“Economics: Credit Card” (1970) is a color, educational short film that discusses credit cards: how they can be used, how banks track spending, and how payments are made. A BFA Educational Media Film produced by Jarvis Couillard, the film discusses these points by following the fictional story line of a father who helps his kids buy their mother a gift by putting the charge on a credit card. The viewers then follow along as the charge slip makes its way from the shop to the bank and then the credit card statement to the dad’s mailbox. The first payment card, Diners Club, appeared in the United States in 1950, followed by American Express in 1958. These were both charge cards, where you pay the full amount on credit at the end of each month, but they were called credit cards at the time. From 1960 to 1966, there were only 10 new credit cards introduced in the United States, but from 1966 to 1968, approximately 440 credit cards were introduced by banks large and small throughout the country. These newcomers promptly banded together into regional bankcard associations. This film in particular, features the use of the Master Charge (today MasterCard) card which came out in 1969.

Opening credits – BFA Educational Media logo and title page overlaid footage of young brother and sister duo pursuing through store selling decorative paper plates and napkins, knickknacks (0:14). The pair excitedly look at a plate that says “Mother” in bold text and walk it over to the register (0:50). Cashier wears shift dress in retro floral print typical of the 1960s and rings up the plate for the kids; The two kids sift through their wallets and pockets to scrounge up enough pocket change to purchase the gift (1:15). The kids pull over their father who also sifts through change before handing over credit card; narration begins (1:46). Close-up 1960s-era Master Charge: The Interbank Card (today MasterCard) credit card on credit card imprinter/ ZipZap machine (2:09). Close-up of credit card with 1969-1979 face featuring the original Interbank logo of 1966; Dad points to different details of the card (this one associated with Crocker Citizens National Bank) (2:23). Close-up as dad signs the sales slip (2:43). Narrator walks through the functions of the different layers of the carbon paper of the sales slip (2:50). Perhaps Sweda (Monroe Sweda) Model 46 (1960-70s) cash register (3:06). Montage scenes exemplifying scenarios in which credit card may be used: to buy antique items, vinyls, grocery store, gas station, furniture store, beauty supply store – various signs in large lettering that read “credit cards excepted;” Master Charge logo appears throughout these scenes (3:26). Sign for Plush Horse Inn, Redondo Beach California, next to signs displaying which credit cards are accepted: BankAmericard, America Express (4:38). Mother of children cooks meal in kitchen, kids coyly raise up plate they bought as gift (4:40). Store manager opens Sweda Model 46 cash register and takes charge slips to back office to calculate charges (4:54). Manager enters branch of Crocker Citizens Bank (5:32). Bank teller feeds bundle of charge slips into a machine at bank that reads numbers from all of the slips (6:04). Close-up perhaps IBM 1401 Mainframe Data Processing System; Bill or “credit card statement” then printed out and mailed to home of dad from earlier scenes (6:26). Dad collects credit card statement from mailbox, shows kids how payment works, close-up of checkbook revealing date to be 1970 (7:25). Closing credits (9:38).

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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