World Book Encyclopedia commercial (The Nutcracker: Trepak variation) [1968]
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This film appears to be a (television?) commercial for World Book Encyclopedia, probably one meant to air during the winter holiday season. The original film container notes suggest it was filmed in September of 1968 for the company Field Enterprises. It utilizes a clip from the ballet "The Nutcracker," perhaps one performed by Ruth Page's Chicago Opera Ballet.
Complete catalog record
Cfa collection: Ruth Page Collection
Notes: The film opens with a shot of sets from "The Nutcracker" lined up in a "backstage" space, where a child walks through and sits on a candy-throne. A male voiceover says, "When a child understands what goes on behind the scenes, the performance can only be more exciting. Workd Book Encyclopedia is that understanding. Whatever the subject--math, history, art--World Book sets the stage." During this voiceover, the camera zooms in on the young girl's face, which breaks into a smile just before "sets the stage," at which point the film cuts to a shot of bright stage lights, and then to an excerpt from a performance of the ballet "The Nutcracker," specifically a 7-man version of the "Trepak" variation. It is danced before the very same throne the young girl had been sitting on; it is now occupied by Clara and her Nutcracker Prince. Numerous camera angles are used in succession. When the men strike the final pose of the variation, the camera cuts back to the young girl sitting on the throne backstage. The voiceover resumes as the camera pulls back: "If you think the world of your child, this Christmas, give him the world--in books." The film fades to a shot of a collection of World Book Encyclopedia volumes as the voice says, "Welcome your World Book representative; he's listed in the Yellow Pages" as the words "WELCOME YOUR WORLD BOOK REPRESENTATIVE" also appear onscreen above the volumes. The film then fades to black and ends.
Sponsor: Field Enterprises
Subjects: Dance; Holidays
Language: English
Cfa elements: Reversal Positive Print, 50 feet
Cfa records: https://collections.chicagofilmarchives.org/Detail/objects/8661
Notes: The film opens with a shot of sets from "The Nutcracker" lined up in a "backstage" space, where a child walks through and sits on a candy-throne. A male voiceover says, "When a child understands what goes on behind the scenes, the performance can only be more exciting. Workd Book Encyclopedia is that understanding. Whatever the subject--math, history, art--World Book sets the stage." During this voiceover, the camera zooms in on the young girl's face, which breaks into a smile just before "sets the stage," at which point the film cuts to a shot of bright stage lights, and then to an excerpt from a performance of the ballet "The Nutcracker," specifically a 7-man version of the "Trepak" variation. It is danced before the very same throne the young girl had been sitting on; it is now occupied by Clara and her Nutcracker Prince. Numerous camera angles are used in succession. When the men strike the final pose of the variation, the camera cuts back to the young girl sitting on the throne backstage. The voiceover resumes as the camera pulls back: "If you think the world of your child, this Christmas, give him the world--in books." The film fades to a shot of a collection of World Book Encyclopedia volumes as the voice says, "Welcome your World Book representative; he's listed in the Yellow Pages" as the words "WELCOME YOUR WORLD BOOK REPRESENTATIVE" also appear onscreen above the volumes. The film then fades to black and ends.
Sponsor: Field Enterprises
Subjects: Dance; Holidays
Language: English
Cfa elements: Reversal Positive Print, 50 feet
Cfa records: https://collections.chicagofilmarchives.org/Detail/objects/8661
Sources
- Chicago Film Archives · record ↗ — title, year, length, format, color, sound, genre, description, catalog record, video
Record added 2026-11-08 21:25:11