Life, 1927-11-10 · page 31 of 44
Life — November 10, 1927 — page 31: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is **advertising, not satire or political commentary**. The page promotes Filmo movie cameras by Bell & Howell, a real manufacturer of motion picture equipment. The content appeals to middle-class consumers by emphasizing that professional-quality filmmaking—previously restricted to Hollywood studios—is now accessible to ordinary families. The opening narrative about a young couple preserving memories of their mother and infant son establishes emotional stakes: these cameras let you document precious moments. The image shows a woman operating a Filmo camera, positioned as both user-friendly and technologically sophisticated. The text stresses Filmo's "distinctive design," precision engineering (borrowed from professional studio cameras), and ease of use—key selling points for consumer technology. A secondary pitch mentions Eyemo cameras for those wanting to commercialize their films, suggesting an entrepreneurial angle. The advertisement reflects 1920s-30s optimism about consumer technology democratizing professional capabilities.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
4 ) ay Py celess motion pictures of your dear ones ab) they are e today YOUNG couple we know has A two movie films, taken by them- selves, with Filmo camera, that you couldn't buy today for a million dollars each. One shows a beautiful gray-haired mother, like your ting, smiling, once more happy preparing for a November holida The other is the first-year movie bi- ography of a cooing, laughing baby. The pictures even show that he cried sometimes. Today he is nearly four years old, and how he has changed! yee Only two scenes from millions like them, brought to homes today by Filmo Movie Camera Projector. Perfected for your use by Bell & Howell, whose professional cameras costing up to $5,000 each are used in mak- ing nearly all featured movies shown in best theatres all over the world. The precision and essential features of these larger cameras are found. in Filmo. They re- sult in making better home movies, for you. These features are patented and owned by Bell & Howell. No one else can use them. Filmo's Distinctive Design Filmo looks like no other movie camera, because Filmo was de- “through ae & How s of practical motio perience. The Filmo design p' varying the speed. It provide: changing fourteen differ desired, to mect special lig! and magnify distant ¢ sbjects. Remarkably Easy The spy-glass viewfir “getting what you s ertainty vind the optional mechanisms for taking s-l-ow movies, are found only in Filmo. ifferent because it is made by movies To show att tach to mo you are los. ime will never n today, of the will not your mov jects you from a you. Write us for new descriptive Ture Is Atso EYEMO, Usinc Stanparp (35 mM) Fitm ror Tuose Wisiinc To Commerciauze Tue Movies comicbooks.com