Cinema Pacifico

[Roger Dyer]

Hi Shipmates, I have a question for you.........During the 1950's on passenger ships were on-board films shown for the benefit of the crew and, if so, were they shown on a regular basis? Never having sailed on such vessels I have always been curious. How many of us who plied our trade on cargo boats or tankers, etc., enjoyed such a luxury.
My own experience of this occurred during 1958 when I was a JOS on Port Line's 'Port Huon', an old passenger/cargo ship built back in the 1920's. We were engaged on the MANZ run for the whole of that year, travelling to and from the U.S. east coast, through the Canal, then down to N.Z. and Australia. We crossed the vast blue Pacific on four occasions and for most of the time enjoyed good weather, sometimes too good. One long, hot day was followed by another, seemingly identical (if you've seen the movie 'Groundhog Day' you'll know what I mean). Our time was spent chipping, scraping, painting, overhauling gear and if we were really lucky we'd be soogying or even holy-stoning, just as long as we could get some water on our bodies. Our leisure time was mostly spent reading, whether it was a good book, a cheap dog-eared 'Carter Brown' novel, a Man magazine or Reader's Digest, anything. If we were lucky one or two of the lads had a radio and if we could tune into a good music station on the short wave band so much the better. We also had cribbage and other card games and, of course, deck-golf which we seemed to play a lot of. Any break from this routine was greeted with enthusiasm and these activities were happily abandoned on those rare occasions when we were treated to a movie night. It became a 'Gala' event.
Watching a film at sea was something really different for us. It was, perhaps, a reminder of the things we had left behind in that other world where going to the 'pictures' was no big deal. That though was all part of a world we had forsaken for the chance to follow a life of adventure and most of us wouldn't change it for a second.
In relating the following I confess to using some poetic licence. It is an amalgam of my memories of those nights so long ago, but it is, I promise, based in fact.
...............................On the morning of the event it seemed that everyone was in good spirits. There was an air of expectancy that only increased as the day wore on. To be shown for the benefit of passengers and crew alike, the film was scheduled to commence at sunset in the ships 'Odeon' on No.3 hatch. The hatch, the smallest of five, was situated between the bridge superstructure (which also housed the saloon and officers accommodation) and the boat deck. The projector would be positioned at the fore end of the hatch and would be directed aft onto a screen secured to the rail at the fo'ard end of the boat-deck. The audience would be seated on chairs arranged in rows across the top of the hatch. The back row was always reserved for the officers and passengers, aprt from that we could sit anywhere. Our projectionist for the evening was usually a junior mate or engineer.
Meanwhile, up in the fo'c'stle, the deck crowd, having finished tea, were getting showered and shaved in preparation for the night's entertainment. We younger sailors would be wearing our best pair of Lee Riders or Wranglers topped off with a clean white T-shirt which contrasted nicely with our deep tropical suntans, or so we thought. This 'rig' was essential, of course, if we hoped to impress any young women among the twelve passengers the ship was allowed to carry. I don't know why we bothered really. It's not as if we of the lower-deck were allowed to fraternise with the passengers anyway. Young man's vanity I suppose, guess we just wanted to let them know what they were missing out on ( said he wistfully).
As the daylight was starting to fade we each grabbed a chair from the sailors mess and sauntered aft along the deck to the 'Odeon'. We also took a couple of buckets which we had filled with cold water and cans of our communal beer (since our ration was only two cans each day it didn't amount to much). After placing our chairs with the others, we lit our cigarettes and sat down to wait, chatting amongst ourselves in that easy going, humourous way that seamen have no matter where they are. The back row was still empty and so the film wouldn't be starting just yet, besides there were some stewards and also a couple of greasers from down aft still to come. Suddenly a muffled cheer signalled the arrival of the ship's resident 'girls' as they emerged from the stewards accommodation dressed for the occasion. Greeted by us with some good-natured comments, they minced cross the deck without a care in the world. Feigning difficulty, they had to be assisted up onto the hatch before they could join their 'Queen Bee' ( the Chief Steward) in the row behind us.
It was a pleasant evening. The heat, which had seemed almost unbearable earlier, had long since passed. The only breeze was created by the forward movement of the ship, but it seemed just right. Against the backdrop of a darkening horizon I could barely discern the slight roll of the ship. Occasionally I'd catch the faint smell of 'Old Spice' which was in competition with a more exotic, heady 'parfum' emanating from the 'Beauty Chorus' in the row behind. All in all I think it is the ideal place and atmosphere in which to watch a film (my opinion hasn't changed since then either). In the back row I hear soft laughter and the clink of glass on bottle. It seems that the young blonde passenger is suitably impressed by the attentions of the 4th Engineer - lucky b----r !
This vision of loveliness has been the object of our collective desire since she first came aboard in London. Still not to worry, ten more days and we'll be in Auckland chatting up those 'friendly' Kiwi
birds at 'The Orange' dance or the one at the Trades Hall.
At last, the projectionist starts to fiddle with his projector. Away to the west, crimson merges with mauve and purple as the dying sun melts into the ocean - it's SHOWTIME !!!. As the first images appear on the screen the chatter dies down and for the next two hours we, the audience, are transported elsewhere...........
That year I must have watched 7 or 8 films in this fashion, but the only one I can recall is 'Monsieur Hulon's Holiday' a comedy which starred in the title role, Jacques Tati, considered by many to be France's greatest ever film comedy actor. In black and white it was sub-titled, but much of Tati's performance is visual so it didn't seem to matter. The plot concerned a bachelor who, like most Parisiennes, flees from the heat of Paris in August and makes for the coast. He drives to a small seaside resort in a little car which can only be described as odd and jaded like it's owner. At the resort he stays at a hotel where he becomes acutely aware of the idiosyncrasies of his fellow guests and after some fireworks and other odd goings on the film finally creaks to a halt. For the character of Hulon, Tati adopts a very strange spring-heeled way of walking and with pipe in mouth and a silly hat, I confess that although the film could have been better, the Hulon character was very amusing and appealed to my sense of the ridiculous. At the time I thought it an odd sort of film with which to entertain British seamen. Perhaps a crime drama, western or war movie may have been preferable, but in the end I suppose it made little difference, after all it was the 'novelty' of it all that really mattered.
Show over, it was time to take our chairs back to our home in the fo'c'stle, our 'gala' evening at an end. The following morning at breakfast there was some discussion about the antics of M.Hulon the night before. For a short while some of the lads affected the strange gait of M.Hulon which caused some amusement, but we soon lost interest and went back to Carter Brown, the Reader's Digest and cribbage.........Anyone for deck-golf ?
Since that night I've seen the film again, two or three times, purely for sentimental reasons, the most recent being about three years ago when it was shown on television here in Australia. On each occasion I could swear that there lingered in the air a faint smell of 'Old Spice' and some other heady scent. Then again perhaps it's just my imagination .................cheers, Roger.

[Pete Leonard (Bruno)]

Good story Roger, and very well told. It looks as though you might be trying to compete with Captain Kong for yarn spinning. I was never on a ship that provided that kind of entertainment, but with a little a little imagination I was there with you.
Cheers
Pete

[Jim Brady]

Hi Roger,nice story well presented.We did'nt get to see the films on the big ships.I remember a couple of times on the Emp.Of Britain whilst in port the Social Club gave the electrician a case of beer for him to show a film in the passengers cinema for the crew.I was engineers steward on the Britain and as we knew the electrician we sometimes went into the projection room and watched the film through the projection window.
I was on a tanker where we had films as you know we would swap films with different ships.We had seperate showings for officers and crew.I remember the Grace Line ships down South America,they had a big screen set up between the sampson posts.I sailed with a guy he was telling me he was on a ship where the screen was set up on deck I'm not sure if there were passengers on there but at least the officers sat facing the screen and the crew sat at the back watching it from there.I wonder what would happen if watching a show like you with subtitles the subtitles on the crew side would be back to front.
You describing your film nights seemed like a big occassion to look forward to.
Regards.
Jim.B.

[Doc Vernon]

Hello Roger
Yes indeed a very good Story and as said are you competing with the Capt haha!

Anyway as for wether ant Films were shown for the Crew on borad Passenger Ships,well just for me that is,i cannot say that the UCL indulged in that Luxury for their Crews!
That was only for Passengers!
I dont think we would have had time anyway for that ,as Stewards always seemed to be busy with one thing or another! haha!
Anyway i am sure there will be other replies on this subject,so tahnks again!
Cheers

[Captain Kong]

Excellent piece of writing Roger, I could see it and smell the fragrance of your "young ladies".

The first time I saw a film at sea was on the GEORGIC in 1955 when we had Australian Troops on board from Sydney to Malaya. They were shown on the after deck and no one seem to object to us being there.
There were no films shown on deck as we were outward bound when we had the emmigrants from Liverpool on board and none when we had the French Foreign Legion on board from Viet Nam.
Maybe the Ozzy Troops were better treated than the others.
First time we had films for the crew were on the Clutha River, a Houlders tanker in 1961.

[John Adamson]

When I sailed with Hain-Nourse as an apprentice, it was always my job to show the films. In the tropics we always rigged a canvas screen between the Kingposts at number 4 hatch, with the crew, which was Indian, sitting on and around the hatch.Well one night we showed "How The West Was Won" and thanks to the Seafarers Education Service that provided the films, they also included a wide angle lense to get the best effects of what had originaly been a Cinamascope film.
Well for those that have seen the film, you will remember the great shot of the stampeding buffalo, that looked like they were coming straight out of the screen.Well suddenly we heard these shouts and noise of chairs turning over, so I looked down from the aft end of the Boat Deck, and saw the whole crowd, except for the Serang, cowering behind their chairs, until the scene was over, when they cautiously returned to their seats.

Also do you remember on long voyages seeing the same movie over and over again, until you could swap with another ship?

Good times?

John

[Roger Dyer]

Hello Bruno, Jim, Vernon, Brian and John,
A big thank you for your kind remarks and for the interest shown in this thread. In this post I shall try and respond to each of you ( but it ain't easy).
Firstly, to Bruno and Vernon, bless you both, but let me assure you that I'm not attempting to compete with the Capt., nor could I for heavens sake, the man is a master story-teller. I think it fair to say that he, with several others, is responsible for the healthy continuance of this site. I , for one, missed him when he was swanning around the Pacific with his lovely and it must be said that the site did seem to go a bit flat whilst he was gone.
Brian, I would have you know that after reading your kind remarks I found myself walking around, head in air, with a spring in my step, much like M.Hulon. I've been a fan ever since reading your excellent albeit haunting account of the sinking of the 'Pool Fisher' and it's aftermath...... Welcome back, mate, and thank you also for your memories regarding movies whilst at sea back in the 50's .
Finally, to Jim, John and again to Vernon, thanks for answering my question regarding films shown at sea for the entertainment of the crew. I was surprised to learn that UCL and similar companies did not provide this facility for their crews. Although Jim did manage a 'sneaky peek' when serving on the Empress Boats, it would seem that, normally, the watching of films was reserved for a select few. I don't suppose, Jim, knowing that there was a custom of 'swapping films' amongst some shipping companies and that other seamen, every now and then, were getting the occasional glimpse of John Wayne and Ava Gardner, made you feel any better. John, it seems that you and I were amongst the lucky few, mate, and yes I do remember that some films got played to death.
After the horror of WWII, why on earth didn't British shipowners recognise that they owed a huge debt to the men that had manned their ships during that time? Surely, improving conditions and facilities in their ships, after the war, may have gone some way towards repaying that debt. Unfortunately, any real improvement was slow in coming and, sadly, when it did 'entertainment at sea' must have been at the bottom of the list.
One day, perhaps, history will show that during the 20th Century the greedy, uncaring practices of some British shipowners left much to be desired, but by then, of course, it will be too late and of little interest.

...................................Roger.

[Jim Brady]

Hi Roger,I did'nt know whether to post this on here but it was because of your question did we have films on the passenger liners that brought this tragic accident to mind,you will see why when I explain.
It was on the Empress Of Britain,we arrived at Quebec and the dockers in Montreal were on strike so the cargo had to be discharged by the Quebec dockers.Not a lot todo in Quebec so the electrician was given a case of beer I think by the Social committee to put on a film for the lads in the passenger cinema.
I hope I get the terminology right here as I was catering so you deck people please bare with me.The dockers wanted the derricks moving ,they wanted the deck hands to carry out this task.Appararently there was only one AB and one DHU available.It got to the stage where the AB had the topping wire on the drum end and he had applied the chain stopper which he instructed the DHU to hang onto.As the AB released the last turn on the drum end the derrick dropped(Which it does I believe until it is stopped by the chain stopper)The Dhu let go of the chain stopper the derrick dropped the full distance which would obviously take the wire through the block up the sampson post.Unfortunately for the AB he was standing in the byght of the wire so he was taken by the wire up the sampson post and trapped in the block.The electrician who was showing the film was standing outside the projection room,close by,he witnessed this and his first reaction was to climb the ladder on the sampson post and try and release the AB.Unfortunately the AB fell and was killed.I dont know if he was already dead or the fall killed him I would'nt like to speculate,what would be the height of that about 40feet.
I hope you dont mind me posting this on here but the showing of films brought this memory back to me.
Regards.
Jim.B.

[Ivan Cloherty]

Hi Roger,I did'nt know whether to post this on here but it was because of your question did we have films on the passenger liners that brought this tragic accident to mind,you will see why when I explain.
It was on the Empress Of Britain,we arrived at Quebec and the dockers in Montreal were on strike so the cargo had to be discharged by the Quebec dockers.Not a lot todo in Quebec so the electrician was given a case of beer I think by the Social committee to put on a film for the lads in the passenger cinema.
I hope I get the terminology right here as I was catering so you deck people please bare with me.The dockers wanted the derricks moving ,they wanted the deck hands to carry out this task.Appararently there was only one AB and one DHU available.It got to the stage where the AB had the topping wire on the drum end and he had applied the chain stopper which he instructed the DHU to hang onto.As the AB released the last turn on the drum end the derrick dropped(Which it does I believe until it is stopped by the chain stopper)The Dhu let go of the chain stopper the derrick dropped the full distance which would obviously take the wire through the block up the sampson post.Unfortunately for the AB he was standing in the byght of the wire so he was taken by the wire up the sampson post and trapped in the block.The electrician who was showing the film was standing outside the projection room,close by,he witnessed this and his first reaction was to climb the ladder on the sampson post and try and release the AB.Unfortunately the AB fell and was killed.I dont know if he was already dead or the fall killed him I would'nt like to speculate,what would be the height of that about 40feet.
I hope you dont mind me posting this on here but the showing of films brought this memory back to me.
Regards.
Jim.B.

Hi Jim

Your deck terminology was correct, neither PSNC or Ropners (or others I sailed with) showed any films during my time at sea with them, so guess those who had them were lucky.

Also saw someone "go through the blocks" when a chain stopper broke, bit like Humpty Dumpty even the Kings men couldn't have put him back together again, once that derrick starts to fall and you are in a bight there's not much chance of coming down in one piece. Derrick 4-5000kgs versus man 60/80kgs = no contest

The deck was a very dangerous place at times derrick operations have to be treated with caution and respect

Ivan

[Ron B Manderson]

In brocks we had walport films. I got the job of showing them.
If in port we would swop with another ship.
While in Trinco we swapped them with a city line ship. The apprentice came to collect and they sailed that day. two days later the sparks was asked to tell the ending as the apprentice had dropped the last reel while going up the gangway. He never told anyone.
So you can think what our poor sparks had to do to tell story enging By Morse.
Glad it was the city lad that done the deed, and not me .
Ron the batcave