We have been working on our film about the history of the cinema in Sawston for several months with Peter Harmer, and this week we will get to see what it looks like, as we’re going to show an early cut at our regular film club meeting on Thursday. Apart from being really exciting, it will also give us a chance to see what we need to change in time for the firt public screening in July.

Getting ready

During our interview with Pearl we learnt that the cinema was always full and that it was very popular because there wasn’t much else to do in the village.   It was a very important factor of the village.  This was different to now because they used to show the news, the main film and another film, instead of just one.

The cinema seemed important to her family because she was named after a famous actress.  It would cost a sixpence for the front row, but it would cost more for the back rows.

Pearl said that the screen covered most of the back wall.  She used to come with her older sisters, which was exciting for her.

When Pearl heard it was going to close, she was very sad.

Erin

Asking questions

The first film was shown in 1932 was called Dhark.  It was a silent film but coming here was a step up from going into Cambridge.  The cinema used to show a film every Thursday, Friday and Saturday but after a year there was a new manager that came in who showed a film every week.

Brogan

We sat in a circle

We were speaking to Doug and he says he lost his elastic toy plane up on the roof of the cinema.  He told us that the films shown at the cinema were silent, black and white films, a bit like Charlie Chaplin and early Laurel and Hardy.  He also remembered the usher and his name was Mr Garret.  And the cinema had a pianist called Fred Samuel and a violinist.  People would smoke at the cinema and the ashtrays were in the chairs.

I spoke to Paul Mann, 82.  He was a very nice man, and he told us about how he met Pearl in the cinema, as his first date.  You paid more to go further back in the cinema.  There was no problem looking over people.  The posters which advertised the cinema were yellow.

During our interview with Pearl we learned that the cinema was extremely important to the community.  It was always full and the seats were cheap.

Talking about the old cinema

Pearl comes from a family in which cinema is of some importance.  Pearl’s mother named her after the actress Pearl White.  Pearl also named her own child after the actress Valerie Hobbs.

Pearl had been going to the cinema since the age of five with her two sisters.  During the Second World War Pearl loved going to the cinema during the black out.  Often her sisters would abandon her in the dark then suddenly jump out at her!  But they would always make up with the sweetest ice-cream.

Safiyya

I didn’t know there was one. (MS)

I can’t answer this question. (JG)

I know who made it but I forgot the name. (RS)

It was opened by Mrs Spicer. (JY)

I know it was opened by Henry Spicer. (LH)

Nothing apart from the fact that it was in this building. (SW)

Nothing (TB)