1960s MOBIL OIL PROMO FILM

Made by Mobil Oil by John Hennessy Productions and shot in and around Los Angeles, this film "One Day" promotes the Golden Rule and good citizenship and was part of Mobil's "Friendly Way" campaign. The free-flowing style of the film cleverly hides the fact that it was created as a sales tool for Mobil -- as a gas station sequence at the end makes clear. Various scenarios of do-gooding seen in the ilm include an African-American man needing help to move a large freezer (1:58), a lost child (6:00) outside a Home Savings in downtown L.A., interacting with a lonely old man in Silverlake (8:00), etc. The film ends with the boy expressing that he "wants to feel about everything, just like I feel today." At 12:18 the boy hops on a bus while Dad goes off to work at the Mobil Service Station, where his good attitude and pride are on display. At 13:00 the narrator sums up what the film has being trying to put into words -- the "Friendly Way" promoted by Mobil which includes such values as "not waiting to be asked" and anticipating the needs of the customer. At 13:17 Dad gives directions to a beautiful looking blonde and her son. The film was directed by UCLA professor (and co-founder of Eclair Camera USA) Jean‐Philippe Carson, an accomplished cinematographer who was tragically killed in an auto accident at the age of 49.

Complete catalog record

Transcription

[Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] okay Dave let's go [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] I've got a TUI's for lunch then we can start with the park how about the park Lincoln Park sure again yeah that's not like a great question [Music] [Music] [Applause] well what are we gonna do now I don't know looks like I'm gonna have to go back and get another dolly can I give you a hand no you sure can mister it's gonna take at least four of us how about a son you won't lend a hand sure okay we'll take this in they'll take the other end we'll try move it inside okay all I have to do is get it through the door then turn it so it faces the window ready [Music] [Applause] looks pretty good net okay yeah thanks a lot I should appreciate your help me too thanks thanks thanks son [Music] [Laughter] [Music] good morning good morning good morning why did he say good morning he doesn't even know us that's not important is it Dave no I guess not [Music] [Applause] why did you say that run that must have gained 50 yards what do you think you're gonna do now I'm gonna kick thank you one day there's a bus [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] yard wait in front of him and he just right [Music] what's the trouble son are you lost or something [Music] don't worry we'll find your mommy [Music] [Applause] [Music] thank you thank you very much you're welcome [Music] I just turned around and he was gone [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] you handle it very well son remember the time at the fair when I was lost I can still remember how I felt [Music] hey Dad can we go down by the lake sure would you like some peanuts sure all right you head on down there and I'll be right back hello there young man ah would you like to feed the birds sure how old are you let's see what grade would you be in chicks now you're really beginning to learn a great many very interesting things yes then over in the park playing with some of the other boys no sir today my father doesn't go to work too late and we're spending the day together all right what do we been doing oh just walking around saying things see what sort of things well we saw two men trying to move a big freezer into a market it didn't look like they were gonna be able to so me and my father helped them and we saw some kids playing football of course we didn't just walk we took a bus part of the way and we found a boy who was lost come on grandfather it's time to go now I've got a taxi waiting [Applause] [Applause] thank you for talking with my grandfather [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] dad yes son when I grow up I want to be a I want to be a man and when I'm a man I want to feel about everything just like I feel today you can [Music] my son [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] the essence of the friendly way to anticipate and act without waiting to be asked to care enough to do your best to set an example for others to follow we believe that this essence of the friendly way exists within every man [Music] [Applause] [Music]

Sources

YouTube channel: PeriscopeFilm · video ↗ — title, year, format, description, catalog record, video

Original permalink · Record added 2025-01-23 16:39:57