Summary

Twenty-Four Hours of Progress

Source Archive Films by Getty Images
Title: Twenty-Four Hours of Progress
File Number: PA-0531 Digibeta; PA-1291 Beta SP; PA-0067 Beta SP
Color: B W
Type: Industrial
Year: 01/01/1950
Subjects: soaps detergents
Description: Twenty-Four Hours of Progress Produced by Louis deRochemont Narrated by Ralph Bellamy Direction: John Barnwell, Victor J Jurgens Cinematography: Joseph Brun, Boris Kaufman, Roy E Phelps Script: ER Murkland Lighting: Angelo Ross, Peter Patrevich Music: Jack Shaindlin Associate Producer: Thomas Orchard Supervised by: Film Counselors, Inc Title Card: The Oil Industry Information Committee presents over crashing waves Title Card: 24 Hours of Progress over crashing waves VS rolling, crashing waves LS white lighthouse atop rocks waves crashing in FG LS open meadow with farm in distance MS singular, mature tree LS farm surrounded by open meadow sheep grazing in meadow (farm in BG large, mature tree in FG) MS old, white farm-style church building, clock on steeple building framed by trees Sailboat docked beside white building (white picket fence in FG) MS 3-story, white house surrounded by trees and bushes CU garden sundial surrounded by white flowers fade-in superimposed clock pendulum swinging back and forth MS water-powered mill turning beside building MS 'Century' corporate building (spouting water fountains in FG) LS industrial plant surrounded by pipes belching white smoke (parking lot in FG) LS open field meets sky train enters frame belching black, sooty smoke Power lines surrounded by open field dotted with bushes (mountains in BG) LS oil well (field of tall reeds in FG) CU clock pendulum swinging back and forth against textured wall pan up to bold numbered clock face at 12:00 LS oil wells silhouetted against moody, night sky VS oil derricks in silhouette Ambulance backs out of shadows to hospital entrance 2 medics rush to open ambulance door and reach inside pull woman out of ambulance and roll her on stretcher 3 medics lay woman down on a hospital bed one medic takes her wrist CU man's forearm (wearing watch) reaches under white sheet sheet pulls back revealing hand holding something Oil well silhouetted against night sky dark clouds roll passed CU drilling rig on water at night (lighted doorway opening, steam rising beneath) CU man wearing hard hat pours and sips cup of coffee two men working in BG dark night setting CU 2 men wearing hard hats maneuvering large, swinging, metal machinery kneeling man wearing hard hat watches large pressure gauges MS 2 men wearing hard hats standing side by side in dark room looking down at something and talking (bare lightbulbs above heads) CU man's hands washing metal tool under faucet water splashes into mud flowing below 2 men wearing hard hats in dark room one man works with small piece of machinery as other man talks to him CU small metal scale man's hand balancing one end 2 men wearing hard hats talking one turns and walks up stairs os High angle men wearing hard hats rotating oil drill CU oil drill rotating Int hospital room, woman lays on table doctor cuts her newborn's umbilical cord doctor sits beside her, hands on her face doctor carries baby in towel to small bed CU woman's hands placing newborn onto small table, places oxygen on baby's face CU bold numbered clock at 7:31 pull back to MS clock with swinging pendulum clock on wall in center of United States relief map VS heavy road construction machinery in desert MS man filling construction machinery with gasoline CU man's hand holding gas nozzle, pumping gasoline into vehicle's tank (removes nozzle) Worker lubing bolt on construction machinery CU man's hand lubing large bolt (grease covers bolt, hand removes tool) VS large crane dumping dirt into bed of dumpster wind blown dirt creates thick dust construction machinery spouting black sooty smoke while driving through desert large metal scoop (supported by cables) moves through the air, lowers to ground and scoops up mass of dirt 2 large tractors pass, pulling large, rock crushing rollers behind them VS trucks and construction machinery pass by bulldozer pushing mound of dirt man (wearing cowboy hat) maneuvering large stick shifts pushes forward to CU large mound of dirt MS clock on wall at 8:38 pans down to male executive sitting at desk writing CU man's hand (holding pen) writing at bottom of typed page Male executive, seated at desk, hands piece of paper to secretary secretary takes paper and walks to adjacent office where man sits at desk writing woman hands him piece of paper he takes the paper and begins to read CU man looking at piece of paper he begins to tap telegraph lever CU man's hand tapping a small telegraph lever LS workers walking around indoor oil pumps man turning valve wheel on large oil pump ECU profile male worker wearing hat and glasses (chewing gum) turning valve os CU pressure gauge indicating '350' curved steel pipes forming tunnel effect (pipes lead to oil tank) LS people walking toward propeller airplane on airport tarmac CU public address speaker on wall MS people walking inside airport, TWA counter in BG, people seated in FG, old horse buggy on display in lobby CU 2 men (wearing suits) sitting and talking while gathering their belongings, rise and walk toward glass showcase displaying model of 'covered wagon' they converse as they look CU glass showcase displaying 'covered wagon' display card indicates Conestoga Wagon MS airplane passengers filing toward door of waiting area, 2 men walk away from glass showcase (displaying model wagon) toward door, one man hands coat to other, they shake hands as one exits LA passengers climbing stairs to airplane, they look out waving and blowing kisses MS passengers standing atop silver, steel stairway waiting to get on plane MS mechanic atop wing, fueling airplane (fuel truck parked beneath wing, plane seen approaching in distance) CU mechanic atop airplane wing measuring amount of gas in tank with dip stick, closes tank, rises and walks away airplane taxis down runway and takes off MS airplane flying above clouds LA CU American flag gently blowing in breeze (trees in BG) pan to high angle children playing in the park on swing sets and see-saws MS children sitting on stairs in front of schoolhouse while others run toward entrance convertible car drives up, mother drops off her 2 children with a kiss waves good-bye and drives os pulls from curbside and drives down street through commercial district Tracking shot (woman) driving Ford convertible through residential area car pulls up to gas pumps at Citation service station attendant approaches driver, looks at her gas gauge, walks to pump and turns it on attendant places nozzle in gas tank CU woman sitting in convertible, looks back over shoulder, smiling and talking MCU attendant stooping to pump gas (reading os meter) CU gas pump meter indicating dollars, cents and gallons (28 1 2 cents gallon) ECU car steering wheel, woman's hands close purse and her face enters frame, leaning out window and smiling she talks to attendant checking tires in FG as attendant in BG finishes pumping gas attendant approaches car to give her change, she takes it with a smile and attendant polishes top of car door, they smile as she drives os attendant watches woman drive off and he turns around, smiling, and walks passed pumps toward building ('Citation' gas pump and white sedan prominent) CU sign indicating Ed Felix Owner Man (leaning against gas pump) watching cars drive passed (from behind) auto and bus traffic on small town street gas station attendant (standing beside 'Citation' gas pump) writing on slip of paper black sedan, driven by older man, pulls up to gas pump and attendant approaches, conversing sets down pen and paper CU older, balding man, wearing glasses, leaning out car window and talking while looking over shoulder CU man's face smiling and talking (while pumping gas os) CU man's hand holding gas nozzle, then pulling it out of tank CU attendant standing upright and raising gas pump nozzle Boldly numbered clock (against textured wall, actually a relief map of US) indicating 10:24, pendulum swings MS airplane flying through clouds view of ground below LS white ranch house (cars parked in front, person entering) 2 men working at drafting tables (beside table is drinking water cooler and sign, leaning against wall, indicating Explosives Keep Away! man wearing hat and sunglasses enters frame and converses with one of the draftsmen smiling, they plans or blueprints spread on drafting table smiling man (wearing open collared shirt and black sport jacket) looking down, talking and pointing at something on table in front of him he and man standing behind drafting table turn around and look at large map behind them on wall they study map briefly (pointing and talking), then turn back to drafting table and begin discussing blueprint or plans on table top again CU drawing of circles within circles atop drafting table, man's hand enters frame with straight edge and draws straight line through center of circles, then removes straight edge LS 2 trucks sitting in barren setting (tire tracks in dirt lead uphill) MS car approaching well drilling truck in barren setting (men digging dirt beside truck), car stops, man gets out and approaches workers (mountains in BG) worker standing beside truck, digging a trench, as water flows from hose 2 other workers and man in suit stand talking behind truck (man, wearing suit, scratches itchy leg) ECU drilling tool rotating in puddle of muddy water (moving shadows cast over puddle) LA CU large cables and oil drilling equipment being lowered CU spinning oil drilling pump LS oil drilling truck parked barren setting (man, wearing hard hat, talking on field phone in FG) CU man, wearing hard hat, talking on phone (truck in BG) CU dynamite plunger, hand enters frame and activates plunger LS dirty water spewing from ground as men in FG observe (one of them talking on field phone), water stops spewing, man runs out to field as other man (in FG) hangs up phone CU man wearing hat and sunglasses looking up and squinting ECU dirty water spewing in air showering debris 2 men working at drafting tables, one looks up smiling as man in suit enters room and walks to rear drafting table (beside table is drinking water cooler and sign, leaning against wall, indicating Explosives Keep Away!) man sitting at drafting table working with straightedge CU man's hand working with pen and straightedge drawing on piece of paper VS oil drilling rig men working around base of drilling rig 3 workers (wearing hard hats) rolling steel pipes (oil drill in BG) men standing around an operating oil drill, watching drilling VS oil well as large piece of equipment lowers, ECU oil equipment lowering to ground, men grabbing rigging, drill rises from ground LS oil well in field VS man approaching and turning large oil valve (oil well in BG) Oil derrick Man standing on platform, car parked in FG (sign on door indicates Texas Railroad Commission, Oil and Gas Division) man exits car, walks up stairs to greet man on platform 2 men pointing at something os, talking and smiling VS 2 oil wells oil derrick drilling at base of oil well 2 men talking on platform as one with tape reel measures amount of oil in tank, he pulls measuring tape from tank and wipes it with towel VS oil recycling plant with refining towers 4 ball-shaped oil tanks CU ball-shaped oil tank surrounded by access platforms 2 men talking (one seated on stairs, other leaning against car opening wrapper of sandwich from brown bag lunch) man, wearing hat and glasses, taking bite of sandwich Airplane in flight (highway visible below) VS wheat harvesters with large, rotating blades expansive corn field (farm on hillside surrounded by trees in BG) 2 men (wearing hats) standing and talking in shoulder-high corn field, pointing at something os men driving farm machinery through field harvesting corn CU blade cutting corn stalks CU harvested corn dropping into large bin 2 men driving tractor through field collecting hay CU farm vehicle collecting hay 3 men riding tractor, one man bucks bail of hay LS farm house, barn and silo (fence and tree in FG) Woman standing on steps of white house as man with natural gas tank on hand cart enters LA CU woman standing in front of door (clothesline visible) woman stands on steps, watching man change gas tank beside house, then enters house VS man spraying pesticide on orange trees CU clock pendulum swinging (textured wall in BG), pan up to bold numbered clock indicating 2:00 LS oil refinery (trees in FG) VS refinery towers man walking up deck ladder of refinery LS men (held by cables) painting side of oil tank MS man painting oil tank CU profile man (wearing hardhat), his hand painting long strokes as he squints VS oil refinery with smoke belching from tower, pipes and tubing, oil tanks VS man (wearing hardhat) painting valve amidst oil pipes LS oil refinery, smokestack in BG belching fire and black smoke (pipes in FG indicate #6 Fuel Oil, Diesel, Kerosene and Aviation Gasoline CU railroad tank cars rolling passed oil tank train passes revealing oil refinery in BG MS Younger oil tankers fueling up and driving past oil refinery tanks LS oil supertanker oil hose leading to tanker VS men working on deck of tanker VS men turning large valves muscular man turning large valve man walking on platform MS oil barge on Mississippi River LS 2 oil barges slowly passing each other on Mississippi River LS boat pulling into port in lower New York (indistinguishable skyline) ship in port (America inscribed on its side) VS 2 men on deck tugging rope to raise large, heavy hose High angle LS cars driving on super highway (city in BG) cars driving on tree-lined two-way highway VS heavy auto traffic LS cars driving along stacked highway (New Jersey approach to Lincoln Tunnel, New York City skyline in BG) cars driving on highway (log fence in FG) high angle LS cars driving on highway interchange 05:22:00:00 - 05:22:41:00 Women working in oil canning plant VS oil cans at different stages of processing on conveyor belt intercut with cars driving on streets, stacked highways, freeways, rural highways and through toll booths LS car driving down narrow, paved road surrounded by open field (hills in BG) Bold numbered clock, indicating 4:42, with pendulum swinging (clock on textured wall map of United States ECU clock 2 chemists working in chemistry lab, one picks up flask to inspect fluid inside CU chemist looking at fluid, sets beaker down, places tube onto one of the vials before him CU man's hand holding glass vial and tube, he touches small flame to vial and lights tip of it, attaches to another vial and fluid rises and bubbles CU chemists, inspecting fluids, screened by vials and beakers VS chemist inspecting experiments CU man's hand holding thermometer immersed in vial of boiling liquid chemist doing experiment and peering through microscope CU grocery cart (containing pineapple, box of crackers, etc) rolls through clothes detergent aisle (brands of detergent shown include Ivory Snow, Vel, Fab, Oxydol, Duz and Det) woman's hand selects box of Det and places it in cart woman rolling cart through appetizer aisle, she selects package of cheese and continues, looking at the food CU her hand picking up package of Hickory Smoked bacon CU her hand picking up milk carton, continues down aisle (mother and small boy shopping in BG) woman standing at checkout aisle in Shopwell grocery store CU woman gets money from purse as clerk enters prices into register, her hands counting money clerk hands her receipt CU cash register as amounts ring in register reads 092 Grocery, 065, Grocery and 498 Total ECU boldly numbered clock pull back to reveal CU clock indicating 5:45 pan down to pendulum swinging against textured wall VS men working in electric power plant maintaining generating equipment worker lubing pistons 2 men working one reading graph charts, the other adjusting bank of gauges CU wattage and amperage gauges CU man's hand shifting large hand brake lever VS hands turning lights on (overhead lights, desk lamps, reading lights, chandeliers) VS illuminated signs, ie, Subway IRT, Roseland marquee, China Doll restaurant, Roller Skating Gay Blades, Bop City featuring Count Basie, neon horses, Kleenex neon display and Times Square (at night) featuring Chevrolet sign prominently (atop what is now the Newsday building) and illuminated news marque (the Zipper) VS airport runway on very dark night (scattered dots of light), service vehicle(?) passes, airplane lands House with one light on, light goes out (dark, grainy shot) LS car at gas station on dark night (gas station lights are on), car drives from gas station and attendant enters building Silhouette of airplane flying above electric power lines (dark, grainy shot) Eerie, shadows cast on sides of 3 large, round oil tanks at night Lights scattered against dark, night sky Illuminated portholes of oil tanker at sea (dark, grainy shot) Man, seated in darkness in dimly lit bridge of oil tanker, sipping coffee 2 men talking in shadows Oil well in Gulf of Mexico (dark, grainy shot) VS men, wearing hard hats, working at night on oil drilling rig Int oil pumping facility operating at night (dark, grainy shot) CU pressure gauge hovering between 320-340 lbs CU boldly numbered clock indicating 12:00 VS inc CU oil derricks and wells operating on dark night Title Card: The End 24 Hours of Progress 05226 Scenes of small New England town 03:02:47 VO: As soon as we create a thing, we make it obsolete with something better 03:03:10 Clock at 12 03:03:18 Sun rising over oil fields 03:03:20 Dramatic CU of oil drills ** 03:03:54 Woman on stretcher unloaded from ambulance 03:03:59 Woman on stretcher in hospital VO: Only 19 minutes have elapsed between a hurried call to the doctor and this moment 03:05:15 These men don't pretend to be angels of mercy, but the oil they produce helps speed our ambulances through the streets 03:05:27 MCU Operating room scene VO: In the operating room, by-products of petroleum play a big part too They appear as rubber gloves and anaesthetics, as drugs and alcohol, and they may help save a life or start one 03:05:39 CU Newborn baby 03:05:48 CU Clock at 7:30 03:07:48 CU Clock at 9:40 (office clock on wall) Airport scene 03:10:43 Lady drives her convertible through fancy suburban neighborhood 03:11:55 CU Gas pumps - prices and gallons numbers turning ** 03:12:53 CU Man's hand pumping gas ** 03:13:01 Clock at 10:30 03:17:16 Crazy looking refinery ** 03:17:21 CU Refinery 03:17:30 CU Huge sphere (holding tank) ** 03:13:56 Farmer's spraying crops 03:19:04 Spray going out over crops VO: Petroleum derivatives kill insects, and plant diseases, speed the ripening of fruit and preserve it on the way to market ** 03:19:36 Another refinery 03:20:03 Another refinery 03:21:52 Oil tanker pulling up river along side city 03:22:47 Oil canning plant 03:22:52 CU Cans on conveyor belt -cross fade with automobiles 03:23:50 Clock at 4:40 03:24:01 Great laboratory shots 03:24:10 Another lab shot 03:24:43 Lady shopping, wheels basket past detergent 03:25:04 VO: Already today she's used some 87 petroleum products 03:25:06 CU Bacon in market VO: including the plastic bacon wrapper and milk carton 03:25:35 CU Clock at 5:45 03:26:12 CU Man's hand throws big electric switch Sequence of lights coming on, lamps coming on etc 03:26:22 City signs, street lights 03:27:26 WS Gas station at night 03:27:38 Refinery at night 03:28:36 CU Clock at midnight 03:28:43 Great superimposition of oil pump and field of wells ** 22:35:26- 22:52:10 Nice long shot of a black train with a long trail of black smoke making its way past fields It looks like a toy train 31:00:26- 31:12:19 A woman in a convertible pulls into a small town gas station Behind her we see the Soda shop and its 1940s Coca-Cola sign 34:05:18- 34:17:23 A car pulls up to a truck in the middle of an empty field mountains and fields all around them They are looking oil prospectors Not an amazing shot, but the image of scoping out oil in the middle of nowhere (when it was a possibility to do so in the US) is interesting 40:08:18- Series of shots of an oil refinery interesting pipes, columns, and cylinders shown from different perspectives 40:43:17- 40:53:01 Nice image of big oil rigs loading up with oil from a metal cylinder and driving away 41:35:21- 41:48:22 Two barges going the opposite direction pass on a strange-looking, flat Louisiana Bayou waterway 46:18:18- 46:40:09 Excellent nighttime shots of New York City's bright neon signs Subway IRT, Roseland Theater, China Doll (with dragon), Roller Skate Gay Blades (with lollipop), Bop City, and more
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