“THE VICIOUS CIRCLE” 1951 ALCOHOL ABUSE & ALCOHOLISM CHRISTIAN TEMPERANCE UNION FILM XD49384

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This black and white 1951 sponsored film tells the story of Tommy, a successful Los Angeles advertising man, who takes his beer campaign a little too seriously, and slips into a “vicious circle” of alcoholic behavior, culminating in a thwarted suicide attempt. Tommy survives to wage a campaign against the very advertising he used to propagate (TRT: 22:54).
Opening titles over a bottle of beer: “The National Woman’s Christian Temperance Union Presents, The Vicious Circle, Produced by Fred S. Niemann” (0:11). An intoxicated man rises from a bar after having had several beers. Narration introduces us to “this bum, this drunk,” Tommy Farrell, the narrator’s former self. Walking past downtown bars and advertisements: “Liquor House” (0:40). Tommy mentions he used to be an artist for liquor ads (1:08). An oil derrick in a residential area. Tommy staggers by (1:26). Drinking a bottle of beer. Approaching a bridge. Contemplating suicide, Tommy throws a bottle over the bridge and into the water (2:06). Preparing to jump. A well-dressed man driving by stops the suicide (3:31). Tommy talks to his friend and savior, sobering up (4:10). A sign: “Auto Park” (4:43). An office building. Inside, Tommy looks at artist’s proofs for an ad campaign for beer: “Feel Hearty and Hale Drink Glockenspeil’s Ale” (5:04). Tommy enters a bar decorated with a wooden wagon wheel (6:16). Talking to a woman at the bar over glasses of beer (6:29). Returning home drunk with flowers to a house decorated with palm trees. Tommy’s daughter turns away, frightened (7:17). Back at work, Tommy can’t be bothered to see his wife (8:13). Signs: “Venice Liquor House, Herb’s Liquor, The Circle ‘B’ Cafe, Cocktails, Christmas in Beverly Hills” (8:54). Los Angeles holiday decorations. A wine shop. A mural for Calvert Reserve whiskey, a billboard: “They all want Budweiser, nothing else.” Another: “It’s 6 to 4 you’ll pick Acme.” A towering 12-story ad for Old Forester (9:13). Drinking at work (10:03). Back at the bar, handing out money to the hostess (10:30). An illuminated Christmas tree and storefronts, liquor signs and ads. “Club Comet, CLC Club” (10:43). Tossed out of the bar. Skid row. An elderly man smokes a pipe, another drinks curbside (11:03). Neon: “Lucky Lager.” A man with a fedora drinks in silhouette. Checking discarded bottles for drips of booze (11:44). Checking a storm cellar. Wandering past storefronts to a pawnbroker and hocking a cherished camera (12:21). Squinting into the sunlight. Drinking in an alley (13:24). Approaching a drug dealer in sunglasses and purchasing pills (14:04). Taking sedatives and chasing the pills with alcohol. Passed out (14:31). Waking up in the gutter (14:54). Meeting with a doctor. Tommy’s wife supports him (15:39). Meeting with another doctor, who distributes The Union Signal, a publication of the Women’s Temperance Union. They shake hands (16:14). Reading the Union Signal. The narrator wonders why alcoholic beverage labels don’t have warnings: “May be habit forming” (17:21). Meeting outdoors with like-minded men, Tommy presents misleading liquor ads and his proposed stick-on warning labels (17:34). Stickers in closeup. Satirical cartoon ads lampoon the liquor industry: “Millions of Undiscriminating People Guzzle Post Mortem” (19:38). Leaving for Washington (20:39). Country driving, train tracks. Walking up to the Capitol building in awe (21:22). Title overlay: “Will This Be The End?” and a call for discussion (22:13).
Writer and director Fred Niemann led a Chicago-based industrial film company that put out several shorts dealing with the issue of temperance. Niemann is also known to have worked a brief stint as a gag writer for 1930s Warner Brothers Merrie Melodies cartoons under Frank Tashlin.
The Women’s Christian Temperance Union, founded in 1873, remains active to this day.
According to the CDC, excessive alcohol use is responsible for more than 95,000 deaths in the United States each year. Alcoholism is a leading cause of preventable death in the United States.
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[@DVincentW]

Lost Weekend Ray Miland great film.

[@rockcvn71]

Been sober 20 years by the Grace of God and fellowship of AA.

[@jackuzi8252]

I find it hard to believe that this ad man had never before had a glass of ale.

[@elev8tr15]

Millions of alcoholics have died since this film was made and will continue to. We worry about a pandemic. This epidemic has been with us for decades with no end in sight. Drink up!

[@monicaperez2843]

My father was a "functional alcoholic," never missing a day of work, but dying an early death due to the disease.

[@PeriscopeFilm]

Sorry to hear about that.

[@monicaperez2843]

@@PeriscopeFilm Wish we had still had warning films such as this for the whole family, not just for students. Interestingly, they mentioned warning labels on alcoholic beverages and tobacco as well as advertising restrictions *decades* before their time! Keep up your excellent work, Periscope!!

[@strictly45s6]

@@monicaperez2843 I don't think it was before its time. I think it took them as long as it.

[@MoonShadowWolfe]

Wait ... this story started with the narrator speaking in the present tense, about being staggering drunk. And he didn't relapse? It's even called Vicious Cycle. Where's the relapse in this story?

[@michaelfuller4955]

What did you say about relapse? Alcoholism kills millions of people you fool so if you relapse and died, would you figured the film was a lot better or something you goof

[@kennethjohnson9370]

My dad drank a lot of alcohol and he would be drunk for days with medicine he would hurt my mother a lot he will be passed out for days when something goes wrong in life he said we would have to die he is dead now

[@carlnotkarl]

I could go for a martini right about now.

[@proud2bpagan]

one's too many and a thousand's never enough.

[@pinkydogbear]

so true

[@1EvilDoctor]

Yeah, it's the advertising that was responsible... This was made 18 years after the repeal of Prohibition, and they were still making the same bad arguments that caused Prohibition in the first place...

[@scratchdog2216]

Been there, done that. I choose now. Stay alert.

[@lawrencemiller3829]

The question is, like political advertising, why do people unquestioningly follow such things?

[@briangriffin4937]

Great scenes of Southern California in the early ‘50s

[@aPoorsPerspective]

We really used to be a proper country didn't we.

[@elias560]

@@aPoorsPerspective no

[@patricklena9307]

I take it alcoholics Anonymous was really not in full gear back then. The program was founded in nineteen thirty nine and this looks to be late forties. I love how they think the warning labels would have made such a difference or posters dissuading drinking. Honestly the best thing that anybody could do to combat alcoholism is become a member of one of those groups and due as they do. It is free and it works without a doubt

[@Keithbarber]

1951

[@Lyndanet]

Would anyone know the location of such a beautiful bridge and if it still exists 2:54 3:33

[@aPoorsPerspective]

I think this is in southern California. I'm not sure exactly where though.

[@Lyndanet]

@@aPoorsPerspective thank you it is amazing work

[@ktatlow]

It looks like Los Angeles to me. Wonderful old location shots in this film.

[@rockcvn71]

It's all true for those of us who break out in a rash of a self will run riot after a drink.

[@lindathrall5133]

MY MOTHER IS AN ALCOHOLIC I HAVE NO USE FOR HER I WAS HURT BY A DRUNK DRIVER

[@50centgotshot9times]

I have the same problem but with something else. My addiction is more mental than physical. I am so used to the routine of doing what I do that it's extremely hard to go for more than one day without falling back into the same pattern. I was so positive yesterday that I have turned a new page. I attended a group for anxiety and it went well but here I am again in my room doing what I have been doing for the last 4 years. Can anyone who's recovered please give me any pointers? I don't want to attend rehab as it's expensive. I need someone to support me but no can as everyone has enough on their own plate. I really really want to quit and turn my life around. I can't go on like this.

[@ashdallis6701]

surrender your life to Jesus Christ and let Him change you. Jesus died on a cross for our sins and rose to life again on the third day. He can change you

[@ashdallis6701]

"CAST ALL YOUR ANXIETIES ON HIM, BECAUSE HE CARES FOR YOU" -1peter 5:7

[@strictly45s6]

To br quite honest with you, bike riding and other forms of exercise helped many people I know. Withing days they were not a victim of stress and or anxiety.

[@manhoot]

Just say no to booze.

[@joegoldman3065]

I like the blonde hair floozy in the bar. I always tried to find girls like that but I was not too successful at it. they would have been a hell of a lot less work than regular girls.

[@MoonShadowWolfe]

Girls whose time is for hire? Yes, as long as you pay their rate, you do indeed do less work by hiring them than you do when you have to treat these nonmen like they're human people so that they actually want your company.

[@michaelfuller4955]

You know if people are going to drink they’re gonna drink it like cigarettes. Now you get to add in all about smoking causes cancer people are still smoking and people are still drinking and you got all the warning labels you want. People are still gonna drink and some of them are going to die, I nearly died myself and drinking and pills and prescription drugs provided by doctors so there he goes. I know what I’m talking about OK so why God bless

[@redwatch1100]

It must have been really hard to find weed back then.

[@MoonShadowWolfe]

And when you did, it was more leaf than flower, hardly even 3% potent. Poor fellas.

[@doublequin]

Horribly contrived film. Good grief

[@KLHJ]

AA and the 12 Steps suggested as a program of recovery have allowed me to have a happy life for 40 years, since 10-20-83 ... That said, I support whatever works for a person. My brother has been clean and sober now for about 45 years and found sobriety through Christianity.

[@lauradaly8020]

The best help for someone in that instance is for them to know the LORD as his or her Savior.