Business screen magazine (1946)

"Kinfs X" Tells the Credit Union Story CKKDIl' IM()\ NVIIOWI. VSSOCIMION SI'ONSOliS I'lCII l!K SlOin Kelvinator's "Just Like Magic" Has Plenty of Consumer Appeal Sponsor: Orcilil I riinii Natiunal Xssiiriatiiiii. Title: Kings X. 29' o min. h «. I'ludu, cl U Jerry Fairbanks Productions. * Through the centuries, human needs and the prohlems of familv finance heing what they are. one of the average mans most constant problems is personal debt. Sickness, a short lay-off. unixpected hmisehold emergencies of all kinds can easily put the otherwise solvent wage-earner in financial hot water for the installment collector and the landlord are as inevitable as death and taxes. In medieval times, the debtors prison awaited the luckless I'itizeii; the preying loan-shark is the modern equivalent. I ntil the advent of needed small loan legislation, the man without capital or securitv was a hapless victim for the hoodlum lender. Another major source of consumer credit came to America some 50 years ago when the first credit union was formed in Canada and then in the I'nited States. This new 29';>-minute motion picture. King's X. is the story of that movement, its historical antecedents and the ways in which it serves the fortunate millions who are eligible for membership in plant, office and rural groups where these cooperative credit societies are formed, .lerrv I'airl.a.ik l'rM,|u,ti.Mi, pruduced the King's X for the Credit I Jiion National Association headi|uarters' organization in Madison. Vt isconsin. which aids and informs some thousands of member groups. Casting is excellent. Leo S. Rosencrans' screen story is a dramatic but very human tale of one man's need and of the warm and friendly spirit of personal aid which he receives from the credit union in his plant. An opening sequence, laid in London of 1665. shows the capture of a hapless debtor bv soldiers and their discomfiture when another \ ictini is saved by the painting of the king's ■'X'" on his front door. Those who bad done service for the monarch were protected by his mark. '".\verage man " Norman Roberts' house carries no "kings X." When he finds himself behind the financial 8-ball. family friend Barney senses the problem and takes Norm to Cliff Halverson. official of the company credit union. Norm signs up. gets an immediate loan to meet his urgent needs and. more important, gets a fresh start up the ladder of solvency in his family affairs. Showings of King's X will be held nationwide, particularly among factory and rural groups where membership potentials exist. Distribution arrangements are being made bv the Credit L nion National Association. Madison. Wis. ^' Debtor's Auction in 1700 was the plight of the luckless whose life insurance was thus acquired by the highest bidder. A Fortunate Few escaped debtor's gaol when their houses carried the magic symbol of the "King's X" on the front door. Norm Roberts is the "average guy" whose ler porary financial stress might have had an u happy ending bul for the credit union. Uncle Barney I played by Cuinn Williams, center) introduces Norm (Hugh Beaumont) to company's credit union and salvation. Spon.sor: Kelvinator Division of Nash Kelvinator Corporation. Title: Ju.U Like Magic. 15 min. color, produced by Raphael G. Wolff Studios. •k Just Like Magic will sell \ou a new electric stove if you don't watch out. This reviewer always feels helpless after seeing a picture like this because he either has to go out and buy his wife a new electric stove. Kelvinator of course, or feel apologetic because she is having to put up with an old gas stove, or even last vear's Kelvinator. Narrated by "Electricity Speaking." the film opens with industrial shots showing some of the many industrial applications of electricity, and then focuses on a home. There it points out the many fields in which electricity serves to lighten the housewife's load with refrigerator, food freezer, coffee maker, washing machine, water heater, clothes drier, vacuum cleaner, etc. Finally it settles down to business and what an electric stove can do for her. This housewife is Elyse Knox — and don't we all wish we had one around the house. "Electricity" shows her 10 reasons why electric cooking is good, and if the Gas Institute isn't looking we'll list them here: It is fast, clean, safe. cool, certain, healthful, economical, automatic, convenient, and modern. The points were well made, and we went home and kicked our old wood burning kitchen stove just to show what we thought of it. Just Like Magic will be distributed by the Kelvinator sales organization, .^fter seeing it themselves Kelvinator dealers and their salesmen will show it to consumer groups. \^ Business Groups and State Department Use "Story of Main Street Merchant" * The J. C. Penney Company's dramatic story about one of its store managers. Story of a Main ■'Street Merchant, has found enthusiastic audiences among groups that were originally never contemplated for it. The 45-minute picture, produced principally for employee showings as part of Peimey's Gcddcn Jubilee celebration last year by John Sutherland Productions, has not only been one of the most popular films distributed by Association Films to schools, churches and civic groups during the past year, but has been widely sought by hospitals, prisons, armed forces installations and business firms. Some of the companies that have shown the Penney film to their own employees are International Shoe Company, International Harvester. Socony-Vacuum. Kellogg Co.. Kraft Foods. U. S. Steel. Hood Rubber Co.. Rendix Home .Appliances. Armour & Co.. Boeing Aircraft, and even one W. T. Grant store! In addition, the film has been distributed aliroad by the Slate Department, and has been requested and played so far by 49 television stations and broadcast over the NBC-TV network by special request. ^ BUSINESS SCREEN MAG.AZINE