THREE FRIENDS OR THE HELPING HAND

Year Published: 1930s

Description: Made by a group of students at Jr. High School 45 in the Bronx, New York, this silent film is titled "Three Friends or the Helping Hand”. It is a simple narrative of three friends who band together to help one another in school work and in sports. It delivers viewers a glimpse into the past utilizing a common narrative of adolescence. A reserved student, Savino, faces the anxiety of not getting picked for a football game. Savino is a considerably good student though his classmates are considered to be poor pupils. Students created the feature as a way to show strength among friends, highlighting the comradery between students along their education journey in public schools. Themes of friendship, education and hard work are explored. Note: Angelo Patri was serving as Principal at the time of the film’s creation; Patri may have been the first Italian-born American to become a school principal in the USA. He wrote books as well as a syndicated column, "Our Children", on child psychology, for newspapers and magazines. The Angelo Patri Middle School, MS 391 in the Bronx is named in his honor. Opening credits acknowledge the assistance of Dramatics Class, teachers and pupils of the school (:27). Margaret O’Ryan and Elias Katz assisted with the production (:30), cast: Jerome Abrams, James Bianco and Savino Saracino (could be their real names, who knows?) Note: Elias Katz may be the same man who later became a renowned psychologist and founder with his wife Florence Ludins of Creative Growth in Oakland, the first institution in the USA dedicated to supporting artists with disabilities. This film is especially interesting considering how expensive it was to make films back in the late 1920s/early 1930s when this was written, directed and filmed by students of the Motion Picture Class attending Junior High School 45 in the Bronx, New York. (This is possibly now known as the Thomas C. Giordano Middle School 45.) One has to wonder if the students had parents in the film business, or who worked for Eastman Kodak or a related company. 00:00 Opening credits acknowledge the assistance of Dramatics Class, teachers and pupils of the school (:27). Characters are noted including student identification numbers (:41). The narrative begins in physical education class (1:13). A football barrels for the cameraman (1:27); well-dressed youth rush for the huddle. Rock paper scissors pick the leader (1:35). The three friends enter scene (1:50). Team leaders dispute (2:00) over who must take Savino; a notoriously poor sportsman (2:10). Savino gets picked (2:38), the ball gets tossed and the game begins with a first catch (2:52). Score is kept on the chalkboard (3:02). On the final play, Savino stumbles and misses the ball losing the game for his team (3:38). The character of the students are explored; while Savino lacks skills in gym class, he is a good student (4:10). The math teacher chalks equations on the blackboard (4:30). The teacher checks the boy’s work (5:48) and encourages him to help his peers study after class. The three boys go to Jerome’s home (6:15) to study. The following day at James’ house (6:57) the boys study together again. Jerome and James decide to help Savino with his own weakness; sports (7:46). They instruct him how to kick (8:17), catch (9:03), and center the football properly (9:24). Later in the class year during algebra class (9:51), the math teacher hits the boys with another equation. The three solve the equation with ease (10:18). Savino, through the assistance of his childhood friends, proves successful on the ball field (10:45). The scoreboard prior to the final play is pictured (11:15). Savino scores a touchdown (11:28). The three boys march back to class, stacks of thick books under their arms (11:57). The film concludes with shots of the American flag raised above the school (12:20).

Complete Record: Made by a group of students at Jr. High School 45 in the Bronx, New York, this silent film is titled "Three Friends or the Helping Hand”. It is a simple narrative of three friends who band together to help one another in school work and in sports. It delivers viewers a glimpse into the past utilizing a common narrative of adolescence. A reserved student, Savino, faces the anxiety of not getting picked for a football game. Savino is a considerably good student though his classmates are considered to be poor pupils. Students created the feature as a way to show strength among friends, highlighting the comradery between students along their education journey in public schools. Themes of friendship, education and hard work are explored. Note: Angelo Patri was serving as Principal at the time of the film’s creation; Patri may have been the first Italian-born American to become a school principal in the USA. He wrote books as well as a syndicated column, "Our Children", on child psychology, for newspapers and magazines. The Angelo Patri Middle School, MS 391 in the Bronx is named in his honor. Opening credits acknowledge the assistance of Dramatics Class, teachers and pupils of the school (:27). Margaret O’Ryan and Elias Katz assisted with the production (:30), cast: Jerome Abrams, James Bianco and Savino Saracino (could be their real names, who knows?) Note: Elias Katz may be the same man who later became a renowned psychologist and founder with his wife Florence Ludins of Creative Growth in Oakland, the first institution in the USA dedicated to supporting artists with disabilities. This film is especially interesting considering how expensive it was to make films back in the late 1920s/early 1930s when this was written, directed and filmed by students of the Motion Picture Class attending Junior High School 45 in the Bronx, New York. (This is possibly now known as the Thomas C. Giordano Middle School 45.) One has to wonder if the students had parents in the film business, or who worked for Eastman Kodak or a related company. 00:00 Opening credits acknowledge the assistance of Dramatics Class, teachers and pupils of the school (:27). Characters are noted including student identification numbers (:41). The narrative begins in physical education class (1:13). A football barrels for the cameraman (1:27); well-dressed youth rush for the huddle. Rock paper scissors pick the leader (1:35). The three friends enter scene (1:50). Team leaders dispute (2:00) over who must take Savino; a notoriously poor sportsman (2:10). Savino gets picked (2:38), the ball gets tossed and the game begins with a first catch (2:52). Score is kept on the chalkboard (3:02). On the final play, Savino stumbles and misses the ball losing the game for his team (3:38). The character of the students are explored; while Savino lacks skills in gym class, he is a good student (4:10). The math teacher chalks equations on the blackboard (4:30). The teacher checks the boy’s work (5:48) and encourages him to help his peers study after class. The three boys go to Jerome’s home (6:15) to study. The following day at James’ house (6:57) the boys study together again. Jerome and James decide to help Savino with his own weakness; sports (7:46). They instruct him how to kick (8:17), catch (9:03), and center the football properly (9:24). Later in the class year during algebra class (9:51), the math teacher hits the boys with another equation. The three solve the equation with ease (10:18). Savino, through the assistance of his childhood friends, proves successful on the ball field (10:45). The scoreboard prior to the final play is pictured (11:15). Savino scores a touchdown (11:28). The three boys march back to class, stacks of thick books under their arms (11:57). The film concludes with shots of the American flag raised above the school (12:20).