Speech: Function of Gestures, The (1950)

The film discusses the importance of gestures in effective speaking, contrasting the styles of two speakers, George Johnson and a more dynamic speaker named John. While George is described as rigid and uninteresting, John captivates his audience through animated gestures and expressive speech. The speaker emphasizes that good communication involves both verbal content and physical expression, and that using gestures can enhance a speaker’s ability to engage and hold the audience’s attention. It is suggested that gestures should be used for description and emphasis, and that speaking with gestures comes naturally when one is comfortable and sincere. The overall message is that anyone can become a more interesting speaker with practice and the right techniques.

We digitized and uploaded this film from the Prelinger Archive. Email us at footage@avgeeks.com if you have questions about the footage and are interested in using it in your project.