A Date With Your Family (1950) 

"Pleasant unemotional conversation helps digestion."

“Rested, relaxed, and attractive”. Too funny. Although I do remember in the early 70s when I was in grade school that before my dad came home my mom would get all fixed up, maybe put on a long dress, and then they would both have drinks and talk about their days. Of course there were times my mother told my dad how bad we kids had been.

I remember the adage "just wait till your father gets home..."

Looks like junior was Mother and Father's little surprise gift from Heaven!

Bah... the only reason the older brother served dessert was to cover up the fact that he stole a strawberry earlier.

An atmosphere of warmth and gentleness ..how lovely

In our family there was no meal culture like this, save on Sundays saying grace. After that the conversation (parents plus seven kids) almost always turned into fierce quarrels and verbal fights. In this film I see what we missed and how nice being together could have been.

Pretty sure dad wrote the script

When I was growing up, the whole family ate on TV trays while watching Mary Tyler Moore and The Bob Newhart Show. Those are some of my fondest memories ever.

Until I was 16, my family always ate dinner together each night. I am now 27. I don’t miss it. If my family had been like this, however, I probably would.

Makes today's families look feral

In the early 1980s I was in high school. One day while sitting in class, out of the blue, for reasons i cant recall, the school 16mm movie projector was rolled into the classroom. And they played for us several of these old, antiquated 1950s instructional films on how to date, how to be polite, how to behave, etc. My classmates laughed through them. The wooden acting, the cheap production values, the over politeness, the squeaky clean activities (a picnic, a carnival, a weenie roast, bike riding, a day at the park, dinner at home with the family, etc), the innocent slang of the time (gee, golly, swell, etc). I on the other hand, wasn't laughing. To the contrary. As someone who was being raised in a severely abusive, dysfunctional home (we NEVER sat together at the same table at meal times. Not even once. Even though we always had a full sized dining room with a full sized dining room table), i found these films to be quite charming. A sort of a time capsule of a more innocent era. DON'T get me wrong. I had no illusions. I was well aware that the 1950s wasnt so perfect and innocent. That there were negative things going on in the 1950s, such as segregation, criminal activity, corruption in the public and private sectors, poverty, the occasional economic recession, war, etc. No decade is perfect. But still, it seems to me that there were SOME things in the 1950s they were doing so right back then that we were doing so horribly wrong in the early 1980s as well as today.

“And it is never a good idea to let telephone conversations interfere with studies” Me: does that mean RU-vid as well?

I like how Brother does his school work while Daughter is settling the table and helping Mother in the kitchen.

We had family dinners but only because my parents grew up that way as well. Love how simple this comes off and honestly, nothing wrong with trying for those who have not before.

I love watching these old educational videos there's so much good information to learn about.

It is impossible to describe the emotional listening to these vintage tunes They are truly music of the heart. ❤

how can anything so rigid and structured be relaxed and pleasant?

I live for pleasant unemotional conversation. And nightly formal dinners at home.

These videos are pretty much the way I live my life.

Rested, relaxed and attractive. That last bit sure doesn’t describe mother’s wretched hairstyle

My family ate dinner together every day when I was growing up until us kids slowly moved away one by one. We also took turns reading the Bible and praying every single night, looking back now decades later I think it was a real good way to keep us all grounded and instil life long values which we didn’t even realize at the time. I unreservedly miss those times in todays world.

I don’t recall a single time when the family sat together for dinner, pretty sad.

If only life with the family could be like this every day and always.

What planet is this?

The problem now is that mother has to work outside the home. It has really disrupted the family. Everyone eating on the fly with no family time. I love seeing the vintage kitchen. I’m glad I grew up in that time. I didn’t have a perfect family in any stretch of the word, but I wouldn’t trade growing up in that time for what I see families going through now in the name of progression.

I love the use of the word 'relaxed' lol.

What a great schedule and family values

I wish we could bring back class.

Back then a meal was family time, the one moment everyone was together during the day. When familes started going out to eat in the growing number of restraunts in late 50s early 1960s, they also dressed up as it was a treat and not done often. Even going to sears was a big family adventure. At times i miss those days of long ago though i bearly saw any of that myself.

It would blow that starchy phone guy's mind to know that in the future, people would be watching him on their phones. In the future future people just time travel back to the thing they want to see... oh wait I've said too much. Happy 2023 everyone!

My dad was a kid then and trust me, this is just idealized fantasy!

Excellent way !

"You can be yourself with your family! ... just be sure that you don't display emotion, discuss topics that interest you, or wear comfortable clothes. And if you're female, be sure you're attractive to your relatives."

I was born in 1945 their was 7 of us we only had one rule if you put it on your plate you eat it ALL before you get up.

Seems like every family today breaks every one of these rules.

Then mother, then daughter, then brother, then junior, then father. I'm sorry, but do these people have names???

8:47 “Most families don’t have maids.” What kind of audience was this film made for, exactly?

"Be yourself. Just make sure its your BEST self"

Perhaps that explai- TELEPHONE CALL!

Absolutely beautiful 🤩🤩😍.I am in love with this family, good maners, harmony, marvelous.thank you for sharing

Hmmmm...... I don't recall Dad washing his hands before dinner.

Not only baby boomers, also many Gen Xers even into the 80s still had dinner together as a family. Dysfunction exists in every generation but at least back then we weren't obsessed with media 24/7. All of these electronic devices that people are glued to didn't exist back then..there was more eye contact, more human interaction. All these gizmos that were supposed to connect us have divided us. We are more disconnected than ever.

"The boys pretend to generally see their father" bloody hell calm down narrator

they live so much nicer then my family 😥

well at least we solved the phone problem - everyone has their own nowadays....LOL

Good old days

"Junior seats Dad, and Sister seats the dog, and the dog..." "Probably should have washed my hands after handling that dead possum..." "1 + 1... ugh..."

Alanis morrisette sampled this for “king of intimidation “ and it was genius.

I look at this and laugh because there was NO way people acted like this. Funny how everything changed after the time. When my mom cooks we all thank her and then leave to do whatever we have to do because we are all busy. Sometimes my mom isn’t cooking and my siblings and I just eat whatever we want (or I cook) and just do our own crap. This is to unrealistic in my opinion but then again, this was a long time ago, unless people still do it then I’m impress. You keep your life together XD

Lol so many rules!

The MST3K riff on this is the best. THE BEST guys

Dang that dinner looks yummo

It would be nice.

Why shouldn’t kids eat first? There’s nothing wrong with eating before everyone eats. It doesn’t hurt anyone.

My mom always made sure we had dinner as a family I think it is important but even my sister prefers chaos in her household the tv on full blast the kids screaming. I think people love noise and distraction now.

People BORN in 1950 are 73, 74 years old today in 2024.

Good times back then! Nobody was looking at their cellphones during dinner or a Bluetooth device stuck in their ear.!

mother and daughter are preparing dinner. sons - just have to be clean

So the sons get to chill while the daughter works?? No. Just no

they took this from you

No offence, but I'm 56 years old and this is NOT the way family life was revealed to me...... Still, it would have been really great if this had existed.

@5:00 "good bread.good meat,good God,i'm baptist,let's eat!"

I wish my family could have dinner together at the dinner table more often. We do on occasion, and we love each other regardless of needing to eat dinner together, but my mom, dad, and sister all work full-time jobs, and I’m starting a new job in a couple of months, so we’ll have even less time to get together. I know we don’t need to do it to love each other, but it would be nice

We don't talk about anything, we just sit in front of the tv.

Parents: "Why don't our kids talk to us about their problems? Kids: *try to talk about their problems* Announcer: "TALKING ABOUT PROBLEMS IRRITATES YOUR FATHER"

It's Sally Gasco!!!

"They owe it to the men to look attractive and relaxed". Whats relaxing about feeling you owe someone your appearance?

Daughter seems a tad stressed making sure everything is is done correctly for the men.

00:29 damn the narrator is going through it

I guess they didn't have names back then.🤔

I’d rather have this, then what we have now… broken, fatherless families, domestic disputes, kids who don’t know what gender they are, etc, etc…

We ate dinner as a family most nights. I hated it, because it was usually the time that my parents picked to ambush me about what they were going to rake me over the coals for that evening. Most dinner times found me almost face down in my plate, trying to eat while my parents tore me apart.

Why didn’t they serve Sally’s world famous tuna rarebit?

You would think the older "brother" would be junior .. whatever

Muffins are great.

Love watching these, but seems like everything was too extra back then lol. You shouldn't have to put so much effort in appearance and routine simply to eat in your own home. Glad we don't gotta follow this lifestyle nowadays.

Bagel bites and gogurts on paper plates on the floor in front of the coffee table on the dirty floor with laundry every where is a no go...I guess!?

When you lose your parents it's the hardest thing to come to terms with because I feel so alone right now since my mother died I just filled that there's nothing to live for and at this point I just I don't know how I managed to go on but yes I do manage to go on I was the closest to her and I've ever been and without her I feel like my life is over my life feels like it's over and I just don't know what to do yet I don't want to commit suicide or do away with myself I don't have the courage to do that so I just accept things the way they are and it hurts without them they were my life both my mother and father I took care of them and I was there for them all the time and now I'm alone and I have no one to take care of me my parents were both wonderful❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤ rest in peace Mom and Dad and John❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

@ 3:45..."These boys greet their dad as though they are genuinely glad to see him"...as though?

Sounds alot like Hugh Beaumont form Leave it to beaver.

Lost gems but also some better lost coals

Man I remember my family eating all together, but then COVID-19 came and made my sister be homeschooled, since she starts at 8:00 and i start a little later, it ruins our lunch and dinner time, so we eat separate sometimes, hopefully things can get back to normal soon

MST3K tore this one up!

that child in this video is probably like 80 years old now

3:40 "As though.." haha

Fact: everyone in this video is dead.

I always thought the mother serves ??

The Woody Allen Story

Interesting mix of comments... If only the poster and some commenters could see past their deconstructionist criticism of tradition and social norms, to see how much good there is to find here. E.g. Maybe delaying difficult conversations doesn't mean avoiding them. Maybe stepping outside of your own narcissism and feelings-centric world for a bit, to show respect and consideration for your parents who sacrifice and provide for you isn't a bad thing. Maybe a family where everyone contributes, where civility is respected, where men admire, respect, and encourage their women, and women respect and appreciate the hard work of their men, could be a good thing. But for those who feel today's family is so much better, you may have it... All your chaos, distraction, and brokenness. Enjoy your feeling of superiority... along with the epidemic of depression, drugs, and suicide.

Dinner attire for 2021....pajama pants and a baggie t-shirt with holes in it..."Mom you didn't mend my clothes!" "Oh that's right, you were working a double shift..."

Hey bro it beats ordering dominos for din din.🍕

A date with your family.... Cletus from the simpsons has a different view on that title 😛😄

It amazes me how anti-communist they were in this era, but at the same time you were constantly told how to look, how to act, how to behave, essentially how to think. Nothing at all like communism.

its all about the cake.

Back in the 50's or very early 60's I remember eating dinner in the dining room with my parents. There was a carton of milk on the table that read "Homogenized." I made a foolish joke citing "Homo" and boy did that get the evil eye from my parents!

I'd like a date with the hunky older brother.

Wasnt dad on Bewitched?!

Don't tell anyone at the table your gay. It makes mom and dad uneasy.

You know you’ve watched too much analog horror when you thought the beginning was going to morph into something creepy.