1964 Hackensack New Jersey

Patti Beitzel 

1955

Hackensack, New Jersey 

Interviewed on 1 February 2025

by Antonia Baudoin 

What is the first movie you remember seeing? 

The first movie that I ever saw in a theater was Mary Poppins. My mother took me out of school, and we went to the movies—just the two of us. And that is my first memory. I’m sure that I might have gone before. Well, my family went to a lot of drive-in movies back in the day, especially in the summertime. Our neighbor had a big station wagon, and the adults would pile all of the neighborhood kids into the back of it. And then we would all go to the drive-in together. But yes, the first movie I remember seeing in a theater was Mary Poppins. That really jumps out to me. 

How old were you?

I think that my mother took me when I was in third grade. 

What do you remember about the movie?

I remember being really into it. I have never really liked musicals, since that is not my favorite genre, but I absolutely loved it. I think that I also associated the movie with doing something really special with my mother. I did not go to the movie theater very often, more so when I was older in high school, then I would go a lot with my friends. When I was younger, my parents were on the older side, and so I was kind of on my own in a lot of ways. If I went with friends that was one thing, but I do not remember them taking me very often. Going to the movies was seen as a very fun thing to do. I mean in high school when our big girl friend group would all go together, it was so fun. I remember watching movies like Lady Sings the Blues about Billie Holiday, and afterward going back to someone’s house and having tea. And then there was a whole group of us who went to a drive-in to see Reefer Madness. I remember being very tiny, and so I got shoved into the trunk, so that all of us would fit. If it was a movie we wanted to see, a big group of us would always go to see it together. It was the same in college. I remember going to see The Exorcist, and there was a whole bunch of us. I was in Lancaster. And I did not sleep for six weeks after that without the light on. I mean I had read the book, and it did not bother me at all, but the movie was horrifying because it was just so visual. My kids were in high school when Silence of the Lambs came out, and I would not watch it. There was no way I would watch it. Did they see it in the theater…maybe? I don’t know. But at this point there were DVDs, and they rented it. I remember hearing Hannibal Lector upstairs in my bedroom, and thinking, “Oh gosh!”. 

What did you think of the characters, actors, and story?

Julie Andrews was Mary Poppins, and Dik Van Dyke was the chimney sweep. I thought that he was really funny. I remember thinking that she was very sweet. There was also a lot of dancing, and the music and all the lyrics were very fun. 

Was there a concession? Did you have a favorite candy?

I remember that there was always a popcorn counter with candy too. Unfortunately, my uncle was a dentist, and so we were not allowed to have soda and candy very often. I think that we mainly had popcorn. I especially remember that there were big boxes of milk duds and M&Ms. 

Do you remember the name of the theater? Were there ushers? 

No, I do not remember the name of the theater. There were two movie theaters nearby, one was in Westwood, New Jersey and the other one was in Hackensack, New Jersey. Hackensack was more of a small city, and it had a much bigger theater. But we did not have any theaters in our town. It was such a long time ago, so I cannot remember where the drive-in was. I do not think that the drive-in is even there anymore. They sadly tore it down, and put apartments up or something like that. I think that the theater in Hackensack had ushers. I somehow can remember that when you went into the theater, they would escort you to your seat.

Mrs. Patti is my dear family friend.