Summary

Time Out for Trouble

Source Archive Films by Getty Images
Title: Time Out for Trouble
File Number: PA-2244 Beta SP; PA-0851 Digibeta
Color: B W
Type: Educational Industrial
Year: 1961
Subjects: madness horror woman anger fear breast gun kid drink alcohol punch pain laugh clock Safety film noir
Description: Time Out for Trouble Produced by the University of Oklahoma, General Services Extension Division. Presented by the Oklahoma State Department of Health, Kirk T. Mosley, Commissioner of Health. Produced under the direction of the Mental Hygiene Division of the Oklahoma State Department of Health. Distributed by International Film Bureau, Inc., Chicago, Illinois. Production Consultant: Ned Hockman. Story and Script: Dwight V. Swain. Psychiatric Consultants: Charles A. Smith, M.D. and Alfred A. Hellams, M.D. Production Assistants: Jeff Griffin, Earnest Brock, Milt Roberts. Produced and directed by David S. Glidden. Original music by Baird Jones. Narrated by Alice Spann. With Bonnie Hammett (Jane Rawson) John Nesom (Milt Rawson) Stephen Bell (Walter) Richard Bell (Ted) Loren Brown (Doctor) Marie Keeling (Martha) Fritz Woyna (Jeff) Bill Bebee (Mechanic) James Morris (Bully) Patty Brock (Mrs. Aynesly) Nancy Clifton (Patty) Loyal Roach (Sid). Illustrates the most common accidents causing serious injury in the home and explains that mental attitudes are the real cause of the trouble. Suggests a course of action to eliminate such injuries. Time Out for Trouble seeks out the cause of accidents and finds it in the minds of their perpetrators. If safe behavior involves the management of external risks, psychology governs internal ones and in this film we move into interior territory untouched by most safety films. Unlike We Drivers and The Days of Our Years, the makers aren't trying to assign people responsibility for situations beyond their control they claim to empower us by exposing the subversive role of our emotions. Well, the overall idea is basically sound, but this movie falls right into the safety film trap: it looks like its makers had too much fun conceiving and shooting it and the film's bizarreness gets in the way of its message. It's hard to imagine psychiatrists were actively engaged in the making of this film, where the struggle between danger and safety involves a consensual hallucination a battle for control between Jane Rawson, a harried housewife and an evil-minded antique wall clock, which I'll call "Clock." The scene: a quiet house, a sleeping family, a dozing dog. Clock chimes twelve and the image of a baleful, indistinct being appears over its face. Clock, a present from Jane's mother-in-law, is festering Jane dissed it and called it an eyesore now, revenge against Jane is first on its agenda. Clock begins by staging an accident where Jane trips over the vacuum cleaner cord, takes a hard fall, and hurts her back. At the same time Clock discusses how uncontrolled emotions lead to disaster: "These stupid humans...they think things are responsible for accidents. Of course any clock knows it's people who bring on accidents, the kind of people who don't know how to handle their emotions." Jane recovers and Clock is ready to down her again, because you "have to get up before you can fall down again." But with husband Milt's help, Jane understands more about the relationship between emotional stress and accidents and the three emotional safety rules to observe: 1. Face Your Feelings! 2. Beware of Boredom! 3. Watch for Danger! Protected by psychological armor, Jane successfully resists Clock's plots and gets to see Clock destroyed. Clock cries: "My springs, my gears, my face! I didn't take my own advice...I let my feelings run away with me, just as if I was human." Although the film uses unconventional means of expression and employs psychological concepts that seem more progressive than the rigid safety rules voiced in other films, I think the ultimate message of the film is about as conservative as they come. It takes the Fifties critique of unpredictable and disorderly behavior (see The Behavior Offensive and Teenage Transgression discs) one step farther by linking uncontrolled emotional expression to injury and suffering. It shows a housewife frustrated and enraged by the tedium of her daily tasks, but suggests a strategy of adaptation rather than reorganization. In general and in this regard it has much in common with safety films that seek to place the responsibility for safety squarely on the individual rather than considering combinations of dangerous factors it avoids considering the social dimensions of emotional instability that obviously take their toll. Time Out for Trouble was another product of that inspired film factory at the University of Oklahoma, the place where distinctive films like Mental Hospital and Anger at Work were made. Its existence points out once again how many interesting and unusual films were produced far from the major nontheatrical production centers, and how talent found unconventional means of expression when tolerated by the budget-keepers. Ken Smith remarks: A GREAT film. Narrated by an evil, bitter mantle clock a gift to Jane Rawson from her mother-in-law. "Call me an eyesore, will she?" the clock snorts as Jane trips over a vacuum cleaner electric cord and throws out her back. The nasty clock, which has the blurred, distorted face of a woman superimposed over it, constantly reminds us that "people don't know how to handle their emotions," as it does its best to get Jane angry and careless. "These stupid humans they think THINGS are responsible for accidents!" Jane has nightmares about the clock and wants to get rid of it, but husband Milt reminds her that it's a "treasured heirloom" and wonders if she's crazy (who wouldn't?). Although the clock snickers that Jane "doesn't have anything in her head but buckwheat batter," it is undone by its own anger at the end of the film it provokes a living room dart gun battle between Jane's two boys ("THIS will put her over the edge!") and is destroyed by one of the projectiles! "My springs! My gears! My face!" it moans. "Oh, why was I such a fool?" The film ends with a CU of a nice, modern clock, and Jane and Milt blissfully asleep. Lots of ominous XCUs of faces and body parts and a great roller rink organ soundtrack. 04:00:12:03 LS of man and woman sleeping TO CU of woman TO CU of man 04:00:28:17 MLS of boys sleeping together in bed TO separate CU's of boys 04:00:56:15 ZI on mantel clock (12:00) TO CU of clock with super imposed face 04:03:13:08 LS woman vacuuming carpet 04:03:21:02 MS woman yelling: "Get out of here with that dart gun, you know I don't allow those in here" 04:03:24:11 MS woman yelling: "Get outta here!" 04:03:27:05 MS woman trips over cord and falls yelping: "Ohhwww..." 04:03:33:02 XCU woman's face on floor with pained expression changes to slightly erotic look 04:03:38:00 XCU woman's face in bed with pained expression, winces: "Ohoo" 04:03:41:15 MLS of woman in bed, doctor sitting next to her, 'husband' standing, looks on then doctor covers her behind with blankets 04:04:04:10 LS of dog in family room near vacuum 04:04:25:02 LS man walking on icy path TO MS man slipping and falling on his butt 04:04:31:01 LS man climbing ladder and breaks through rung 04:04:37:01 MS from below of woman bumping into pot on stove TO pot falling off stove 04:04:41:10 CU woman holding temples in pain 04:04:43:06 CU woman in hospital bed grimacing TO MS woman with nurse dressing wound on her leg 04:05:11:19 CU man's fist punching a wall 04:05:14:10 CU man laughing fiendishly 04:05:20:03 MS middle aged woman in thought playing with her wedding band 04:05:28:15 XCU of man holding glass pours liquor into it 04:05:45:22 CU hand drumming fingers 04:05:48:08 XCU woman crying 04:05:53:19 CU man's leg below knee kicking dirt 04:05:56:18 CU man yawning 04:06:02:11 CU of right hand doodling 04:06:07:10 XCU woman biting lip 04:06:13:21 CU of little girl smiling nibbling on fingers 04:06:17:05 XCU woman playing with wedding band 04:06:23:08 CU covered pot boiling on stove 04:06:30:12 CU of wall clock(7:25:21--7:25:26) 04:06:36:04 MS of woman looking impatiently at watch, turns to sink TO bumping into pot sequence 04:06:50:07 CU of man pouring liquor into glass and drinking it 04:07:02:04 CU man looking down, slightly goes out of focus 04:07:08:09 CU of woman's legs walking in high heeled shoes 04:07:12:11 CU of woman's chest and head(half) 04:07:15:10 CU bare shouldered woman dancing man dressed in coat and tie 04:07:20:13 CU woman laughing with head titled back can see only mouth and ear 04:07:24:11 MS man and woman silhouetted on a couch making out 04:07:35:23 CU woman putting wedding band on man's finger 04:07:42:23 CU record, reads: "Victor...wang-wang blues -- Fox Trot" pulled back revealing turntable and placed there 04:07:56:06 CU woman reading magazine, reads: "My Husband Called Me 'Easy'" on page 04:07:57:18 MS man in bar looks at watch, empty whisky bottle on table, exits out of booth with VO: "that's when Jeff really started hitting the bottle, he knows it isn't Martha's fault she's stupid..." 04:08:06:06 LS outside bar with 'Coors' signs, man exits VO continues: "...but she just plain bores him to tears" 04:08:14:15 XLS across street from bar, the 'Tap Room-Locker Club', man walks between cars (early 60's station wagons) to street 04:08:22:12 man run over sequence LS man walking into on coming traffic TO CU of headlight of car TO shot from interior of car 04:08:25:10 CU closer headlight TO CU man's hat and hat on ground 04:08:30:07 LS woman and man with cane from hospital TO LS woman opening car door for man 04:08:44:03 CU woman in shower with shower cap on-nice shot 04:08:47:09 MS bath and shower curtain drawn, woman behind 04:08:51:00 CU rotary phone 04:08:52:15 CU bath faucet, woman's hand turns off 04:08:54:22 MS woman's hand reaching for towel from behind shower curtain 04:08:56:07 MS woman in bath towel pulls shower curtain open TO short shots of woman falling down 04:09:06:18 MS woman scrubbing kitchen sink 04:09:09:10 MS man entering room playfully sneaking up behind someone 04:09:16:14 MS man smacking woman on the butt 04:09:18:09 CU woman banging head on kitchen cabinet 04:09:20:05 CU man laughing then concerned look comes across his face 04:09:25:12 CU woman holding temples in pain then man holds her head 04:09:28:09 LS woman vacuuming yells at boys with toy guns 04:09:45:14 MS woman lying awake in bed then falls asleep 04:10:06:06 LS wall with animated writing slowly "Face Your Feeling" 04:10:33:04 LS wall with animated writing slowly "Beware Of Boredom" 04:10:48:01 LS wall with animated writing slowly "Watch For Danger" 04:11:16:20 CU distressed woman with hand in her hair 04:11:20:06 CU black Cocker Spaniel and two boys with toy guns 04:11:24:22 CU woman saying: "All right you kids you know the rules about those guns now..." 04:11:46:07 CU woman over shoulder at sewing machine, hand held shot 04:11:50:02 CU woman working at a 'Singer' sewing machine 04:12:05:16 MS woman saying "all right you kids out, out-out" clap-clap of hand pan to clock(10:03) 04:12:23:07 CU woman sleeping disturbed (out of focus) wakes screaming TO man waking up saying (silently) "What's wrong?" 04:12:29:05 LS man and woman in bed, he turns on light, she holds her head in pain 04:12:33:07 XCU man comforting woman saying: "take it easy ...you had a nightmare" TO weird sequence about clock 04:13:35:21 MS woman brushing hair TO CU same shot 04:13:44:17 LS woman brushing hair at dresser 04:13:54:02 MS woman LS man enters bedroom tying tie 04:13:58:03 CU man tying tie says: "What's going on around here arn't you gonna get me any breakfast?" 04:14:02:15 CU woman angry says: "Well your majesty maybe you can get your own breakfast" 04:14:07:04 XCU hand pressing door bell--nice shot. 04:14:08:17 MS paper boy pressing door bell 04:14:11:10 MS woman pulling away from man (domestic violence) 04:14:12:16 MS Cocker Spaniel lying down 04:14:38:00 CU light switch, woman's hand switches on 04:14:46:17 CU back of woman's head petting dog 04:14:57:23 MS woman wiping kitchen counter TO opens cabinet, box falls out 04:15:07:11 CU woman looking confused 04:15:14:01 CU rotary wall phone being dialed 04:15:17:15 MS woman on phone says: "Hi Mary, this is Jane" etc., hangs up looking distressed 04:16:07:04 MS dog on grass 04:16:08:15 CU black cat in tree 04:16:14:04 LS TO CU woman buttoning robe, stops and looks around 04:16:18:11 MS woman looking out window 04:16:25:03 MS man in robe looking tired 04:16:42:05 CU clock (9:00) with reflection of woman's face and she sticks her tongue out at the clock 04:16:50:07 CU clock (9:00) 04:16:54:17 MS boy's in PJ's running with toy guns 04:16:58:04 MS woman looks around corner 04:17:11:00 MS boy drawing toy gun TO other boy TO back to the 1st boy 04:17:11:17 CU clock (9:00) being broke TO different clock with titles over (04:00:01:15- 04:01:57:05) INTRODUCTIONS NIGHTMARES CLOCKS (CREEPY) EXT NIGHT MS regular middle class home (trees are rustling in the breeze). Minimal guitar music plays (peaceful). Camera zooms in. Cut to image of Mom and Dad asleep in their bed. Cut to MCU Mom asleep and then to Dad. (We hear the ticking of a clock.) Fade to MCU two boys asleep in their bed. Fade to sleeping dog on floor mat (we hear his heavy breathing). He lifts his head as the clock strikes twelve. Cut to image of clock camera zooms in and the music becomes eerie (organ music). Fade to CU of grandfather clock's face. Surreal blob-ish face is superimposed over clock's face. The phantom clock speaks (female voice): "This time that hussy Jane's gone just too far. Call me an eye soar, will she...me a treasured heirloom, a present from her husband's own mother. Well, she'll live to regret it. Time takes care of so many things, especially when you're a specialist in time like I am. But Jane will never accept. She just won't understand why she's having so much trouble, because it's all going to be completely accidental." (she laughs) (04:03:11:10- 04:04:02:10) ACCIDENTS (ANGRY MOMS) INT. LIVING ROOM MS clock. Cut to Mom vacuuming. Little boys run in with dart guns. Mom yells at them aggressively in a southern accent (over the vacuum cleaner), "Get out of here with that dart gun. You know I don't allow those things in this house." She rushes towards them and trips on the vacuum cleaner's cord. She falls to the ground, grabs her back, and grimaces in pain (excellent CU of her distorted face). Cut to CU of her grimacing in bed. MS doctor putting the covers over her her husband stands by them. The doctor writes a prescription and hands it to Dad. (04:13:05- 04:19:00) DANGEROUS SCENARIOS (POTENTIAL) (S) CU pair of loafers on the stairs. Cut to nice LA shot their position on the steep, carpeted stairs. (04:34:05- 04:42:10) ACCIDENTS (KITCHENS MOMS) (S) CU boiling pot on stove. LA view of Mom carrying bowl and walking by pot she carelessly runs into pot's handle. The boiling liquid spills onto her bare leg. Cut to MCU her face in pain. (great little sequence) (04:53:14- 05:19:10) ANGER MACHISMO (S) Young man works on car's engine. Another man stands over him making comments (we don't hear these). The mechanic (he's wearing regular clothes) comes towards the man and tries to punch him he misses and hits the concrete wall. He holds his hand in pain, and the man laughs at him. (04:05:44:01- 06:19:04) MORALIZING (CLOCKS) RANTING (CLOCKS) *dialogue only* The phantom clock rants: "That's the way it is with these crazy humans. Tension keeps boiling up in them like the soup in Martha's sauce pan. It's always been right there primed and waiting for the moment when they bump up against a dangerous situation. And when they do...well, chalk up another accident. Why? because emotions distract, of course. Those boiling feelings...they take people's minds off those dangerous situations. And when that happens, it's just a matter of time until disaster strikes." (06:16:17-) MARRIAGES (TROUBLED) (S) CU woman fiddling with her wedding band in a nonchalant manner. (07:08:20- 07:35:05) WOMEN'S BODIES SEX (S) MCU women's legs (she wears stilettos) walking. Fade to LA CU of her pointy breast (she wears a tight sweater). Fade to her naked shoulders and neck she's dancing with a man. She lifts her head back and laughs. Fade to silhouette of the couple making out on the sofa. (07:36:01- 07:40:22) MARRIAGES (S) CU woman slipping wedding band onto man's finger (she wears the same one). (08:43:21- 09:06:02) ACCIDENTS (BATHTUBS) (S) MCU woman showering. She wears a shower cap and washes her neck with a wash cloth. Cut to MCU phone which rings. She turns off the water, grabs her towel, steps over the tub, and slips and falls (she pulled her dress off the rack as she fell). She sits on the floor dumbfounded. (09:06:18- 09:27:10) PRACTICAL JOKES (NAUGHTY MEN) INT. KITCHEN Woman scrubs counter with her back to us. Cut to her young husband coming in the kitchen door. He smiles and sneaks up behind her. He smacks her behind hard she hits her head on an open cabinet. She holds her head and he laughs until he sees that she's actually hurt. She turns and has a cut on her forehead. (09:45:16- 11:10:20) MORALIZING (CLOCKS) Mom lies in bed and looks distressed. The phantom clock speaks: "It needn't have happened...not if that idiot female had shown a grain of common sense. After all, (CUT TO MCU CLOCK WITH PHANTOM FACE) you only have to pay attention to three simple rules to avoid accidents in any home." (The rules are written in cursive on the living room wall above the sofa (and the phantom states them). "One: Face Your Feelings, two: Beware of Boredom, three: Watch for Dangerous Situations." Cut to MCU of phantom clock. She continues, "That's all there is to it. But how many humans are smart enough to follow the rules?" (12:14:10- 13:35:00) NIGHTMARES (MOM) MCU phantom clock: "Jane wasn't that smart, though. So now she has a wrenched back, and she'll have more before I'm through with her. Call me an eye sore, will she." Cut to blurry image of Mom (Jane ) bolting up and screaming in bed. Her husband wakes up, "Homey, what is it? What's wrong?...Take it easy. You must have been having a nightmare." Jane (hysterically): "Oh, Bill I was having the wildest dream. You can't imagine. It's that clock in the living room." Husband: "Oh, we've been over that confounded clock a dozen times. We can't get rid of it. Mother will have a fit." Jane: "But it's alive, talking to me, taunting me. It hates me. That's why I had this accident, and it said I'll keep on having them." Hubby: "It's those pills the doctor gave you. You're just imagining things." Jane: "No, Mell. That clock talks. It did...it did." Husband goes back to sleep and she sighs. Fade back to the which says, "She's so right, but, of course, she won't get anyone to believe her. And by the time she's up and about she won't be sure of anything herself, but she will keep having accidents. She can count on that." Fade back to Jane and husband in bed. (13:36:00- 14:07:03) DOMESTIC SQUABBLES (S) Jane stands at dressing table and brushes her hair. She begins to straighten the bed. Husband walks in and lays in to her: "What's going on around here this morning? Aren't you going to me any breakfast?" Jane (angrily): "Well, your majesty, maybe it's just about time you got your own breakfast." (16:55:04- 17:17:10) BOYS (ROUGHHOUSING) (S) Two little boys lay with dart guns. Mom comes in to stop them, and one of them shoots the face of the clock. (17:58:02- 18:08:14) REGRETS (S) MCU phantom clock (distorted pale face over face of clock). She laments, "Oh, why did I ever interfere when I knew that accidents were bound to happen when you take time out...for trouble."
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