1958: Could you survive 50s CHARM SCHOOL? | Tonight | Classic BBC clips | BBC Archive

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  • Опубліковано 23 лют 2022
  • Alan Whicker visits a London charm school for women, to find out the various dos and don'ts (mostly don'ts) one should adhere to in polite society. He speaks to Mrs Astelle - the tutor at the school - who faces the unenviable task of teaching a group of frightfully uncouth 1950s ruffians some proper deportment and etiquette.
    Whicker also meets a few charm school graduates, who are now officially charming. They clearly feel it was worthwhile.
    This clip is from Tonight, originally broadcast 4 March, 1958.
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КОМЕНТАРІ • 82

  • @laraffinee
    @laraffinee 26 днів тому +3

    I went to Charm School in the 1960's for 12 weeks. I am so grateful that my Mother insisted that my sister and I complete Charm School. I was 13 at the time and it was wonderful. I learned how to care for my skin, basic makeup and hair grooming techniques, proper posture and gait. proper social interactions and etiquette, and how to entertain. This training was invaluable! As a fun side note, I was chosen as the "Most Charming" at the Graduation ceremony and still have the Charm bracelet commemorating it. This training gave me the confidence and presence of being that affected my whole future. I have been a Doctor for over 35 years and my husband is a professor at a very prestigious University, so we have had many social interactions with World leaders and other prominent people. Although there have been many other influences and mentors in my life, Charm School was certainly a valuable foundation for me. I do not understand why such schools do not exist any more.

  • @betsyrocks
    @betsyrocks 2 роки тому +36

    Mrs Astelle's a right laugh. I bet she's fun at a party.

    • @Rust_in_Time
      @Rust_in_Time Рік тому +7

      She just likes to show them that they're 'doing it all WRONG'!

  • @MelDaltonMusic
    @MelDaltonMusic Рік тому +19

    That interviewer is a kick in the pants. "What were you doing *wrong* before you took the course?" 🤣 "Can you *learn* a naturalness at a 25 Guinea course?" 😂

  • @TravelingBibliophile
    @TravelingBibliophile Рік тому +24

    With inflation they each paid £431.62 (in 2021 cash) for charm school.

  • @justchristine8479
    @justchristine8479 Рік тому +30

    I think I must have let myself go 🤔….. as am sat watching this in my trackpants and dressing gown at midday.

    • @Rybo4
      @Rybo4 Рік тому +1

      We all do it

    • @maryrosed8475
      @maryrosed8475 Рік тому +5

      @@Rybo4 My late Mum always said never let yourself go! She was always immaculately groomed. Unfortunately I did not take after her!
      But the 50's/60's were very elegant times.

  • @letsbereal9455
    @letsbereal9455 Місяць тому +1

    Bring back the charm schools! Here in the USA, charm schools were common for young women in the 1950s too.

  • @josefserf1926
    @josefserf1926 5 місяців тому +9

    Charm and good manners are things worth teaching.

  • @otiliaflorea2830
    @otiliaflorea2830 15 днів тому +1

    Charm can’t be bought and it can’t be taught. True charm is the gift of God and I think that this video shows the truth of what I say.

  • @MadamoftheCatHouse
    @MadamoftheCatHouse Рік тому +21

    Who else got the feeling the interviewer is trolling everyone?

    • @bradford_shaun_murray
      @bradford_shaun_murray Рік тому +4

      exactly ..we know it, he definitely knows it, but in 1958 they most probably didn't know it lol :
      0:38
      2:13
      5:38
      6:57

    • @davidlong1459
      @davidlong1459 Рік тому +3

      Alan Whicker was brilliant at these sorts of things. Only properly saw the latter end of his career growing up in the 70s but his dry wry approach was genius and he charmed insights from any interviewee, literally from the least to the most powerful and influential people in the world.

  • @Dudu-ox2rd
    @Dudu-ox2rd 2 роки тому +22

    Alan Wicker, very popular, top documentary maker active up to the 80s I believe. Had a programme called "Wicker's World "

    • @fluffyfour
      @fluffyfour Рік тому +1

      Even Whicker (with an H)

    • @orionxtc1119
      @orionxtc1119 8 місяців тому

      Yes... he did a couple of compilations of his past interviews in 2009 when he was very old...here is one...
      ua-cam.com/video/dwd_Ky3Frhc/v-deo.html

    • @orionxtc1119
      @orionxtc1119 8 місяців тому

      And another....:
      ua-cam.com/video/DVxBPtGyHMc/v-deo.html

  • @HughTVDX
    @HughTVDX Рік тому +14

    Basil Fawlty said his wife's charm school was bombed in the war.

  • @frepi
    @frepi Рік тому +19

    What was called "charm" then I would be called manners today

  • @fluffyfour
    @fluffyfour Рік тому +11

    That scary woman defining charm reminded me of some of my worst teachers. Terrifying!

  • @havingalook2
    @havingalook2 Рік тому +3

    Charming.

  • @welshlad6427
    @welshlad6427 2 роки тому +24

    Bring back the charm please.

  • @AprilHarmony9
    @AprilHarmony9 6 місяців тому +3

    I've been to a business and social etiquette program before (but it wasn't a school). I passed actually but thats b/c my father raised w/ social graces already😁 I had a ball❤💯

  • @pauloliver6813
    @pauloliver6813 Рік тому +6

    Mrs Estelle- the definition of charmlessness. Of course, truly charming Alan Whicker knows it.

  • @grhinson
    @grhinson Рік тому +3

    At peace with one's self...

  • @skylongskylong1982
    @skylongskylong1982 6 місяців тому +1

    A lot of money in 1958, when secretary was paid just over £7.00 .
    So was U.K. in the fifties, and sixties, overall better than it is today ?

  • @TheMcleodGirl
    @TheMcleodGirl 2 місяці тому +1

    I have £25 ..where do I sign up

  • @6711BC
    @6711BC Рік тому

    Hmmm, where did it go?

  • @krisvind1715
    @krisvind1715 2 роки тому +13

    Everything about this video seems creepy, but they way the interviewer moves his weird little mouth is hillarious

    • @welshlad6427
      @welshlad6427 2 роки тому +12

      I’d say the world we live in now is far more weird than this clip would ever be. Bring back the charm schools please.

    • @Rybo4
      @Rybo4 Рік тому

      @@welshlad6427 lmao jump as soon as you can bro

    • @bradford_shaun_murray
      @bradford_shaun_murray Рік тому

      Hello...😁 0:05
      0:38 👀
      6:57 👀

    • @gezbo66
      @gezbo66 2 місяці тому

      Creepy, You must be joking. Heave a look at today’s youth and the word creepy takes on a new significance.

  • @dexterfitben
    @dexterfitben Рік тому +2

    Deportment, carriage and gait...lol

  • @MicheleDoenges
    @MicheleDoenges 9 місяців тому

    LOL those who can't do, teach.

    • @KD400_
      @KD400_ 5 місяців тому

      Modern women need to be taught this

  • @gregordavis
    @gregordavis Рік тому +2

    This interviewer doesn’t listen and just fires questions

  • @TheMcleodGirl
    @TheMcleodGirl 2 місяці тому

    Obviously the interviewer is devoid of charm as he keeps interrupting Mrs Astelles... I'm sure it's her good manners that keeps her from clipping him around the ear.. I hope he has £25 in his pocket and registers for one of her (beginner) classes..

  • @johnsinclair4111
    @johnsinclair4111 Рік тому +11

    A time when there were standards in society, unlike the lowest common denominator so popular with the BBC today

  • @sarahlouise7163
    @sarahlouise7163 2 місяці тому

    i think Ms Charm School could do with some lessons herself. really quite charmLESS.

  • @lazydgsf7429
    @lazydgsf7429 Рік тому +2

    Irony.

  • @qasaaye23
    @qasaaye23 Рік тому +6

    Very annoying the way reporter was asking questions.

    • @MelDaltonMusic
      @MelDaltonMusic Рік тому +4

      I actually thought he was brilliant.

    • @janeflip1
      @janeflip1 4 місяці тому

      What do you expect an interviewer to do!?!

  • @I_Will_Disappoint_You
    @I_Will_Disappoint_You Рік тому +3

    The instructress isn't very charming.

    • @pauloliver6813
      @pauloliver6813 Рік тому

      Absolutely! Charmless, really. But then again, who can say what social skills will be like in 65 years from now? On the evidence of this 2 minute, 65 year old clip I don't like Mrs Astelle, but I have to say , at least she seems convinced by her own convictions.

    • @bradford_shaun_murray
      @bradford_shaun_murray Рік тому +1

      she's blessed 1:27

  • @J88HNT
    @J88HNT 2 роки тому +32

    This is what the modern woman is lacking. Charm.

    • @meelodeshmeeelo2034
      @meelodeshmeeelo2034 Рік тому +29

      Perhaps it’s the company you keep

    • @s.g2344
      @s.g2344 Рік тому +28

      And modern men as well

    • @iamuniqueism
      @iamuniqueism Рік тому +3

      @@s.g2344 men don't need charm!!!

    • @Akniy
      @Akniy Рік тому +13

      Considering you make this kind of comment it's definitely because of you.

    • @toniyah5381
      @toniyah5381 6 місяців тому +2

      @@iamuniqueismbut men should be gentleman like just as women should be ladies

  • @SA-de4lc
    @SA-de4lc Рік тому +6

    "Modesty is the guardian of chastity." With the feminism, the modesty is gone !

  • @EM2theBee
    @EM2theBee 10 місяців тому

    I don't see any women of color.

    • @toniyah5381
      @toniyah5381 6 місяців тому

      It was a different time period and in Europe. Women of color in the upper class had access to their own finishing schools.

    • @EM2theBee
      @EM2theBee 6 місяців тому

      That just made my point.

    • @toniyah5381
      @toniyah5381 6 місяців тому +1

      @@EM2theBee what point?

    • @EM2theBee
      @EM2theBee 6 місяців тому

      @@toniyah5381 sorry, I edited for clarity.

    • @janeflip1
      @janeflip1 4 місяці тому

      So?

  • @mindblast3901
    @mindblast3901 Рік тому +7

    Yes Better Days not woke BBC Trash