Pattern for Smartness
Pattern for Smartness is a short film from 1948 released on 16mm. It is held in the Prelinger Archives collection.
A young lady espouses the knowledge she gained in her home economics course (grooming, posture, diet) that have resulted in her having what her boyfriend refers to as "know how look". She explains to her boyfriend the advantages of sewing one's own clothing and how to use sewing patterns and other sewing tools. She models some "quick change magic" for him by putting on scarves and belts over the dress she has just made which inspires him to suggest that the girls put on a fashion show to earn money for new equipment for the basketball team.
Pattern for Smartness, featuring the most self-abnegating teen girl yet. Great scene where she looking out the window at a dorky girl, thinking to herself about how wonderful her Home Ec class was.
22:00:38:00 Pattern for Smartness 19571
22:01:33:00 med shot - teen girl and guy in living room Guy - Aw, just like a girl... 22:1:35:00 MCU - teen guy - always thinking about new clothes. (22:01:37:00) 22:01:41:00 med shot of teens standing in living room Teen Girl - What do you mean, that know-how look? Teen Guy - Well...it s what we fellows like a girl to have, and you have it, plus! It s sorta like...oh, look out of the window there, quick! (22:01:55:00) 22:01:57:00 med wide shot of dorky teen girl walking down sidewalk Teen guy VO - Now there s just the opposite of what I mean by the know-how look. (22:02:00:00) 22:02:01:00 - MCU of prim teen girl framed by ruffly curtain, window teen girl VO - Once I looked like that myself... (22:02:06:00) 22:02:07:00 med wide shot of dorky girl outside on sidewalk dressed badly teen girl VO - ...grimy shoes, my slip showing, a sweater big enough for Babe Ruth, and all those crazy gadgets... (22:02:13:00) 22:02:14:00 MCU of Teen girl in window - ...and the way I walked, scuffing along the pavement, head down, leading with my chin. My skin was horrible too, not enough milk and clean vegetables, not enough outdoor exercise either. I m glad I took the home economics course. We learned so much more than just how to make clothes: good grooming, how to take care of our skin and hair, how to carry ourselves so our clothes look really smart on us. All those things that make Johnny say I have the know-how look. (22:02:49:00) 22:02:50:00 med shot of Teen guy in living room - See what I mean? Now take you your figure s cute... 22:02:54:00 same shot - Teen girl walking toward Teen Boy Teen girl - MY figure? That s all done with a book! They sit on couch (22:02:57:00) 22:02:58:00 MCU of Teen guy - You mean your grandmother made you walk... 22:03:00:00 CU of girl s hand drawing a female figure Teen Guy - ... with a book on your head to make you stand up straight? Teen girl - maybe I d been better if she had! (22:03:04:00)
22:03:59:00 CU of page in book with title - Are you a brunette? sequence of CUs of girl with different colors of fabric held up around face male VO - What is your type? What colors make you your most exciting and attractive self? Experiment with actual fabrics. Teen guy - You re right after all. Make it red. Teen girl - That s what I decided. Every body can wear some shade of red. (22:04:14:00)
22:04:15:00 med wide shot of teen couple dancing in the living room 22:04:17:00 MCU of couple dancing Teen guy - Do you make all your own clothes? Teen girl - Sure, lots of us girls do Teen guy - But your clothes look so..professional! Teen girl - Johnny, don t you know that the most professional looking clothes are those made by hand, individually. You don t think that people like movie stars buy their clothes off a rack do you? (22:04:35:00) 22:04:36:00 med wide shot of coupled dancing teen guy - But the people who make their clothes are professionals... 22:04:41:00 MCU of couple Teen guy - ...you re just a high school girl! (22:04:43:00)
22:05:37:00 MCU of woman designing clothes sequence of MCUs of women designing clothes (22:06:05:00)
22:06:45:00 MCU of pieces of patterns being measured in pattern factory (22:07:05:00)
22:07:28:00 CU of girl s hands pinning pattern to fabric (22:07:32:00)
22:07:38:00 CU of hands pinning pattern to fabric (22:07:40:00)
22:08:06:00 CU of Teen girl measuring waist with tape measure (22:08:08:00)
22:08:10:00 MCU of girl s hands arranging pattern on fabric (22:09:19:00)
22:08:38:00 med shot of teen girl pinning pattern to fabric (22:08:43:00)
22:08:44:00 CU of hands pinning fabric (22:08:50:00)
22:09:02:00 CU of hands cutting pattern and fabric (fadeout 22:09:05:00)
22:09:09:00 CU of hands holding complicated part of pattern, cutting (22:09:16:00)
22:09:26:00 sequence of CU of hands basteing fabric (22:09:53:00) 22:09:54:00 med wide shot of teen girl sewing at table (22:09:56:00)
22:10:05:00 MCU of teen girl sewing framed by ruffly curtain (22:10:07:00)
22:10:08:00 CU of girl s hands sewing at machine (22:10:13:00)
22:10:17:00 CU of girl s hands sewing 22:10:23:00 - male VO - How does a girl know where to begin? (22:10:25:00) 22:10:26:00 CU of pattern instructions - very detailed female VO - She just follows her instruction sheet. (22:10:28:00)
22:10:53:00 MCU of teen girl sewing in living room in front of fireplace with Old Master painting over mantel (22:11:20:00) 22:12:07:00 med wide shot of Teen girl sewing in living room, stands and holds up dress to herself. Shot framed with ruffly white curtains (22:12:16:00)
22:12:17:00 med shot - teen girl tries on dress in front of full-length mirror (22:12:24:00)
22:12:41:00 med shot - blond teen girl enters to help brunette pin dress female VO - After all, a good pattern is one of a girl s best friends. (22:12:47:00)
22:12:55:00 fade in - MCU - teen girl hunched over sewing machine - framed by ruffly curtains male VO - Must a girl tie herself up in knots in order to stitch? female VO - Betty, straighten up! Remember, correct posture at the machine! (22:13:02:00) 22:13:03:00 CU of woman's hands using sewing machine (fade out 22:13:27:00)
22:13:56:00 med shot - brunette trying on dress, blond teen girl helping her brunette- My home economics teacher says to make skirts the most becoming length (22:14:07:00) 22:14:08:00 CU of measuring of hems 22:14:10:00 female VO - Naturally you don t want your skirts to be so much shorter or longer... (22:14:14:00) 22:14:15:00 MCU of blond teen pinning up brunette s skirt female VO - ...than the average that you ll be conspicuous,... 22:14:17:00 CU of female hands stitching hem female VO - ...but an inch or so one way or the other won t matter. (22:14:19:00)
22:14:39:00 CU of female hands sewing Male VO - Is that all there is to making a dress? (fadeout 22:14:41:00)
22:14:43:00 MCU of teen girl ironing (fade out 22:14:48:00)
22:14:49:00 med shot of teen girl modeling dress for teen guy 22:14:54:00 MCU Teen girl, looking anxious - Do you like it Johnny? Teen guy - I ll say I do! Teen girl - Want to see some quick change magic? 22:15:01:00 CU of female hand picking up scarf 22:15:03:00 med shot of girl putting on scarf 22:15:07:00 MCU of girl knotting scarf smiling and turning 22:15:10:00 med shot of girl modeling dress with scarf and hideous belt (22:15:14:00) 22:15:15:00 MCU of teen guy with completely blank look on face 22:15:17:00 CU of teen girl with different collar, red beret Teen girl - Quite a fashion show, aren t I? (22:15:20:00) 22:15:21:00 MCU of teen guy - Betty, I ve got it! Why don t you and the other girls ... 22:15:25:00 med shot of teen girl modeling dress for teen guy Teen guy - ...put on a fashion show to raise money for new equipment for the basketball team! 22:15:29:00 MCU of teem girl - Wonderful, Johnny, the girls will be crazy about it. I m going to call up my home economics teacher right now to see if she ll help. (22:15:35:00)
22:15:36:00 MCU of teen girl walking toward phone (22:15:40:00)
22:15:42:00 MCU of book of patterns, pages turning male VO - Your pattern catalog is a book of magic, for it transforms all who use it into creative artists. (22:15:50:00)
22:16:04:00 wide shot of teen girls at outdoor fashion show (22:16:06:00) 22:16:07:00 MCU of teem girl introducing fashion show with college building behind her teen girl - Hello everyone, thanks for coming to our little fashion show. 22:16:12:00 CU of teen girl - You ll be glad to know that the basketball team is $112 richer because you came. Now don t expect anything grand, these clothes are just what we ve made in our clothing class this past semester. I hope you ll like them. (22:16:25:00) 22:16:26:00 med shot of teen girls seated on grass, clapping (22:16:30:00) 22:16:31:00 wide shot of fashion show from back of audience 22:16:33:00 med shot of young woman in white dress with guy in suit - girl models dress male VO - Wouldn t you like to look this cool on a summer day? White does wonders for your suntan, and takes any color ... 22:16:39:00 med shot of young woman in white dress against college building male VO - ...accessories. 22:16:41:00 med shot of audience of other young women male VO - ...This basic dress... 22:16:43:00 med shot of young woman modeling male VO - ...goes smartly to sports events, to school, or to the movies with a boyfriend. Guy in suit helps her on with jacket (22:16:53:00) 22:16:54:00 med shot of audience clapping More fashion show 22:19:08:00 wide shot of fashion show, audience male VO - And so, Betty s fashion show ends, but everywhere sewing machines are humming, preparing for the fashion shows girls put on every day. (22:19:17:00) 22:19:18:00 med shot - girls in audience clapping
22:19:20:00 MCU of two young women smiling, hugging (22:19:22:00)| Pattern for Smartness | |
|---|---|
| Produced by | Hartley Productions |
Production company | Hartley Productions |
| Distributed by | Hartley Productions |
Release date | 1948 |
Running time | 18:21 |
| Language | English |
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