movies Beginnin1953 2002-07-16 00:00:00 Encyclopaedia Britannica Films, Inc. An insecure young teen boy who has just reached dating age learns how to plan and enjoy a date (with a girl at least one foot taller than him). With Studs Terkel (Swimming Coach). Producer: Milan Herzog. 1953 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/publicdomain/ B&W Sd prelinger 2002-07-16 00:00:00 N/A 0 11:20 Explains how to plan and enjoy a date. Ken Smith sez: The Teen Club at Lincoln School is organizing a Winter Frolic at the Community House. Short, eager "George" wants to ask statuesque, older "Mildred" (a mismatch made by bad casting, not design) but he doesn't know how. What should he do? The coach reminds George of how frightened he was when he first stepped onto a diving board, and tells him that he should similarly be "ready to make the plunge" into the world of dating. George is as unsure of the applicability of this analogy as he is of his dating skills, but the coach refuses to let up. "Try it again!" he commands when George's first efforts fail. "Party skill, like diving skill, is gained by just one thing -- by practice and MORE practice." The high point of the film comes as we see George combing his hair, primping for his big date, and wondering what it is he should talk about. Thanks to the Encyclopaedia Britannica animation department, titles of suggested subjects for conversation magically appear superimposed in George's bedroom mirror. These include "comic book" and "Mildred's new dog." George follows this advice and easily keeps the conversation flowing with Mildred as they arrive at the dance -- which is great: all the boys wear identical black suits and the music is supplied by a matronly woman on piano and an unseen snare drum. This film, while nothing to get excited about, marks Encyclopedia Britannica's first, shaky effort at storyline development. If you're like me, that's exciting. If all you want is a fun dating film, pick a Coronet production instead. "And so, George's first plunge into the social scene comes to a successful end." Shots: Boy learns to dive with help of coach. Boy goes off high board; a high school dance; piano keyboard being played A variety of dating situations are shown; boy sees girl home to her door; meeting parents; planning conversational subjects. Dating Social guidance "Member the first time you ever dived, member how you just knew you couldn't make that first plunge. But you did. After that it was easy, wasn't it?' "Diving into the social swim is a lot easier than it seems. It's just a matter of following a few very simple rules of etiquette. A matter too of having a little courage."<BR> 2005-01-13 09:36:44 United States 1 0 Social guidance;Social guidance: Etiquette;Teenagers 165 MovingImage 1953 19552