NET Journal; 127; Who Needs an Upper Crust
- Series
- NET Journal
- Episode Number
- 127
- Episode
- Who Needs an Upper Crust
- Producing Organization
- Norddeutscher Rundfunk
- Contributing Organization
- Library of Congress (Washington, District of Columbia)
- AAPB ID
- cpb-aacip/512-h12v40kt9f
- NOLA Code
- NJWN
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- Description
- Episode Description
- In France, the upper crust makes the decisions, sets the style, and reaps the rewards. Known as the Two Hundred, Frances aristocrats have maintained and improved their position over the past 200 years, after surviving the French Revolution. In Germany, however, the upper crust lost power in 1918. Since then, no group has filled the void. In contrasting the two countries, this documentary asks: Who needs an upper crust? Produced by North German Television and adapted by NET, the program contains rare films of French aristocrats at work and play: Baron Rothschild at his chateau, the Lanvins discussing perfume and playwriting, the Polignacs and their wine-aging caves, and editor Ferniot at his LExpress office. The film then turns to French institutions which help to perpetuate the aristocracys elite position the French Academy, and the Grand Ecoles (great schools, which are government-administered, such as St. Cyr, Polytechnique, and the Ecole Nationale Administrative). The graduates of these schools will someday assume the highest positions in government, business, and the military. There will be a few outsiders; but they will probably be led by sons of the Two Hundred. In Germany, the program finds wealth but no wit, enterprise without elegance. Social functions lack the bright, sophisticated talk of a French soiree. The German gentlewoman may attend a charm school, but her most important role is still that of the hausfrau. From the kitchen, the film moves to the German school for which the primary qualification is not ability but money. The film notes the lack of a controlled system, as in France, seeking out the best brains and polishing them to a maximum of brilliance for service to the country. The film indicates this shortcoming in three professions the law, the civil service, and politics (where there is a lack of the old school tie and where prominent positions are tenuous). Educators are the rare exception, since they have both permanency and prestige. The program concludes: The German people would undoubtedly be better able to fulfill their important role if they had a unifying, moderating, elevating force such as the French have in their elite . There are no arbiters at work creating and improving standards of literature, art, language or even behavior. Germany is a pragmatic world, with each individual cutting his own path, making his own mistakes Who needs an upper crust? Germany, for one, definitely needs it. NET Journal Who Needs an Upper Crust? is a 1967 presentation of National Educational Television, produced by North German Television. English adaptation by Arthur Lodge. It runs approximately an hour and was originally recorded on videotape. (Description adapted from documents in the NET Microfiche)
- Broadcast Date
- 1967-03-20
- Asset type
- Episode
- Genres
- Documentary
- Topics
- Economics
- Media type
- Moving Image
- Credits
-
-
Adapter: Lodge, Arthur
Narrator: Roberts, Peter
Producer: Weston, William
Producing Organization: Norddeutscher Rundfunk
- AAPB Contributor Holdings
-
Library of Congress
Identifier: 2408717-2 (MAVIS Item ID)
Format: 1 inch videotape: SMPTE Type C
Generation: Master
Duration: 0:59:03
-
Library of Congress
Identifier: 2408717-1 (MAVIS Item ID)
Format: 2 inch videotape
Generation: Master
Duration: 0:59:03
-
Library of Congress
Identifier: 2408717-3 (MAVIS Item ID)
Format: U-matic
Generation: Copy: Access
Duration: 0:59:03
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- Citations
- Chicago: “NET Journal; 127; Who Needs an Upper Crust,” 1967-03-20, Library of Congress, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC, accessed July 20, 2025, http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-512-h12v40kt9f.
- MLA: “NET Journal; 127; Who Needs an Upper Crust.” 1967-03-20. Library of Congress, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC. Web. July 20, 2025. <http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-512-h12v40kt9f>.
- APA: NET Journal; 127; Who Needs an Upper Crust. Boston, MA: Library of Congress, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC. Retrieved from http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-512-h12v40kt9f