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Title: DINNER AND XMAS PARTIES

Reference number: 6319

Date: 1959

Sound: silent

Original format: 16mm

Colour: bwcol

Fiction: non-fiction

Running time: 35.10 mins

Description: Brown Brothers social events for children and adults are recorded on this film - Christmas parties held for the staff and their families. We see them enjoying party food in a brightly decorated dinner hall, joining in with the singing, enjoying comedy and entertainment, dancing and playing games. Brown Brothers Children's Christmas Party provided by the Sports Club in 1959 is recorded, split into different age groups

Shotlist: [18fps, b&w, 1959*] gvs of long tables lined up in hall, decorated with fresh flowers and plates and cutlery. People sit and enjoy chatting and eating (1.07) ladies queue up and are served their dinner plates at canteen counter (1.23) lady brings jugs of water to counter. Shots of women serving meals up and chatting (1.38) gvs tables again, some c/u faces [minimal camera shake] (2.23) man stands up to make speech (2.57) prizes such as silver cups, engraved shields are awarded by a woman (for sporting achievement?) (3.43) gvs speech (4.03) jazz band - a man plays xylophone accompanied by double bass and piano (5.02) country and western band (dressed like cowboys; comedy sketch where a dog appears on stage at one stage, complete with cowboy hat! (7.15) various c/u people sitting at tables (7.46) man performs on piano (8.07) man sings solo, a guitar man sings, gvs jazz / skiffle band, man playing electric guitar (9.07) 'Wee Willie Winky' comedy sketch (9.44) poeple sitting at tables watch the entertainment (9.55) Highland dancing and general fooling about (10.54) everyone stands up and applauds at the end of the evening, singing (11.50) gvs people milling about at the end of the evening, chatting, laughing, posing for camera (one couple look to be arguing?) (12.44) party-goers sit about laughing and chatting (13.16) [b&w] BROWN BROS.' SPORTS CLUB XMAS PARTY 1959 AGES 9 - 14 YEARS children sitting at long tables all set up with flowers and party tea and cakes - complete with fancy party hats. Adults mill about looking after the kids, serving them juice etc. shots of the decorations covering the hall (16.40) children gather around (17.21) [col] gvs party games, 'Grand Old Duke of York' (17.43) dancing, sorting themselves into groups - 'Dashing White Sergeant' (19.37) the children sit down in rows of seats - some play up to camera, posing and laughing (20.08) they are entertained by magic tricks (probably an employee of Brown Bros. performing these - a man and his assistant, both quite middle aged) (20.52) [lighting dim] huge game of musical chairs (21.33) gvs dancing 'jive' (?) (21.54) children gather around drinking glass bottles of lemonade - some use straws (22.14) Santa Claus gives out presents to the kids, some of the girls sing while they wait in the queue (24.00) c/u band playing accordion, guitar, saxophone (24.08) [b&w] BROWN BROS.' SPORTS CLUB XMAS PARTY 1959 AGES 4 - 8 YEARS children crowd around, they sing, one wee boy uses a microphone and guided by a grown up (25.11) children gather around (25.44) gvs tables set up with party food, decorated hall, they enjoy the food (27.35) the band get set up (27.51) a wee girl enjoys drinking her bottle of fizzy juice - she has cream cake all over her lips (28.00) the children get up after their party tea (28.02) [col] gvs musical chairs - a lot of children wear kilts, both girls and boys (30.01) the kids sit and enjoy ice cream cones (30.29) an elderly man performs magic tricks (30.54) Punch and Judy Show (31.33) Santa arrives and distributes presents for the girls and boys [camera shake and a little oof, Kodachrome] (33.26) band plays briefly and Santa waves goodbye (33.45) mums stand with kids in arms, chatting to other mums. Children open presents and people generally start leaving at the end of the day (25.02) [b&w] THE END (35.10)