National Anthem at Cinemas

[Sgt Sunshine]

Recently remembering cinema visits during the 60's & 70's, I became intrigued by the memory of the old Plymouth ABC Cinema....

It was customary here, to stand for the National Anthem before the commencement of the feature film. For some reason this was not the case with the other local cinemas. Does anyone know why this should be, and did this happen at other ABC's?

Any ideas welcomed....

Many thanks

Sgt S

[Steve Crook]

name='Sgt Sunshine' timestamp='1286906157' post='482035']

Recently remembering cinema visits during the 60's & 70's, I became intrigued by the memory of the old Plymouth ABC Cinema....

It was customary here, to stand for the National Anthem before the commencement of the feature film. For some reason this was not the case with the other local cinemas. Does anyone know why this should be, and did this happen at other ABC's?

Any ideas welcomed....

Many thanks

Sgt S

It used to be played after the main feature round our way.



There was the famous Dad's Army episode where they all scrambled out to catch the last bus as the National Anthem was playing, knocking Mainwaring over in the rush to get out.



Steve

[Sgt Sunshine]

name='Steve Crook' timestamp='1286906492' post='482036']

It used to be played after the main feature round our way.



There was the famous Dad's Army episode where they all scrambled out to catch the last bus as the National Anthem was playing, knocking Mainwaring over in the rush to get out.



Steve

Thanks for the reply Steve......yes I do remember that episode...

I pretty sure it was before the film started, but was not sure if it was peculiar to "ABC" Cinemas....?

[Girard]

I don't go to movies much any more, but I can't recall the Star Spangled Banner's being played at all during the 1960s and 1970s. In the old wartime movies, if a family, British or American, were listening to the radio, and their respective national anthem came on, the whole family stood up and generally placed their hands over their hearts. This would be considered 'hokey' now.

[jimw1]

name='Sgt Sunshine' timestamp='1286906157' post='482035']

Recently remembering cinema visits during the 60's & 70's, I became intrigued by the memory of the old Plymouth ABC Cinema....

It was customary here, to stand for the National Anthem before the commencement of the feature film. For some reason this was not the case with the other local cinemas. Does anyone know why this should be, and did this happen at other ABC's?

Any ideas welcomed....

Many thanks

Sgt S

I remember going to the ABC Most Saturday Mornings Alan....... along with my Then Girlfriend Norma....I was about 10 years old....... ......Wonderful times.......

If memory serves the kids were known as the ABC Minors .........

The National Anthem was always played before the Film.....

[Windthrop]

Before my time but I do remember the anthem being used in an amatuer dramatics as late as the 1980s before the play. Having said that the same group did Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None under its original title in 1985 ......

[Gerald Lovell]

Up here, it was played at the end of the performance - the audience was expected to stand - but when nobody bothered to stay for it, they then tried by playing the anthem before the performance. Eventually, they gave up playing it at all.

[CaptainWaggett]

name='Girard' timestamp='1286908633' post='482047']

I don't go to movies much any more, but I can't recall the Star Spangled Banner's being played at all during the 1960s and 1970s. In the old wartime movies, if a family, British or American, were listening to the radio, and their respective national anthem came on, the whole family stood up and generally placed their hands over their hearts. This would be considered 'hokey' now.

Really? I don't remember ever seeing that in a British film though I've heard of it In Real Life for the Queen's Speech. Maybe it happens in anti-communist films? I wonder if any patriots leap out of bed when the National Anthem is played on Radio 4 at 12.55am



I know an amdram company in Manchester that still plays it before shows though nobody holds their hands over their hearts as they shuffle reluctantly to their feet...

[Girard]

name='CaptainWaggett' timestamp='1286927576' post='482141']

Really? I don't remember ever seeing that in a British film though I've heard of it In Real Life for the Queen's Speech. Maybe it happens in anti-communist films? I wonder if any patriots leap out of bed when the National Anthem is played on Radio 4 at 12.55am



I know an amdram company in Manchester that still plays it before shows though nobody holds their hands over their hearts as they shuffle reluctantly to their feet...

As many films that were produced during these years, I can't give you chapter and verse. I do remember one, however, an English family, standing up from their dinner table as God Save the King came from the radio (was it Mrs. Minnever?). There were those, then and more now, on both sides of the Atlantic, who could have cared less--and if they were forced to get to their feet for their national anthems, were eager to return to their meals.

[CaptainWaggett]

name='Girard' timestamp='1286931740' post='482143']

As many films that were produced during these years, I can't give you chapter and verse. I do remember one, however, an English family, standing up from their dinner table as God Save the King came from the radio (was it Mrs. Minnever?). There were those, then and more now, on both sides of the Atlantic, who could have cared less--and if they were forced to get to their feet for their national anthems, were eager to return to their meals.

Ah, if it's Mrs Miniver, that's Hollywood making some rather peculiar assumptions about the way the average Briton lives

[Steve Crook]

name='Girard' timestamp='1286908633' post='482047']

I don't go to movies much any more, but I can't recall the Star Spangled Banner's being played at all during the 1960s and 1970s. In the old wartime movies, if a family, British or American, were listening to the radio, and their respective national anthem came on, the whole family stood up and generally placed their hands over their hearts. This would be considered 'hokey' now.

The hand-on-heart (or is it hand on wallet?) thing is peculiarly American.

I don't know of any other country that does it and if they do I suspect they copied it from the Americans.



Civilians here are just meant to stand up while the national anthem is being played.



The hand on heart salute was only started during WWII. Before then American schoolchildren used to salute the flag with an outstretched arm in a Roman salute. But when that was adopted by Italian fascists and then by the Nazis, the Americans stopped doing it.



Bellamy salute



Steve

[narabdela]

As I recall, it was always played at the end of the final show of the day only when I was young. It was considered bad form to leave before it finished.

[Gerald Lovell]

A la DAD'S ARMY, one of the Alf Garnett films (probably the first one) ends with Alf being left alone in a cinema proudly saluting while the national anthem plays out and everyone else has scarpered.

[CaptainWaggett]

name='Gerald Lovell' timestamp='1286963914' post='482198']

A la DAD'S ARMY, one of the Alf Garnett films (probably the first one) ends with Alf being left alone in a cinema proudly saluting while the national anthem plays out and everyone else has scarpered.

Both these examples do rather indicate that staying for the end was considered rather bonkers by 1970

[ShirlGirl]

Here it was played after the main movie - way back when every session had a double feature, plus news, plus cartoons. At the Saturday matinee all the boys would rush for the exit even before the last scene had faded, especially if it was a kiss. It was like a stampede sometimes! Anyone who wasn't quick enough would get caught and would freeze in the aisle or half-way out of the seats. I always stayed glued to the screen until the credits had finished so I always got caught!



Back in "my day" the National Anthem was always played before or after just about everything you could think of - concerts, plays, all types of functions. Even at the end of the Saturday night dance at the town hall or wherever. Very loyal to the monarchy we were in those days!



I can't remember when it all eventually stopped. Perhaps around the same time as Sunday morning church bells were outlawed.

[Gerald Lovell]

Of course, before the days of 24 hour television, close down every night was preceded by a rendition of the national anthem accompanied by film of the Union Jack flapping in the wind. I think they only do this now when a member of the royal family dies, presumably with the flag at half mast.

[Sgt Sunshine]

name='Gerald Lovell' timestamp='1286979075' post='482254']

Of course, before the days of 24 hour television, close down every night was preceded by a rendition of the national anthem accompanied by film of the Union Jack flapping in the wind. I think they only do this now when a member of the royal family dies, presumably with the flag at half mast.

I wonder if that was the case a few years ago when the Queen Mother passed away......?

As for the anthem in Cinemas, it may have been the case that it was played at the conclusion of the feature at first, but was subsequently moved to its prior slot (before the main feature)so that it was correctly observed......

Anyhow....I do have clear memories of sitting back down at its end, which is unlikely if it were the end of the show....

Thanks for the interesting replies...

Sgt S

[GRAEME]

name='Gerald Lovell' timestamp='1286979075' post='482254']

Of course, before the days of 24 hour television, close down every night was preceded by a rendition of the national anthem accompanied by film of the Union Jack flapping in the wind. I think they only do this now when a member of the royal family dies, presumably with the flag at half mast.

And the wonderful parody of it at the end of The Bed Sitting Room!







"God bless Mrs Ethel Schroake of 393a High Street, Leytonstone..."

[ShirlGirl]

name='Gerald Lovell' timestamp='1286979075' post='482254']

Of course, before the days of 24 hour television, close down every night was preceded by a rendition of the national anthem accompanied by film of the Union Jack flapping in the wind. I think they only do this now when a member of the royal family dies, presumably with the flag at half mast.

Close down on Sydney's Channel 7 used to be Tommy Leonetti singing "My City of Sydney", followed by a cartoon kangaroo putting her joey to bed and shaking out the 7 into a blanket, then the National Anthem.



ABC TV gave us fireworks displays from all around the capital cities of each state and Canberra, followed by Julie Anthony belting out the National Anthem.



It always bugged me the way she pronounced "advance".... "advahnce" - it's not Australian. (She is.)



[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HZPtiC7YLw&feature=related[/media]

[Marky B]

name='Steve Crook' timestamp='1286956480' post='482173']

The hand on heart salute was only started during WWII. Before then American schoolchildren used to salute the flag with an outstretched arm in a Roman salute. But when that was adopted by Italian fascists and then by the Nazis, the Americans stopped doing it.



Bellamy salute



Steve

When I was at school in 1978,we visited the Soviet Union,and part of the tour was a trip to a Pioneer Camp outside Moscow. Their saluted was similiar,but with the arm bent (as if keeping the sun out of their eyes). It reminded me too much of the Nazi salute and the Hitler Youth.



Ta Ta

MArky B