BVWS DVD: "Passport for Youth"

[Panrock]

Great films on the BVWS DVD. Thanks to those who made it possible.

As to that wonderful very 'period' film Passport for Youth - the question is was it just pre-war or just post war?

I'd incline to just post-war, though possibly with pre-war extracts edited in. The reasons: some of the ladies' hair styles looked '40s. Some of the library music sounded post-war too though I haven't yet got round to checking the actual dates from my RFS CDs. And one of the pieces was later used in the 1949/50 film 'Television Comes to the Midlands'. Also there was a brief mention about fuel shortages. I'd therefore plump for 1946/7...

Steve

[DoctorWho]

I don't know about the date, I wondered if it was just pre war or just post war. It was a fantastic film to have on the DVD.

I'd love to see if anyone could identify the clip of the television programme. I bet that's all that survives of it, whatever it was.

[terry123]

Hi all

one of the reasons I included Passport for Youth was to see if anyone might be able to identify the TV clip and also some of the library music used in the film, call it an xmas teaser, no prizes though . I am glad though that you have found it enjoyable and hope that the other films included are also well received.

regards

Terry Martini

[neil29]

Hi. ive just received my dvd,although i have not watched it yet. also id like to say how good the bulletin is,as far as quality,articles,ads etc. it certainly shows up other clubs/organisations less than brilliant efforts . cheers neil..

[Aerodyne]

I've just watched the one film so far: Mullard/BBC The Discovery of Televisionand whilst little new light is thrown upon the subject, it was a most absorbing film. If the others are as interesting I'll consider myself very lucky. As always, the presentation of the Bulletin is excellent. Well done to all involved, both with the Bulletin and the DVD.
Thanks!
-Tony

[peter_scott]

"The Passport for Youth" doesn't give too many clues to war time strictures but like Steve I think the fashions suggest 1940s. One of the typists is in uniform which probably backs this up but one of the outdoor shots has a park with railings so again I agree with Steve that some clips are pre-war.

Again many thanks to Terry for another excellent DVD.

Peter

[DoctorWho]

Originally Posted by terry123

Hi all

one of the reasons I included Passport for Youth was to see if anyone might be able to identify the TV clip and also some of the library music used in the film. I am glad though that you have found it enjoyable and hope that the other films included are also well received.

regards

Terry Martini

I have enjoyed all of the BVWS DVD's, but I can honestly say that this is, for me personally, the best one ever.

Whilst I always enjoy and appreciate the films of valves, CRT's and sets being made, there's nothing like seeing actual TV footage for me, and both Passport For Youth and of course The Discovery of Television both contain this. Very many thanks for making these 4 fantastic films available for us all.

I was sad to read in the BVWS Bulletin that this may be the last DVD if no other footage is made available. Is there any chance of early TV footage being used, as it may well possibly be Public Domain now? The sort of things I was thinking of were along the lines of "Here's Looking At You", "Television Comes To London", "Televising The Coronation" (1937), any of the Mickey Mouse cartoons transmitted pre-war, "Television Demonstration Film" (1937), "Television Demonstration Film" (1939). Also, perhaps footage held by the APTS, such as The Campbell Films, may be possible with Simon Vaughan's permission? How about early post-war footage, such as "Television Is Here Again", "Wedding of Princess Elizabeth", "Variety In Sepia", "How Television Came to the Midlands" and so forth? These are of course only suggestions as I have no idea how things stand legally, but some of these items may either be made available or else be public domain.

Thanks again for the fantastic work which went in to this DVD release, it really is appreciated.

All the best,

Peter.

[Paul Stenning]

The dating of that film is the reason I was asking for help identifying a radio in this thread back in October. It is the radio pictured in the file. We came up with it being possibly a 1939/40 KB set. If so that doesn't really help with the dating as even if it was just pre-war it would still be in use just post-war.

[Brased]

My copy has finally made its leisurely way to me, having spent the past eight days travelling all of five miles across south London.

It was well worth waiting for and the DVD is the highlight. 'The Discovery of Television' is a real gem with its archive material and interviews. It did seem to get a bit confused with Baird but that does not detract in any way from the value of the material especially in such good condition. My thanks for making these films available.

Edward

[murphyv310]

An excellent disk once again.
I now need to watch each film thouroughly but on a nice old set not the pixelated junk in the house.
Well done BVWS and Terry Martini.
Trevor

[Panrock]

This evening I've been trawling through my collection of library music CDs looking for matches with the music from 'Passport for Youth' . At time of writing I've found three matches. A common thread seems to be that all the pieces have been conducted by Sidney Torch.

The opening and closing music is "World of Tomorrow' by Jack Beaver, composed in 1947. In the middle of the film there's a snatch of 'London Playhouse' composed (and conducted) by Sidney Torch in 1946. Then of course there's 'Barnacle Bill' (the Blue Peter theme) by Ashworth Hope. The actual date of composition of this is hard to find, but the CD here states everything is post-1946.

So it looks this film must definitely be post-war. However so much of the content has a just-pre-war look to it that I think the film may have been (cheaply?) assembled making use of some pre-existing pre-war material. Who knows, even those television programme shots might be pre-war... If so - what a find!

Steve

[peter_scott]

Well done Poirock!

[Panrock]

Originally Posted by Panrock

Then of course there's 'Barnacle Bill' (the Blue Peter theme) by Ashworth Hope. The actual date of composition of this is hard to find...

An email to Andrew Emmerson made short work of this. He pointed out:

http://www.sheetmusicwarehouse.co.uk....php?ref=25874

which shows that the piece dates from 1936. Thanks Andy!

Steve

[terry123]

Many thanks to everyone who has researched the film music etc and has helped put a possible date to it.

regards

Terry Martini

[Paul Stenning]

Terry, what about summarising this info (with suitable acknowledgements to Steve and Andy) for the next Bulletin?

[ajs37]

Hi all - it's listed in the British Film Institute archive - dated 1946

http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/689105

I have an interest in it, as I used to be a Careers Officer and was always on the lookout for old 'careers' films!

hope that helps!
Cheers
Andy

[Panrock]

Given that the film is post-war, these are the two actors we must identify in order to decide whether the clips used of the television were taken pre- or post-war.

Note the hum and bottom frame cramping!


http://www.copycoder.com/bvts_images/tv2.jpg


http://www.copycoder.com/bvts_images/tv1.jpg

[Paul Stenning]

I don't know the model or date of the TV shown. However bearing in mind the problems with the picture on the set highlighted I am wondering whether this is a pre-war TV that has remained unused for five years during the war and is showing the deterioration of the electrolytics due to this.

[Panrock]

The television is either and HMV 905 or a Marconiphone 707 dating from 1938 or 1939. Interestingly, it is called 'a television' in the film. I know of no usage of the term: 'TV' before about 1948.

The narrator: (Frank Phillips? Franklin Engleman?) was the same gentleman to be later heard intoning "industry has tremendous opportunities for the young man" in the spoof film "I'm All Right Jack" (1959). Perhaps he was well known by then for doing these sort of quaintly patronising motivational films - and that's why he was chosen.

Like Paul I feel this television sequence could be post-war. The thin-faced, cheap-suited gent on the screen looks very '1946' somehow. I expect the television was used in the film to show how exciting and forward-looking your youth training was going to be!

Steve

[terry123]

Hi all. well progress is definetely being made. As Paul has suggested we will compile a synopsis of all of the facts and publish them in bulletin. It is interesting the the BFI appear to hold a copy as they told me that they didn't, and wanted one from me!

thanks again for all of your efforts

Terry Martini BVWS Committee