows how to plan a party. Illustrates the skills which enable the guests to have fun together.
Ken Smith sez: This film creates a world so innocent that it's embarrassing. Jean, Nora and Eileen are high school girls who want to throw a "coming out" party to introduce college boy "Steve" to the rest of the gang. But whoa, let's not be impulsive, the narrator cautions, for "a successful party needs planning and skill." Accordingly, every detail of the get-together is mapped out beforehand, from the refreshments (hot chocolate and sandwiches) to the "well-chosen games" (a hat-making contest and Charades). "Everyone's out to have fun and to help OTHERS have fun," the narrator emphasizes. This need to do everything collectively, to allow no room for individual interests, to "help keep the party fun for all," is shown when Nora attempts pull Steve aside for some conversation. Nuh-uh! Who knows where that behavior would lead! Jean drags the two rebels back into the group, and the gang soon has a grand time singing Jimmy Crack Corn around the piano. The narrator offers one last nugget of wisdom -- "Part of a good party is knowing when to go home" -- and the kids do just that.
The disapproval of anything impulsive or individual in this film shows a really warped sense of "democracy," and more closely resembles socialism, if you think about it. According to Ted Peshak, "This whole part of the north Chicago area has changed because of that film."
PARTIES PLANNING INVITATIONS TEENAGERS REFRESHMENTS FOOD ENTERTAINMENT GAMES HOSTESSES GUESTS
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- Addeddate
- 2002-07-16 00:00:00
- Ccnum
- asr
- Closed captioning
- no
- Collectionid
- 19401
- Color
- B&W
- Country
- United States
- Identifier
- WhatMake1950
- Numeric_id
- 1189
- Proddate
- 1950
- Run time
- 10:13
- Sound
- Sd
- Type
- MovingImage
- Whisper_asr_module_version
- 20230805.01
comment
Reviews
Subject: You're Getting a Party, Understand?
Hartley Pfeil's script starts as a gut-buster. Jean, in a far-too-tidy home office, takes it upon herself to decide a party should be thrown in honour of her brother's college roommate. She calls her friends over for what looks like a 10-year-old's slumber party to put it together.
Pretty presumptuous of you, Little Miss Bossy. How about asking him if he wants a party? What if he doesn't? Why are you forcing a date on him? What if the "gang" doesn't want to meet him? (I like how Nora says "Alice and Ted are usually in our gang." Do they leave and have to be forced back in?).
Whew! Fortunately, Steve and his suit (at an informal party?!) think the gang "is swell."
Eagle-eyed mom and her trusty apron are at the party, no doubt to make sure a hip-flash isn't pulled out, though it looks like these collegiates haven't drunk anything stronger than Ovaltine.
Director Ted Peshak fills time re-using footage from "Dating Do's and Don'ts" (carnival) and "Rest and Health" (Dick York being tired while friends play table tennis). Steve's voice drops an octave for singing, and since Coronet isn't going to pay for "Mule Train" or some contemporary hit, Steve leads the gang in a stirring rendition of the public-domain minstrel favourite "Jimmy Crack Corn" passing the bottle to his "Massa." Peshak resists the idea of Steve doing the tune in blackface.
The "list" is reviewed at the end, meaning more opportunities to re-use footage.
I can't remember the name of the stock tune opening the film. It's an English composition.
Subject: USA / pre-MKUltra.
Subject: Throwin a Party? Get a Collie
I like these old educational films but this one pushes some very flimsy points. Its almost laughable - even for what it is. Not one of my favorites. I feel embarrassed for these kids.
Subject: This is hysterical!
Spontaneous unplanned fun = a rousing chorus of "Jimmy Crack Corn"
Glee ain't got nothin' on these guys!!!
Subject: Steve... American Idol of 1957?????
Nothing says teen fun like sitting around and singing old racist ballads.
Subject: Oh, Prunella!
Subject: Wholesome 50's
Subject: huh?
I have a staunch feeling this film may be more trying to reinforce a utopian view of socieity, rather than teach party planning skills (same goes for many of the other Instructional Film.)
Subject: What a difference 40 years makes.
(Oh right this is a MUST SEE on this site!!)
Subject: Very Funny
That kind of song is very used on Coronet Films and I would really like to know more about that.
Thanks in Advance
Subject: Cornet films: Opressing teen partys since 1950's
Subject: Oh. My. Gawd.
I've watched a lot of goofy movies in this archive, but this one takes the cake. Please - somebody tell me that this isn't really what teen parties were like back in 1950, because that was the lamest thing I've EVER seen. But I guess this was before rock'n'roll - that explains a LOT.
And the "Jimmy Crack Corn" sing-along? SO very wrong on SO many levels.
I give it 5 stars because it had me ROFLMAO!
Subject: Girls Gone Wild, '50s style?
Subject: How To Land A Man!
Subject: When planning your party, failure is <b>not</b> an option!
Unbelievably camp as three hot-to-trot girls plan a party for a boy from college. Directions from the cheery faced yet utterly dominant narrator tell you to make sure that you participate in the Hive Mind at parties. At one point, two people step to the side to talk to each other--a fatal mistake! Herd them back into the Group because it's time for a hat party!
And what kind of swingin' party doesn't end with a stirring rendition of Jimmy Crack Corn (complete with a faux-minstrel-show baritone singing about his "Massah?"). So amazingly innocent you just won't believe it.
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