" NEW FAMILY IN TOWN " 1956 CIVIL DEFENSE FILM FALLOUT SHELTER NUCLEAR WAR 72742

About

"New Family in Town" is a Civil Defense film from 1956 that tells the story of the Trombleys, an English family who move into an American town. In addition to bringing with them a host of foreign customs, the Tromblys also possess a keen interest in civil defense due to their living through the "Blitz" on London. Their construction of a bomb shelter gets the attention of the town. Robert Preston of "Music Man" fame narrates.

In this era the Federal Government hoped to persuade civilians to consider building a bomb shelter as part of their civic duty.

The film begins with a mention of being "foreign" and compares cats to people, highlighting their gentle and wild sides. It introduces a friendly neighborhood in Valley Road where the arrival of a foreign family, the Trombly's, disrupts the harmony. Neighbors initially react with suspicion and distance, but curiosity breaks the ice. Joe Watson learns that Trombly is building a bomb shelter, and through shared experiences of WWII bombings, Trombly educates the neighbors on the importance of civil defense. The Trombly's share their shelter plans, leading the neighborhood to start building their own. The Trombly's are eventually accepted, and the narrative reflects on how people, like cats, can change their behavior towards the unfamiliar.

0:00 - Mention of being "foreign."

0:36 - Describes cats as funny, soft, cuddly, and gentle most of the time but can turn into wild, destructive animals.

1:02 - Suggests people can be like cats sometimes.

1:05 - Introduces the neighbors in Valley Road, describing it as a pleasant, friendly place.

1:41 - The arrival of new people who are foreigners disrupts the harmony.

2:17 - Observes how people react to unfamiliarity.

2:28 - New family stays to themselves; neighbors assume they are stuck up.

2:37 - Learns that the new family, the Trombly's, are English.

2:54 - Trombly's focus on gardening, leading neighbors to speculate about his sanity.

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