X Marks the Spot
Moving Image:X Marks the Spot
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X Marks the Spot is a short film from 1944 released on 16mm. It is held in the Prelinger Archives collection.
| X Marks the Spot | |
|---|---|
| Produced by | Handy (Jam) Organization |
Production company | Handy (Jam) Organization |
| Distributed by | Handy (Jam) Organization |
Release date | 1944 |
Running time | 800 feet |
| Language | English |
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More Details
B/W Sound 1944
Shot List
22:31:27:02 - 22:52:36:02
"X Marks the Spot" by the State of New Jersey Department of Motor Vehicles. Prologue delivered by Commissioner Arthur W. Magee.
Careless & inconsiderate drivers cause accidents & deaths during war time. New Jersey driver Joe is killed at an intersection in a
residential area. His guardian angel man (looks like gangster)
takes him before the judge where examples of every type of driving
mistake is made by the deceased. Good examples of early road rage,
sliding through intersection, cutting another driver off, almost
hitting boy. Good ambulance racing to scene. Preachy toward ending,
breaks the fourth wall, with viewing audience as "jury."
22:31:27:02 - 22:34:46:08 B/W Sound 1944
Prologue delivered by Commissioner Arthur W. Magee seated at desk.
Woman secretary taking dictation. Magee talks about safety on the
road during war time. HA cityscape of New Jersey city (population
20,000). Full stadium becomes empty stadium as example of traffic
deaths & injuries. VS cars on highways, roads. Man's feet pushing
in clutch & break in car, turning steering wheel. 1941 Nash
"appears" in parking space at curb by hardware store. CU of
inspection sticker. Edmon Ryan (as Joe Doakes), driver, gestures w/
hand to camera. Elderly man backs into him w/ his 1929 (?) Ford. He
backs into 1941 Chevrolet behind him, pulls out in front of another
late model sedan & rides along its side down street.
22:34:46:21 - 22:37:22:15 B/W Sound 1944
Man tailgating driver on residential street. Man in coat & hat
walking toward street, light changes from green to yellow, Nash
almost runs over him at curb, cross walk, intersection. Exchange of
angry words. Man gets into back seat & out the other side leaving
both back doors open, funny, wacky. Traffic jam forms in street.
Residential intersection, various cars moving through. Sedan comes
toward camera down middle of residential street, Nash coming down
intersecting street. "X" appears in the street where the two cars
will meet. Great man in hat & coat holding fingers in ears,
squinting eyes, as the two cars crash - surprise, shock, fear.
Crowd gathers at crash site (car on side) w/ police taking
statements, moving people. Body covered in street. Ghost rises from
man's body, sitting up. Ghost hand, man guardian angel (George
Matthew), dressed in graduation robe, taps him on shoulder. The two
men walk together into clouds. Car accidents.
22:37:23:09 - 22:41:56:09 B/W Sound 1944
The two men walk up to judge (Richard Gordo) seated at bench. White
haired judge stops writing in large book, puts quill pen in holder.
Looks name up in book. Judge says he's not due for another 20
years, blames angel. Angel defends himself by giving examples of
how Joe is the worst driver in New Jersey. Joe pulls "A" ration
coupons (used for gasoline) from coat. Angel holds long scroll of
all the mistakes Joe made driving: Poor night driver: POV car w/
couple walking next to curb, headlight glare into lens. Speeding:
GREAT light changes, foot hits the brake, sedan car slides on wet
pavement (hydroplanes) through intersection right in front of on
coming car, stops at curb. Cutting driver off: two sedans traveling
down road, center lane car (Nash) makes right turn into other car's
path. Failure to stop at an intersection: almost runs over family
crossing street. Father & child run.
22:41:56:28 - 22:44:33:27 B/W Sound 1944
Angel man talking to judge. Nash traveling down road, passing
School Zone sign without slowing down. Boys playing in school yard,
boys throws ball into street, low angle up of man (Joe) in car, boy
runs into street next to Nash, man slams on brakes, gets out of
car, boy runs back into school yard to join other children. Man
sits back in car seat, gently rubs head. Loud "crash" heard over
speakers over clock. Weird, surreal clock on wall w/ numbers of
accidents & numbers for injured & fatalities. Numbers increase
(after crash sound) under injuries, two men turn to look solemnly.
Judge crosses off name in large book w/ quill pen. Turns pages
back. Nash tailgating car up steep hill, POV car tries to pass,
truck coming head on, forces sedan car behind him off to side of
road.
22:44:34:08 - 22:51:00:06 B/W Sound 1944
Angel man continues talking to judge. Nice shot of him telling
guardian he "wants the whole truth," adamant about drunk driving.
Judge points at clock which "records accident in this state (New
Jersey) every twenty minutes." Inspection sticker on broken
windshield handed to judge. Examples of bad pedestrians: Man
crosses street in middle of block (jaywalking) between traffic,
crossing diagonally at intersection. Great white ambulance
(Chevrolet ?) speeding to scene, attendance loading stretcher into
back of ambulance. Nash drives down street in residential section
as VO of angel explaining about Joe's headache from drinking the
night before. Judge frees ghost after 15 years as Joe's driving
conscience. Angel man crumbles scroll excitedly & faints.
22:50:21:16 - 22:52:36:02 B/W Sound 1944
Clock that records traffic accident injuries and fatalities for New
Jersey (supposedly in Heaven), ticking away. Judge strokes his
chin, looking down at man. SOUND car crash. Another "crash" totals
change on clock again. Great CU face of man looking up with worried,
concerned expression. He pleads to judge. Judge turns to appeal to
the "jury" (the viewer) for sentencing (breaking the forth wall,
self aware). Audience to become "jury". Great elderly male judge
talking to camera - authority, law and order.
22:34:46:20- 22:35:00:04
Driving POV from the back seat of car looking out the windshield. We tailgate another car (and try to pass it) as we drive down a wide street with houses on one side and stores on the other. Looks like a busy street. Several pedestrians stop at the intersection ahead.
22:35:41:28- 22:35:50:29
View of intersection in a middle- or upper-middle class residential neighborhood in New Jersey. The homes are large with nice front yards. Sidewalks line the streets. Two cars pass each other (there are no stop signs).
22:40:19:19- 22:40:26:10
worth noting: Nice nighttime driving POV. The car's headlights create limited vision on the dark road. Up ahead is a couple walking along the side of the road. Eerie shot.