This film is part of Free

The Sucker

A young boy’s generosity costs him dear when he is conned out of his mother’s cash for ice cream.

Amateur film 1965 5 mins Silent

From the collection of:

Logo for North East Film Archive

Overview

An innocent boy takes a long, lonely summer walk to the shops for his mother and falls for a cruel con on the way, pulled by a teenage grifter. This cine club drama (with a cynical edge) recalls the joys and cruelties of childhood, focusing on kids being mean to each other. There is no redemption in the film's final scene as images of the girl grifter's gang greedily delighting in their ill-gotten ice creams play over the harsh punishment meted out by the boy’s mother.

The film was produced by Joe Clarke, a member of the Newcastle & District Amateur Cinematographers Association, which was founded back in 1927. The cine club was one of only five in Britain at the time. Against all the odds, the club was still operating in the city in 2018. This film is part of a unique and eclectic collection, which dates back to those pioneering early decades of amateur cinematography.