“ THE TEENS “ 1957 TEENAGER & EARLY ADULTHOOD BEHAVIOUR SOCIAL GUIDANCE FILM XD52454

Join this channel to get access to perks: Want to learn more about Periscope Film and get access to exclusive swag? Join us on Patreon. Visit Visit our website “Ages and Stages Series: The Teens” (1957) is a black-and-white educational film geared towards parents about the changes that occur in teenagers and how best to parent them. Presented by the Mental Health Division of the Department of National Health and Welfare, Ottawa and produced by Crawley Films for the National Film Board of Canada, this scripted film follows a day in the life of the O’Conners and their three teenage children who are becoming more independent by the day - navigating school, friendships, sports, and dating. Students pour out of high school, opening credits (0:08). Exterior 1950s ranch-style home, snow coats front lawn (0:43). Tim, 13 year old boy, enters kitchen decorated with decorative serving plates, cafe curtain (1:00). Tim’s mother, Mrs. O’Conner, enters living room wearing 1950s-style princess fitted full coat, skirt suit (1:31). Mrs. O’Conner unpacks groceries in kitchen in front of retro refrigerator, daughter Joan comes home wearing a similar full coat (2:15). Joan phones friend using wall-mounted rotary phone in kitchen (3:37). Mrs and Mr. O’Conner gathered in kitchen looking over newspaper when other son, Barry enters in winter duffle coat tries to persuade father to buy him Austrian ski boots - the two get into an argument (4:25). Mrs. O’Conner stands at kitchen counter in floral apron, scrubs potatoes, trims herbs, pauses to watch Tim show her experiment with baking soda (6:13). O’Conner’s sit to family dinner, engaged in conversation while eating (7:25). Close-up wall-mounted rotary phone as it rings, Joan runs up to answer it - brother Barry imitates Joans mannerisms as he teases her (8:20). Barry and Joan try to rush away from dining table, quarrel breaks out over whose turn it is to do the dishes (8:55). Tim takes over doing dishes, stands besides mother at kitchen sink with dish rag (10:01). Group of teenage boys enters through the O’Conner’s kitchen door, greet Mrs. O’Conner in kitchen (10:38). Mr. O’Conner sits in big arm chair, lights cigarette, prepares to read hard cover book (10:45). Teenage boys rush down stairs to rec room in basement, listen to vinyls on portable 1950s-style record player, Barry enters room with some beers (10:50). Tim sits in kitchen with beakers and test tubes, works on science experiments, friend David comes over (11:19). David and Tim accidentally spill beaker into sink, stain white kitchen sink with liquid (12:37). Close-up vinyl spinning in record player, boys drum along to beat on paint cans and dance (12:42). Close-up of Joans’ feet hurriedly making their way down stairs, answers door and lets her date in to meet her parents (14:34). Close-up Mrs. O’Conner’s pensive face as she contemplates Joan dating, goes back to knitting on couch besides Mr. O’Conner (15:49). Porch light of the O’Conner’s home illuminates street, disheveled piles of snow as Joan and date pull up in perhaps 1950s General Motors Pathfinder, couple kisses (16:21). Mrs. O’Conner stirs in bed when she hears Joan, Joan opens bedroom door and wishes her mother good night (17:16). The O’Conners help around house with chores, Joan returns electric mixer to spot in kitchen, Barry returns home with groceries in brown paper bag, Tim helps dad fix porch light (17:46). Joan and other girl friends exit diner, all have silk, wool tartan scarves tied around their hair and wear the 1950s-style princess fitted full coats (19:05). Group of boys in duffle coats make their way down city street, Joan and her friends turn around excitedly and notice them (19:48). Rec room in the O’Conner’s basement: disheveled mess, glass from broken bottles on floor - Barry’s friends help him clean up the mess (20:16). Montage scenes of different members of the O’Conners sitting down to Saturday lunch at different times (21:23). Snow-covered mountain side dotted with skiers, bare trees and ski lodge in the distance (21:48). Boys and girls from local high school wearing number bibs prepare for ski team tryout (22:12). The O’Conners and Barry’s friends sit in living room watching TV together, pass around hot chocolate (23:06). This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit
Back to Top