The Charm School, salisbury

Series

Series Name

Rhodesian Spotlight

Issue

Issue No.

33

Length of issue (in feet)

854

Stories in this Issue:

1. 1Old Friends Welcomed Back
2. 2Getting Copy for Investors
3. 3News from Nyasaland
4. 4Baseball - USA vs. S. rhodesia
5. 5From Salisbury to Salisbury
6. 6New Airport reaches towards target
7. 7The Charm School, salisbury

Story

Story No. within this Issue

7 / 7

Summary

Rhodesian Spotlight synopsis: Girls learn to increase their charm at a Salisbury School which teaches charm and trains mannequins.
Rhodesian Spotlight Commentary - We always know that beauty is not skin deep, but it came as a surprise to our male mind when we visited a Charm School in Salisbury that being an attractive woman takes more know how than physical attributes. Of course the skin deep aspect is important, and particularly in an African climate which is hard on complexions, skin care and make-up are the subjects of quite an art.
Then there is what used to be called "Woman’s Crowning Glory" of which in this case the hair stylist disapproved and we are bound to admit his ideas wrought a great improvement.
Highly important is the physical development of the figure. Toning up exercises can develop of decrease it, and at least we found out what’s been going on in the flat upstairs that brought our chandelier down last week.
And so to deportment and even we could see that girls shouldn’t walk like fast bowlers.
A few hours of this sort of thing and she glides along like a mannequin and incidentally the school trains girls as mannequins.
In the matter of dress we were shown how much more effective simplicity can be. And another thing the girls learnt was how to keep down their dress budget by making a costume serve sevearl purposes. A few changes combined with different accessories and the same outfit does for morning, afternoon or cocktail wear. This is sure to meet with approval from father or hubby who pays the bills.
The girls are trained as hostesses. They learn the correct and most attractive ways of laying a table, seating guests and serving meals. Constant help and criticism guide them throughout their studies, and you would be surprised at all the right and wrong ways there are of being charming and agreeable, while appearing natural without affectation.

Keywords

Education and training; Women; Domestic life; Physical fitness and training; Fashion and costume

Written sources

Movietone boxfile no.1   Used for synopsis

Credits:

Production Co.

Central African Film Unit

Length of story (in feet)

231

This series is held by:

Film Archive

Name

British Film Institute (BFI)

Email

For BFI National Archive enquiries:
nonfictioncurators@bfi.org.uk
For commercial/footage reuse enquiries:
footage.films@bfi.org.uk

Web

http://collections-search.bfi.org.uk/web

Phone

020 7255 1444

Fax

020 7580 7503

Address

21 Stephen Street
London W1T 1LN

Notes

The BFI National Archive also preserves the original nitrate film copies of British Movietone News, British Paramount News, Empire News Bulletin, Gaumont British News, Gaumont Graphic, Gaumont Sound News and Universal News (the World War II years are covered by the Imperial War Museum).

Series held

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