movies_creation
American Movie Archives (美國電影檔案)
- Title
- On the Run (Part I)
- Year
- 1956
- Abstract
- Well-behaved San Francisco teenagers compete in the Mobilgas "Safety Economy Run," driving their cars around the Bay Area under the supervision of experienced racing drivers.
- Notes
-
Produced: Davis (Sid) Productions
Sponsor: General Petroleum Corporation
Run Time: 12:39
Audio/Visual: Sd, C - Keyword
- Car culture: Youth;Hot rods;San Francisco: Scenics: Historical;Hot rods;San Francisco: Scenics: Historical
- Theme
- Oh, to be young, white and driving around in San Francisco!
- Review
-
Another Sid Davis "classic" featuring a "Safety Economy" run around the San Francisco Bay Area in the 1950s. This two-parter stars a very plucky young lady and her jive-talking, sock-hopping, malt-shop friends. One pal, a hot-rodder named "Tay" boasts some hilarious entertaining doggerel about his driving. When the adults oppress our friends' need to, er, drive, the kids decide to host a "safety-economy" race (sponsered by Mobil and AAA) to prove that teenagers are responsible drivers. The object of the race was to drive around the city within a designated period of time while avoiding penalties like speeding or violating traffic laws. The driver would be accompanied by an adult "observer" who would record any penalty during the drive.
The film, including the race itself, features some great footage of San Francisco in the 50s. The appears-to-be-extremely-white school, called Peninusla Union High for the film, is actually Lincoln HS in the now heavily-Asian-and-other-minorities-inhabited Richmond section. The idea that a bunch of clean-cut, WASP teen-agers can go around and drive freely and safely around the city seems such a novelty now (and adds to the camp factor to this film).
(Reviewer: neffer) - Location
- A/V room, 2/F