1952 Providence, Rhode Island

Karen Sciolto

1948

Providence Rhode Island

Interviewed on February 9, 2024

by Grady Morrissey

I grew up in Providence, Rhode Island. I think we first lived on Harrington Avenue when I was born. Then, we moved to Adelaide Avenue. All of it was not in a good section of Providence. 

My grandmother used to take us to the movies, particularly children’s movies on Saturdays. I was maybe 4 when I first went to the movies with her. We had to go on the bus. The theater was downtown, and it took us about 15 to 20 minutes to get down there. 

I think there were three theaters near us. There was the Strand, the Loew’s, and one other. I didn’t have a favorite. We went to Loew’s more frequently because maybe there were more children’s movies there. 

Back then there was nothing bad to watch. You know what I mean? They didn’t have, you know, stuff that scares kids although some of those cartoons were scary if they killed the mother and things like that. 

My grandmother took us to whatever we wanted to go to. She took us, and she would bring cooked chicken legs in her pocketbook. We wouldn’t buy snacks at the theater because she didn’t have the money. I mean, we thought, oh great, this is fun, you know? Our hands were covered in grease, and then we would always look in her pocketbook for candy, you know, really hard candies that she would have. 

Some of the children’s movies we saw were Snow White, Cinderella, and Pinocchio. We didn’t go that often. They weren’t putting them out like they do today. 

The ones they are putting out today, I don’t think they’re well written. Special effects rather than storyline. 

I don’t remember the last time I watched a movie. I don’t usually care for them. I’ve seen musical movies. Oh boy, I’d have to see a list of movies. 

[She looks at a list of movies from the 50s, 60s, and 70s to jog her memory]

That was funny. La Cage aux Folles. It’s French. It’s a funny little story. That’s more of what I’ve seen, where a musical is turned into a movie. Wow, I watched that 20 years ago. 

Huh, Westerns. No, I never like Westerns. 

Well, It’s a Wonderful Life. Of course I saw that for Christmas. 

I don’t like rewatching movies. I already know what’s gonna happen for one thing, and I’d rather, if there’s so many things to see, I don’t want to see something I’ve already seen.

I used to watch Hitchcock. I loved his movies. I saw all of them. Wait a minute. Rear Window was a very good one. 

And Audrey Hepburn movies. I did watch most of hers. She was just beautiful. She was one that stood out to me that I always thought was really beautiful today. Roman Holiday. Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Sabrina. My Fair Lady. The Nun’s Story. I just like romantic comedies. Some of them were like that. 

Wait Until Dark was scary. That was a good movie where she played a blind girl, and someone broke into her house, and she’s trying to get away, but she can’t see. I forget how she gets away. 

You couldn’t watch stuff at home back then. I must have gone to the movies. Maybe I went with my mother. She loved movies and musicals, which, you know, I did, too. 

The theater was similar to now. It’s just a big screen and a nice comfortable seat. I bet it was nicer back then. I have a feeling it was nicer. You know, I think the seats were really made well and soft and everything. Probably you had more leg room back then. 

I never watch, I’ll tell you, I never watch science fiction movies or scary movies. I had no interest in it. Even today, I don’t like fantasy. I guess I can’t like something I can’t relate to. 

I know we went to the drive-in. It’s a shame the drive-in doesn’t exist anymore. I think it would be a great thing. I think people would go, and it would make a lot of money. We would watch in whatever the standard car was at the time. They were big cars. What was fun was they had a playground in the front of the place, and we would go on the playground until the movie started. Once the movie started I would go back. Oh I would love it. Anybody would love it. I’m telling you, it’s so fun. You go in the car, and it’s got the sound thing next to the car. There’s a speaker on the side of you that stands outside of your car. It was like that. 

And the showings at the drive-in were long. Usually we went home early. I would be sound asleep. The showing would start at dusk. I’d say 6, maybe. 

I bet it cost 50 cents, you know, back then. Holy mackerel.