Let There Be Light (1946)
Director: John Huston
Starring: Walter Huston
Synopsis:
A documentary chronicling the psychiatric care of returning World War II veterans.
Impressions:
Particularly for its time, when open discussion of mental illness was taboo, this is a rather bold film because it shows real veterans undergoing psychiatric treatment. It generated no small amount of controversy and was suppressed for decades. Besides the cultural issues, there was a question regarding the consent of the featured veterans. John Huston's sincerity comes through and though they supposed used some remarkable cases to highlight the efficacy of the treatment techniques, the narration is always conscientious to warn that it's a long-term process that will take years. By using Walter Huston for the narrator, there's a sense of continuity with other films made for the government during the war like Capra's "Why We Fight" series. It may be a bit of a hard watch for sensitive viewers, but if you have an interest in PTSD or the history of psychiatry, I highly recommend it.
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