All Films

Shapes and Forms

1950 • 21 min • United Kingdom

An expressive short film in which examples of early and modern art are juxtaposed to reveal correspondences.

Understanding Your Ideals

1950 • 13 min • United States of America

Young Jeff learns the error of his ways.

Beep... beep... beep... Here Paris

1950 • 8 min • France

Pauline Carton hosts a revue of Paris stripteasers

A Selection of Glass Slide Transparencies

1950 • 8 min

BAMPFA presents a selection of digital copies of hand-painted glass transparencies she made while teaching at California College of Arts and Crafts. Curator Terry Cannon described them as “akin to viewing a shimmering stained-glass window.” As they were difficult to present in public venues, Arledge also documented them in several of her films, including Interior Garden II.

My Dog, My Donkey and Me

1950 • 4 min • France

Mish Mish, the Egyptian cartoon star, is now French and named Mimiche. Mimiche strolls into town atop his donkey with his dog in tow. A local takes issue with the noise they make.

Journey to Banana Land

1950 • 21 min • United States of America

A propagandistic film about the positive impact the United Fruit Company had on Guatemalan society.

Chick's Day

1950 • 28 min • United Kingdom

28 minute long short film by Enrico Cocozza from 1950.

Pressure and Spray

1950 • 9 min • Sweden

About the new maid Snuttan

English Influences in the United States

1950 • 10 min • United States of America

Explains the ways the English culture influenced our own--Democratic thought, jurisprudence, civil liberties, language, literature, art and styles.

The Sea Monster on Land

1950 • 57 min • Japan

An octopus flees a box on the way to the fish market and embarks on a long and perilous journey back to the ocean.

A Joyful Childhood

1950 • 23 min • Yugoslavia

A short documentary showing the community's concern for the upbringing, entertainment, and recreation of its youngest members.

The Seasons

1950 • 2 min • Canada

An animated short film about The Four Seasons by Norman McLaren.

Yosemite: Jewel of the Sierra

1950 • 3 min

Mastercolor Films are guaranteed to be of high quality... photographed by expert cameramen... professionally edited... and printed directly from the original negative to insure maximum color quality. May be spliced into your own movies.

Aqua Frolics

1950 • 7 min • United States of America

A short which presents water-based activities popular in various locations around the United States.

How We Got What We Have

1950 • 21 min • United States of America

Explaining contemporary society. Part one of the In Our Hands series.

Obligations

1950 • 17 min

Members of two families illustrate correct and incorrect manner of taking care of their obligations to one another.

Homeless in Palestine

1950 • 13 min

The International Committee of the Red Cross aid to the Palestinians in the weeks following the 1948 conflict.

Wheels of Progress

1950 • 19 min • United States of America

Rock Island Railroad documentary on the role the railroad plays in making everyday life possible

The Girl at the Circus

1950 • 19 min • Soviet Union

The careless and lazy girl went to the circus not fulfilled the homework. In the arena, the clown-magician suggested that the children replace the incorrectly written word "well-known". It soon became clear that this was a very easy task for all the guys except our heroine. It was her who magician invited to the arena and asked to write the word correctly, but she did not cope with the task. Circus performers began to shame the girl, even brought her to tears. But her classmate, an excellent student, could not stand it, ran into the arena and directly stated that she would not allow them to offend her friend. She promised to work with her.

Our Living Declaration of Independence

1950 • 16 min • United States of America

Freedom, rights, obligations, the pursuit of happiness -- meanings of these terms are explored as this film develops its theme that the Declaration of Independence is not a dead historical document, but a vital force and guide to living today.

Firework Daughters Turned Over

1950 • 52 min

This film is an artistic documentary written and directed by Tang Mo and Yu Lan and produced by Beijing Film Studio. It reflects the social and historical event of the Beijing Municipal Government banning brothels and reforming prostitutes after the founding of New China. The education and transformation of prostitutes in New China focuses on teaching labor skills, providing job opportunities, allowing them to pursue their own happiness with dignity and health, and giving due punishment to the bosses who exploit prostitutes.

Employment contract

1950 • 29 min • Canada

The story of union branch no. 100. The dismissal of a worker in a factory shows his colleagues the instability of their situation. From the discussion that followed this event germinated the idea of ​​a union. A national union is consulted, which appoints a representative to explain the advantages and operation of a workers' union. Branch No. 100 is created and immediately becomes a trading agency; subsequently, it obtains better working conditions for the workers. The spirit that presides over all the meetings demonstrates the democratic strength of a union.

Vuelo 300

1950 • 15 min • Argentina

Institutional short film about Aerolíneas Argentinas.

San Francisco Chronicle Commercial

1950 • 2 min

In the early 1950s, Jordan Belson made a hand-drawn animated commercial for the local newspaper, the San Francisco Chronicle. He disliked the music they selected for the commercial, and didn't keep a copy with sound. The ad screened in local movie theatres. This silent film print is in the collection of Center for Visual Music.