Documentary News Letter (1947-1949)

DOCUMENTARY NEWS LETTER 105 Very Dangerous. Sixteen to Twenty-six. Produced by the National Film Board of Canada and Crawley Studios for the Division of VD Control, Department of National Health and Welfare. Each 2 reels. 16 mm. colour-sound. Distribution: Canadian National Film Board. These two colour films from Canada are a useful addition to existing films on venereal disease. Using the device o( a lecture by a doctor, each film shows the cause, symptoms, method of transmission and cure of gonorrhoea and syphilis; Sixteen to Twenty-six dealing with the diseases in women. Very Dangerous in men. Given this method of presentation little fault can be found with either film. Both are straightforward competent productions, although some of the diagram work, particularly that showing the incidence of VD compared with other common diseases, could be improved upon: and the colour in places is unnaturally lurid. From a propaganda point of v iew both films present the same combination of medical fact and moral exhortation, which is followed by VD publicity in this country. Whether this line will ever achieve any reduction in the incidence of the diseases is too complicated a question to be discussed here; at the same time it must be said that surely the time has now come for an approach to the subject from a more positive point of view. The wartime increase of VD, which still continues, is only one example of a complex breakdown of the social system, a breakdown which shows itself in increasing restlessness and dissatisfaction with work, in a rise of juvenile delinquency and armed robbery, in an erratic birth rate and a phenomenal rise in the number of divorces. Rooted in sociology there is a major task of film making to be undertaken, which will tackle the problems of VD constructively against the whole background of individual and family life in the modern world. Until that time, lecturers in Health Education will find these two films of considerable, if limited, value. New Faces Come Back. Produced by RCAF Film Unit and National Film Board. 28 mins. There is one point about this film for which every doctor will be grateful to the producers: that in a subject full of potential 'drama', they have remained calm and dispassionate. For they had a difficult job to do, and the temptation must have been great. Briefly the idea behind the film was to enlist the sympathy and understanding of people in Canada, far from the reality of bombs and their consequences, for those who returned from the war maimed and disfigured. The film tells how a young Canadian flight engineer, badly burned in a plane crash, is sent to the Plastic Surgery Centre at I asl Cirinstead, for treatment. Here he gets his 'new face'. The course of his recovery is followed and we see how with the help of hospital staff and local friends he gradually returns to a normal altitude to life. In its earlier part the film moves fast. Although in places the continuity wavers, there are moments of skilled film craft which are a pleasure to watch. In the latter part, however, the story breaks down. More than sell-consciousness, the haunting feai of these men is sexual failure; the girl's casual refusal to dance, although it symbolizes this fear, does not become a reality . I he film tails to com ince that Jim would have taken tins incident so much to heart, particularly as he does not seem to lack for other outside 1 1 icnds. I ven less are we convinced hv his subsequent reactions. Sublimation, symbolized In an interest in music, again appears too simple for reality. The film here never quite makes up its mind what it is Irving to get over: eventually it gives up the struggle, Jim recovers Ins balance and goes happily home, Icav ing us w uh the theme that the rest is up to the people there. The superficiality of the pan dealing with the tips and downs of readjustment is a pity, because it inevitably nullities the permanent value of the film. The problems of psychological adjustment alter injury arc complex and deep I hev cannol be He. tied in a film which is obviously looking over its shoulder at the theatrical distributors. As events proved, even in this form, it was uiacceptable to the theatres, and an opportunity for making a real study of the problem, which would have a permanent value, has been lost. Nevertheless this is a competent film, which has a value for general audiences as an introduction to some of the problems of rehabilitation. Penicillin in Medical Practice. Realist for COI and Ministry of Health. Producer: John Taylor. Director, J. Massey. Camera: Ronald Gardner. Distribution: CFL. 35 mins. Technical films for medical audiences arc still all too rare, it is therefore the more regrettable to have to record this long awaited film a disappointment. Undoubtedly its value would have been much greater if it could have been released before Penicillin was generally available. Today when all doctors have had experience of its use. much of the point has been lost. Even so it is difficult to understand what it was hoped to achieve vv ith the film in this form. In theory the shape is sound. From a beautiful opening shot of the mould in growth, the film reviews in succession the properties of penicillin, including the agents by which it is inactivated, shows the form and methods of administration and the limitations of use. The latter part shows some of the principal applications of penicillin to medicine, surgery, ophthalmology, venereal and skin infections. This is no superficial treatment, yet at the end we have learned little and will remember less. The fact is that this is one of those omnibus films that confuse the mind with a mass of material and give no time for reflection and absorption; yet at the same time in covering too much, leaves much unanswered. This is the more annoying because much of the detail. is concerned with hospital treatment and surgical techniques, which are unnecessary and which could have been omitted to allow the inclusion of the simpler practical information and guidance for use needed by the general practitioner in his daily work. Of many omissions, the most serious is a lack of stress on the dangers of underdosage. Undoubtedly there is much here that is useful the sequence showing continuous intramuscular drip, for example, is excellent, and tips, like the inclusion of Novocaine to minimize the pain of injection, invaluable bul these tend to get lost in the remaining material. I he film unit have been badlv advised. This was a subject calling for a fundamental analysis of aim and purpose, and should clearly have been dealt with in a series of films. On the technical side the film is in general much below the standard we expect from this unit. While many of the difficulties are inherent in present day 16 mm. colour production, a slower tempo through a more liberal use of cut aways and camera movement would have helped the method ol presentation. Modern Guide to Health. By Halas and Batchelor for COI and Ministry of Health. Product Director: John Halas. Script: Joy Batchelor. Camera: Percy Wright. Distribution: I and Non l<ll in mil A guide to Health: A tall order in ten minutes, forget the title; here are some first-rate tips on good posture, fresh air and exercise, sensible clothing and sound sleep, presented in a simple style which contrives to be both instructional and entertaining. I lementary, but none the worse for that. We have had too many overstuffed films. Cartoon technique proved its value for health education in the armed forces during the war. In a world engaged on forgetting all wartime lessons this film is an encouragement. Bul why is it not labelled No I? A planned series is needed. Scabies, 1946. Merlin for Ministry of Health. Direction: Robin Carrulhers. Production: Michael Hankinson. Camera: H. N. Ed well. Distribution: CFL. 34 mins. This re-cditcd version of the Scabies film made for medical audiences in 1943 is a considerable improvement on the original. With the removal of the unconvincing sync dialogue sequences, and the insertion of a new section showing the relative merits of various sarcopticides. the film now presents a completely satisfying account of scabies infestation. Now for a film on the louse, please. Food Manufacture. Production: World Wide for Army Kinema Corporation. Producer: Jai Carr. Director: Graham Cutts. Camera: Ronnie Anscombc. Story: Ted Willis. Distribution: C I I and all services. 27 mins. This is one of a series of films portraying life in various key British industries for the guidance of members of the forces returning to civ Mian jobs. The food industry bristles with difficulties from the point of view of the film maker. It is a medley of craft processes, and machine minding, poorly organized and indifferently paid. Despite its social usefulness it is not an industry which is likely to attract the ambitious or enterprising worker. World Wide have been well advised to use a severely factual approach and it was good to hear the commentator facing up to realities He explained frequently that prospects of promotion were poor and that in certain sections of the industry there was little opportunity of learning a trade. He was brutally frank about the low level of wages and the monotony of much of the work, but this is all as it should be in a film which sets out to present a true picture of an industry. In this series there have been a do/en or so films depicting various industries where labour is required, [f they are all as painstakingly honest as this one the average chap in the forces should have found them very helpful in choosing his future job. On the other hand, one can ima his confusion if each film had tried to present its subject as the most alluring and lucrative industry . I his review may give the impression that the film is dull and earnest on the interesting. Iivelv and amusing. It is well and imaginatively shot, briskly edited and the m is apt and witlilv arranged. I he film ^-in profitably be shown in adult education, to sch< leavers, and to social scientists as well of interest to film society audic