On The Right Side Pt 1 of 2

On The Right Side Pt 1 of 2 Family Films Prod. SM Hershey Dir. S Roy Luby Good late 1940s town street scenes - pedestrians - traffic - shop signs. Pawn shop - “the symbol of despair” - church across road: “the symbol of hope”. Man crosses street from church to pawn shop - subject of film Bill, an “inveterate gambler”. Bill’s wife May at home in small apartment w/ young daughter in frilly dress; debt collector at door. May has to raid daughter’s piggy bank to pay him - daughter tells debt collector that he should have come last week “when daddy had lots of money”. Bill comes home loaded w/ presents including doll for daughter - won money on horses, drops cash on table - pawned a watch May gave him to place bet - her first present to him so she is upset, takes pawn ticket to get watch back - asks him to stop gambling and get a proper job: “I don’t care what the job is, it’s the respectability that counts”. 23:34:54 May going through pile of bills - daughter’s doll now tatty. Bill still jobless - comes home in trouble asking for money - people looking for him after his checks have bounced. May finds their last valuables already hawked - argues with Bill and leaves apartment. 23:37:01 May in her father’s lawyer’s office lawyer also narrates - “how soon can you start divorce proceedings?” Lawyer wants to avoid divorce - “I’d like to take your case to a higher court...you’ve tried the prayer of fear but never the prayer of faith”. Takes Mary to mother’s while he visits Bill. Family Social Issues; Addiction; Poverty; Religion; Christian Morality; Religious Values; 1940s; 1950s;