Control Your Emotions

About the production

This film was part of Coronet's extensive library of educational and social guidance films produced for classroom use. Like many Coronet productions, it was shot on 16mm film to be affordable for schools. The film follows the typical Coronet formula of presenting a social problem through a relatable teenage character, then providing expert guidance and a resolution. The production values were modest but professional, characteristic of the company's output during this period.

Themes

Themes & topics

Historical background

By 1950, competing studios crowded weekly bills, and Control Your Emotions had to win attention alongside newsreels and shorts.

Why this film matters

Reference works on 1950 cinema cite Control Your Emotions when tracing genre habits and studio economics.

Making of

Control Your Emotions was produced during the golden age of classroom educational films, a period when companies like Coronet Films dominated the market with thousands of titles. Director Ted Peshak, who worked extensively with Coronet, was known for his efficient shooting techniques and ability to deliver completed films quickly and on budget. The actors in these films were often unknown or local talent, sometimes actual students or teachers from the Chicago area where Coronet was based. The production followed a strict formula: identify a problem, present it through a relatable scenario, provide expert analysis, and show a positive resolution. The film was likely shot in just a few days with minimal takes, as the focus was on delivering the educational message rather than artistic merit. The 'expert' narration was recorded separately and added in post-production, a common practice for these films.

What critics said

Press files from 1950 rarely give Control Your Emotions extended review space; mentions appear in roundup columns.

Did you know?

• This film was part of the 'mental hygiene' genre of educational films popular in American schools during the 1940s-1960s
• Director Ted Peshak was a prolific director of educational films, helming over 100 productions for Coronet
• The film was likely shown in health or social studies classes across America to teach teenagers emotional regulation
• Coronet Instructional Films was one of the largest producers of educational films in the mid-20th century
• The 'expert' in the film is deliberately left anonymous to give the advice more authority and universality
• Like many mental hygiene films, it presents a simplified, almost clinical view of human psychology
• The marshmallow roast ending was a common trope in these films, symbolizing successful social integration
• The film's approach to emotions reflects post-war American emphasis on conformity and emotional control
• Many of these educational films have survived because they were distributed widely to schools
• The film is now considered a fascinating artifact of mid-20th century American educational philosophy

Visual style

The cinematography of Control Your Emotions follows the standard approach of Coronet educational films: straightforward, functional, and unobtrusive. The camera work is basic but competent, using simple compositions that clearly show the action and characters. The lighting is flat and even, typical of low-budget productions designed for classroom projection on less-than-ideal screens. The film was shot in black and white on 16mm stock, which was standard for educational productions of the era. There are no particularly innovative or artistic camera techniques; the focus is on clearly communicating the educational message rather than creating visual interest. The visual style emphasizes clarity over creativity, with medium shots predominating to ensure characters' expressions are visible.

Innovations

Control Your Emotions does not feature any notable technical achievements or innovations. The film represents standard production techniques for low-budget educational films of its era. The use of 16mm film made it affordable for schools to purchase and project, though it resulted in lower image quality compared to 35mm theatrical releases. The film follows the established technical conventions of Coronet's production line, emphasizing efficiency and cost-effectiveness over technical innovation. The sound recording and editing techniques were basic but adequate for their intended purpose of classroom exhibition. The film's technical aspects are historically significant only as examples of standard practices in the educational film industry of the early 1950s.

Music

Like most Coronet educational films, Control Your Emotions likely utilized stock music or a simple original score composed specifically for the production. The music would have been functional rather than memorable, designed to underscore the emotional tone of various scenes without drawing attention to itself. The sound quality reflects the technical limitations of 16mm magnetic stripe recording common in educational films of this period. The narration by the 'expert' would have been recorded in a studio setting with clear diction to ensure comprehension in noisy classroom environments. No specific composer or musical details are documented for this production, as was typical for these utilitarian films where music served a purely functional purpose.

Famous quotes

Jeff's problem is that he lets his emotions escape, instead of reining them in like everyone is supposed to.

Emotions are like horses - they're useful when controlled, dangerous when they run wild.

The logical mind must be the master of the emotional heart.

Memorable scenes

• The opening sequence showing Jeff's emotional outbursts in various school situations, establishing his character and the central problem.
• The expert's direct address to the camera, explaining the psychological basis for emotional control in a clinical, authoritative manner.
• The climactic marshmallow roast scene where Jeff successfully demonstrates his newfound emotional control and social acceptance.

What audiences thought

The original audience for Control Your Emotions consisted primarily of high school students who viewed it in classroom settings. Contemporary accounts suggest that students often found these mental hygiene films preachy and out of touch with their real experiences, though the messages were generally absorbed as part of the educational curriculum. The films were so ubiquitous in American schools during this period that they became part of the shared cultural experience of multiple generations. Today, the film finds new audiences among vintage film enthusiasts, historians, and those interested in mid-20th century culture. Modern viewers often find the film's approach amusing or quaint, though some appreciate it as a window into past educational methods and social values.

Film connections

Influenced by

• Other mental hygiene films by Coronet
• Contemporary psychological theories of emotion
• Post-war educational philosophy
• Social guidance film genre conventions

This film influenced

• Subsequent social guidance films by Coronet and other educational film producers
• Modern parodies of educational films

Film restoration

The film survives in 16mm form and has been preserved through the efforts of film archives and educational film collectors. It exists in the collection of the Prelinger Archives and has been digitized for online access. The film is not considered rare as it was widely distributed to schools, though finding a complete, good-quality print can be challenging. Multiple copies likely exist in university collections and private archives. The film has been made available online through various archival websites, ensuring its preservation and accessibility for researchers and enthusiasts.

Where to watch

• Internet Archive (archive.org)
• YouTube (through archive uploads)
• Some educational film streaming services
• University film collections with public access