social guidance
27 movies and shows
Shy Guy
Tue, 05 Aug 1947
Phil, a student who recently transferred into his high school, keeps to himself a lot, spending time in his basement building radios and record players. His dad notices that he has no friends, and tells him that, like the electronic parts he assembles, "you have to fit in with all hte other parts." Realizing that the reason he has no friends is because he's not one of the "crowd," Phil studies the most popular kids at school, in order to see what traits they admire most, so he can be like them and fit in.
Speech: Platform Posture and Appearance
Sat, 01 Jan 1949
Old short about the importance of good platform posture and how we can improve it through the simple knee test.
The Dangerous Stranger
Fri, 24 Feb 1950
In this film, a police officer tells children about the dangers of accepting rides or presents from strangers, and relates the unfortunate stories of several children who did and were never seen again.
Scared Straight! 20 Years Later
Thu, 15 Apr 1999
Adults meet up with the people who changed their lives twenty years ago by confronting them about their lifestyles as teenagers.
No Smoking
Fri, 01 Jan 1960
Made by Sid Davis, a prolific director of social guidance films, this anti-smoking film takes a blunt, no-nonsense approach to smoking cessation, arguing against the deceit of the tobacco industry with staged reenactments, stark narration, and bold title cards promising smokers a shorter life expectancy due to lung cancer.
Alcohol and Red Flares
Sun, 01 Apr 1973
This driver’s education film from the early 1970s, "Alcohol and Red Flares", warns viewers of the dangers of drunk driving. It recounts the story of a man named “Mike” who drinks heavily at a party, and insists on driving home. The consequences are steep and along the way, viewers learn about Blood Alcohol Level (also known as BAC or Blood Alcohol Content), techniques police use to verify a driver’s inebriation such as the breathalyzer, and the reasons why driving drunk is so dangerous. This film was produced by legendary social guidance filmmaker Sid Davis in cooperation with the Monterey Park Police Department.
The Outsider
Thu, 14 Jun 1951
Susan, a pretty high school student, has everything going for her—except popularity. She can't figure out why she is so "out of step" with the rest of the crowd. She finally comes to realize that her habit of "hanging back" and "not trying to fit in" is making her unpopular. She vows to change her ways and go along with the crowd, which means that people will like her.
Boys Beware
Sun, 01 Jan 1961
This anti-homosexual social "scare" short film focuses on the dangers of young boys talking to strangers.
Weight Reduction Through Diet
Mon, 01 Jan 1951
Film by the National Dairy Council about how to lose weight by adjusting daily caloric intake. Discusses the dangers of being overweight and the importance of maintaining a healthy weight through proper diet. It follows a group of overweight individuals, including students and adults, who participate in a weight reduction program at Michigan State College. The program involves a low-calorie diet plan, regular physical activity, and close monitoring of food intake. The participants are taught how to select nutritious foods, control portion sizes, and make healthier choices to achieve and maintain a healthy weight. The video shows the progress of the participants over a period of several months, highlighting successful weight loss and improved overall health.
Angry Boy
Tue, 07 Feb 1950
Alexander Hammid's sensitive narrative of how a pre-adolescent boy is helped by a psychiatrist to come to terms with his feelings.
Girls Beware
Sun, 01 Jan 1961
Girls Beware is a trilogy of tragedies brought about by teenage girls' attempts at independent behavior. Covers do's and don'ts in the babysitting situation. Develops the problem of the 'PICK UP' and the girls who go with boys that are too old.
H: The Story of a Teen-Age Drug Addict
Mon, 01 Jan 1951
Bill is targeted by pot pushers who use him as their entry to the "good kids." Needing money because his mother is sick and his father is absent, he drops out of school to become a pusher. He seeks help after seeing his supplier shoot up.
Book Him!
Sat, 23 Jan 1971
One of the social guidance / scare films made by prolific filmmaker Sid Davis, “Book Him!” was produced in the 1960s. It shows various youth / delinquents and the crimes they commit, and centers on the story of a white, teenage boy who is arrested.
American Thrift: An Expansive Tribute to the "Woman American"
Mon, 01 Jan 1962
Chevrolet presents this tribute to the American woman and her thrifty ways with money. The film also salutes the individuality of the Amerian citizen and the variety of choices we have in the marketplace.
The Path
Fri, 15 Aug 2025
Lost in his own struggles, a son (Varquis Charles) strays from his path, drawn by a mysterious flask.
For Which We Stand: To Be Held In Honor
Mon, 23 Jan 1950
In this film, servicemen are strongly urged to forgo illicit and casual sex because it is degrading and contrary to divine will. The joys of marriage and family are stressed. Long-term happiness should be the goal, not immediate gratification. A medical officer discusses sexual abstinence, saying that it will not adversely affect a man's virility. A commanding officer points out that sexual promiscuity among troops is not just the concern of the medical officer and the chaplain. He says that self-control should be practiced by everyone. Marriage and family should be the goal of every man. A chaplain speaks of abstinence and self-control as obedience to divine law. Shots include: sailors with their families; a wedding; sailors picking up girls and visiting prostitutes. There is some animation.
Vandalism
Sat, 18 Jul 1953
Two young high school boys spike the punch at a Halloween party, mischievously let the air out of car tires, and finally steal a car to go for a joyride. They're caught and thrown in jail, and, as the narrator says, this proves that pranks lead to "habit-forming wildness," and, of course, such anti-social behavior cannot be allowed to happen