Made by prolific filmmaker Sid Davis, whose cautionary films for young people were shown in classrooms around the USA, “Name Unknown” (0:12), is a movie that sternly warns teenage women against the dangers of trusting strangers that may turn out to be sexual predators. This is a black and white version of the film; it was also released in color. Plot summary: Juvenile court judge William B. McKesson speaks to a young runaway named Edie and her parents about the fate that often awaits girls like her — human trafficked, sold into white slavery, assaulted and even murdered. The Judge also rails against the parents, who he believes are too permissive and trusting. The Judge places Edie into juvenile detention hellhole for her own good so she can think about “whether showing off is worth a lifetime of regrets.”
The title card at 0:18 acknowledges the cooperation and assistance of real-life Judge William B. McKesson of the Los Angeles Juvenile Court for appearing in the film.
Judge McKesson speaks with Edie Adams and her parents (0:42). Just one in the hundreds of cases he’s handled as judge of the Juvenile Court. Edie ran off with a stranger that promised to marry her, but he has robbed the building and the loan office.
Carnival music is heard at a fair (1:11); a low angle shot of a Ferris wheel (1:17). A carnival pitchman plays the old shell game with a gullible man (1:22), who falls prey to the con (1:33). Judge McKesson, in a voiceover, tells the family that teenagers can be such “suckers.”
The judge pulls out a folder from his filing cabinet (1:37). He tells Edie and her parents about a teenage couple, parked alone in a car on a lonely road (2:03). A shadowy man in a hat approaches the car (2:17). He knocks on their window. With gun in hand, he forces the couple out of their car (2:34).
He demands money and jewelry (2:50). But it isn’t over. He then locks up the boy in the trunk of the car, as his girlfriend looks on in terror (3:07).
Back at the judge’s desk, he looks through another file (3:30).
A teenage babysitter and a child waves goodbye to parting parents (3:45). There’s nothing wrong with babysitting as long as you, and your parents, know the people. But Mary Hansen put an ad in the newspaper for sitting jobs. She runs to her mother with a newspaper in her hand (3:56).
A man in a hat comes to their home, and speaks to both Mary and her mother (4:09). The judge warns that the idea of going away with a stranger to his home is plain idiotic. Being under the guise of babysitting doesn’t make it right. The stranger gives Mary’s mother a phone number at which she can supposedly reach Mary, then leaves with her daughter (4:37).
It’s 12:32—an hour and a half past the time—but Mary isn’t home yet (4:51). Looking worried, Mrs. Hansen puts down her book and dials the number to reach her daughter.
But the woman who answers the phone has no idea where the man got this number (5:14). Mrs. Hansen hangs up her phone (5:37). Cut to a newspaper headline reading: “BABY SITTER SLAIN BY UNKNOWN ASSAILANT” Hollywood Tribune (5:46).
The next grim case is Ethel Ryan’s incident (5:57). Ethel and her friend, Lynn, run to catch a bus, but they are left behind. Two older men pull up next to them in a convertible (6:08), and after a short chat, the young girls get in their car (6:47).
Although they make it home (6:57), Lynn’s mother is disappointed that her daughter got in a car with strangers (7:21). Though Lynn is not permitted to come for the double date (7:35), Ethel stills gets in the car (8:06). Lynn watches them go (8:29). When one of the men leaves the car at 8:33, Ethel is left on her own with a total stranger (8:44).
Their car passes a sign reading “MOUNTAIN ROADS CLOSED AT SUNSET” (8:44). Ethel starts to feel uncomfortable, but when she tries to leave the car, the man stops her (9:02). Cut to another Hollywood Tribune headline: “SCHOOL GIRL FOUND UNCONSCIOUS IN HILLS” (9:13)
Judge McKesson can tell Edie and her parents hundreds of such cases (9:21). Edie is now sobbing (9:28). She will be sent to a detention home for three months—plenty of time to think about whether a few minutes of showing off, or feeling sharp, is worth a lifetime of regrets. The film ends with yet another person losing at the unscrupulous shell game (9:56). “Don’t be a sucker,” says Judge McKesson.
This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com
