NFR Project: 'Our Day' (1938)

 

NFR Project: ‘Our Day’

Dir: Wallace Kelly

Premiere: 1938

16:27

Here’s a literal slice of life. It’s a home-made documentary that outlines the day’s activities of a typical middle-class, white American family in the early 20^th century.

The director, Wallace Kelly, enlisted his own family members to “play” themselves as they go through all their usual activities – waking, bathing, dressing, eating breakfast, going to work, coming home, having dinner, playing games, and then retiring for the evening.

The film spools silently through their pleasant day. There is nothing to indicate where these people are living (it’s Lebanon, Kentucky), their political affiliations, or anything particularly distinguishing about them (the director’s brother plays the piano). These are just regular folks, living out what looks to be a quietly satisfying life together.

As documentation of what normality looked like at the time, it’s a marvelous record.

The NFR is one writer’s attempt to review all the films listed in the National Film Registry in chronological order. Next time: Porky in Wackyland.