Weird hat etiquette?

[FedoraFan112390]

This is from a home movie of my great grandpa, from the summer of 1963. This was a graduation.
Anyway, my great grandpa is alerted to the presence of a my grandpa, his son in law, holding the family video camera. He didn't like my grandpa.He turns toward the camera and looks at it for several seconds then doffs his hat and holds it SIDEWAYS.He holds it there for quite a few seconds, not looking away from the camera, then goes to kiss my infant uncle and finally puts back on his hat.
I was curious if holding one's hat sideways as he is doing was some form of etiquette?

7

 

[FedoraFan112390]

 

[HatsEnough]

Hmmm. Don't know that move to be any kind of specific etiquette. Maybe he was just momentarily uncomfortable when the camera was turned toward him and didn't know exactly what to do for a few seconds. (By the way, in 1963 I would assume its a film-based movie camera, not a video camera!).

I have seen a lot of old home movies from the 1950s and 60s and you see a lot of odd reactions once people realize they are on camera. See, in our day we are often more comfortable being on camera because cameras are all around us every day. Being "in a movie" is not so odd or jarring or uncomfortable to us. We are far more used to the concept. In fact, we quickly play to the camera in our era whereas in the old days of early home movies people had to think for a few seconds of what the heck they should do "in a movie" because the whole idea was so outside their usual daily experience. So, that few seconds made them seem stiff, unsure, or left them looking acting strangely.

Food for thought, anyway.

 

[job]

He took the hat off for the ladies and child. He paused while looking at the camera because he was going to say something but changed his mind.

 

[Tomasso]

Looks like a simple doffing of the hat to me.

 

[monbla256]

Looks like he's just holding his hat while he kisses the baby. Nothing weird that I see. Sometimes things are no more than what they are

 

[Not-Bogart13]

It looks to me like he's posing, as if he thinks he has to stand still as with a photograph. I don't think that would be an out-of-place reaction at that time. He also might think he should not be photographed (or filmed) with a hat on. Many people used to take off their hats for photos.