British Pathe

Earls Court, London.

M/S of the 'Flat with Flair' exhibit at 'The Furniture Exhibition' designed by 'House Beautiful' magazine to look like a contemporary living room. Three glamorous women are demonstrating different gadgets in the room. C/U of Cynthia Parker as she enters carrying a portable...

Earls Court, London.

M/S of the 'Flat with Flair' exhibit at 'The Furniture Exhibition' designed by 'House Beautiful' magazine to look like a contemporary living room. Three glamorous women are demonstrating different gadgets in the room. C/U of Cynthia Parker as she enters carrying a portable cocktail cabinet. She opens up the mahogany box with a carrying handle to reveal various concealed drawers and shelves to keep bottles and glasses in. The narrator suggests this cabinet might make good bedside furniture. Top shot of the cocktail cabinet as Cynthia pours some drinks. C/U of Cynthia's smiling face as she pours.

M/S of two other women - one is sitting on a very modern purple couch reading a magazine while the other, Shirley Warren, is seated on the carpet listening to a record player. Shirley gets up from the record player and saunters over to the telephone. C/U of Shirley sitting on "a telephone cabinet and seat in one" decorated in hideous lime green leopard print. Shirley takes a telephone directory from the compartment next to the seat, looks for a number and dials it. High angle C/U of Shirley using the telephone. The narrator ponders whether this invention is in fact too comfortable - "you'll never get some of 'em off the line"!

M/S of the kitchen exhibit - "and that's where most women spend most of their time". A slightly older woman, Mrs. Macartney, is sitting on a stool behind an ironing board pretending to iron. She gets up and begins to fiddle with the appliances on the side board. C/U of Mrs. M. moving some pans. Panning shot follows Mrs. M. as she demonstrates the convenience of an "oven at eye level" before sitting back down at the iron. Tilt down to show Mrs. M's hands using the iron. C/U of the stool which not only allows the housewife to sit down as she irons but also incorporates a step ladder in its base "so she can get to the high cupboards".

M/S of the bedroom exhibit. A woman in a floral dressing gown, Miss Colburn, brushes her hair in front of the "latest design" in dressing tables made from white plastic with two adjustable mirrors! She puts down the brush and begins to apply some lipstick.

This item is a good example of the rise of labour saving devices and the way they were targeted at women.