Film/Cinema

 A Love Of The Movies

McCallum first went to the cinema in 1910. From then on, going to the cinema became a regular part of his entertainment and social life. Over the next 28 years he recorded going to hundreds of movies.

His propensity for recording details (in this case movie titles, actors & comments) leaves a rich legacy for film buffs.

The Pictures

McCallum didn’t use the term going to the movies or cinema – he called it going to “the pictures”. He went to the pictures with his wife, with friends, as a family, or sometimes alone.

As the children grew older, Hetty and Val would frequently go along together, spending special mother-daughter time.

In the beginning, going to the pictures was a relatively rare occurrence and a pure evening activity. In later years, (in the 1930’s) they would go 3-4 times a week and often to matinee showings.

Silent Movies

This was the time of silent movies. Sound and synchronized dialogue is known as “talkies” did not become commonplace until the late 1920s.

It was a time when films were made with one sitting but with two  “breaks,” due to projector limitations.

It was a time of black & white film. The introduction of natural colour movies was not until decades later, well after the diarist’s death (i.e 1960’s).

Iconic Movies

Iconic movies seen by McCallum include:

  • Four Horsemen of Apocalypse (1920)
  • Robin Hood (1923)
  • The Ten Commandments (1924)
  • Ben Hur (1927)
  • King Kong (1933) “a most annoying picture”
  • Mutiny on the Bounty (1936)

1923 Robin Hood with Douglas Fairbanks

1924 Ten Commandments

1927 Ben Hur

Critic

McCallum was an opinionated critic of the screen.  After seeing a movie he would often record his impressions. Sample journal entries:

  • “Did not think much of the show”
  • “A very fine picture”
  • “To see the rottenest of pictures”
  • “A damn fool of a picture”
  • “Awful yankie rot”
  • “A good comedy”
  • “A most annoying picture”
  • “The picture that has been banned”
  • “Fool of a yankie picture”
  • “A good gambling picture”

1936 Mutiny on Bounty with Clark Gable

Actors And Film Studios

McCallum notes seeing movies starring many famous actors and actresses of the time. Some of the film studios of the time remain familiar & influential in the industry today e.g.  MGM films, Warner’s films, and Paramount films.

 

  • Rudolph Valentino
  • Douglas Fairbanks
  • Clark Gable
  • Bette Davis
  • Spencer Tracy
  • Mae West
  • Jean Harlow
  • Grace Fields
  • Shirley Temple

Civic Theatre, Auckland

Theatres

McCallum records the names of the Picture Theatres he attended. Some remain today, like the Civic Theatre and the Devonport Theatre. Others are no longer here, demolished or supplanted over time by a different use.

  • Capitol Theatre
  • Century Theatre
  • Civic Theatre
  • Devonport Pictures
  • Embassy Theatre
  • Empire Theatre
  • Everybody’s Pictures
  • Five Ways Pictures
  • Fullers Picture Show
  • Globe Pictures
  • Grand Pictures
  • Hub Pictures
  • King George Pictures
  • London Pictures
  • Majestic Theatre
  • National Pictures
  • Newton Bridge Pictures
  • North Shore Pictures
  • Plaza Theatre

Archive Of Movies The Diarist Saw

Sometimes McCallum simply noted he went to the pictures without actually naming the movie. Other times he provided detail including name and date.

Many of these old movies will be recognizable by enthusiasts. Others may require research. Aficionados will discover not only the various genres, whether romance or comedy, but the plots and story-lines, who the actors and movie studios were, the release dates, and the critical acclaim and ultimate success or failure of the movie.

100 Men & a Girl
20,000 Years in Sing Sing
42nd Street
A Star is Born
A Ticket in Tatts
Alibi Ike
All the Kings Horses
Arizona to Broadway
Belle of New York
Ben Hur-a tale of the Christ
Broadway Melody of 1938
Central Airport
Cleopatra
Cohens & Kellys Scotland
Doctor, Wife & Nurse
Double Wedding
East Lynne
Extravagance
Five Nights
Four Horsemen of Apocalypse
Four Sons
Girls will be Boys
Gold-diggers of Broadway
Hold Me Tight
I am Suzanne
I’ll Give You a Million
In Old Chicago
In Venice
International House
Just my Luck

King Kong
King of Wild Horses
Let’s Sing Again
Life in the Raw
Little Lord Fauntleroy
Luxury Liner
Maytime
Mr Robinson Crusoe
Mutiny on the Bounty
Naughty Marietta
On Our Selection
Panama Canal
Private Life of Henry the VIII
Prosperity
Queen of Sheba
Robin Hood
Roman Scandals
Sally in our Alley
Salomy  Jane
San Francisco
Scarlet Pimpernel
Sea Hawke
Secret of Evening
Secret Valley
Silver Dollar
Slave Ship
Social Register
State Fair
Stolen Holiday
Subway Sadie

Tale of Two Cities
Tess of the Storm Country
Thanks a Million
The 39 Steps
The Cabin in the Cotton
The Drum
The Great Jasper
The Kid from Spain
The Life of Emile Zola
The Mighty Barnum
The Morals of Marcus
The Prisoner of Zenda
The Sign of the Cross
The Story of Louis Pasteur
The Ten Commandments
The White Angel
The White Sister
The Woman Accused
Thin Ice
Three Smart Girls
Trilby
Under the Red Robe
Victoria the Great
Way Down East
Wells Fargo
What Price Innocence
When London Sleeps
When Your’e  in Love
Whoopee!

Classic Film Posters

Refer to the page titled Vintage Movie Posters to see the above movies organized by release date and by their promotional posters.