View source for Moving Image:X Marks the Spot

{{Filmjr |title=X Marks the Spot |embid=0330_X_Marks_the_Spot_M01367_08_00_59_00 |embsv=archiveorg  |desc=22:31:27:02 - 22:52:36:02   B/W   Sound   1944
            "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.

ï¿½ 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.

ï¿½ 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).

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.(22:40:19:19- 22:40:26:10) |forma=16mm |year=1944 |up=|next=|prev=|step= |lang=English |pbrs=Handy (Jam) Organization |heldby=PA |len=800 feet |link= |bw= |ani= |ewid= }}