Let There Be Light

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Audience Member John Hustonâ(TM)s (1946) documentary film was shot at Mason General Hospital on Long Island at the end of the Second World War for the U.S. Government during the directorâ(TM)s time as an officer in the U.S. Signal Corps. One of a number of documentary films he made in this capacity including â~Report From The Aleutiansâ(TM) and â~The Battle of San Pietroâ(TM), it did not see â~The Lightâ(TM) for a number of years. As copyright holders and owners of the film, the U.S. Government chose not to release it. The techniques used in making the film are described in John Hustonâ(TM)s autobiography â~An Open Bookâ(TM) published by Macmillan and also in an interview recorded by Richard Leacock and Midge McKenzie in 1982. The film follows the progress of a particular intake of men returning from active service in various theatres of war. These men have returned deeply disturbed by their battle experiences and we follow their progress as they are helped to come to terms with their distress and to rebuild their fragile lives. Huston captures the most unusual and remarkable sequences that document the work of the gifted psychiatrists at Mason General as they assist the men to reconcile themselves to the awful experiences they have endured. This film was way ahead of its time in recognising and understanding how conditions that were variously known as â~shell shockâ(TM) and â~battle fatigueâ(TM) can respond to treatment and give their unfortunate sufferers a renewed lease of life. Despite the dated soundtrack, the narration by Hustonâ(TM)s own father â" Walter â" makes the confusing and sometimes disturbing footage accessible and meaningful to the audience. How tragic that such a well-made and important film should have been kept from us for so long. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/24/23 Full Review Audience Member Absolutely tremendous look at post war mental health. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 06/16/18 Full Review Audience Member Haunting coverage of war's lesser-known casualties. A documentary, filmed shortly after the end of WW2, shot entirely in a US Army psychiatric hospital. Candidly shot, the film shows the mental casualties of war - soldiers with PTSD and other neurological issues: their symptoms, how they cope and, if they're lucky, how they are cured. Haunting coverage of war's lesser-known casualties, written and directed by the great John Huston. Incredibly original and decades ahead of its time, as, at the time, PTSD was not very well-known outside medical circles. It would take until after the Vietnam War, about 30 years later, that PTSD gained public knowledge and acceptance. Sensitively told, despite the candidness of the footage. Quite confronting too - these are all real patients, undergoing real psychological episodes. Starkly brings home the long-term effects of war. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/20/23 Full Review Audience Member A really haunting piece on the effects of war and the mental state it can leave a man in. Rated 4.5/5 Stars •  Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 02/03/23 Full Review Audience Member Historically important documentary was suppressed by the U.S. government for over thirty years. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/27/23 Full Review Audience Member This is an interesting documentary about the emotional price for war was banned for many years after it was produced. Director John Huston made this at the end of World War II, showcasing the turmoil the war caused on some soldiers. It is interesting in two ways, one to see how they dealt with these kind of issues in the 1940s, and also to see them actually talking about the non-death/physical wounded price that war has...so many films and documentaries produced of the era glossed over the emotional stuff. It isn't great propaganda to say that war is difficult and scars you mentally if not physically. Worth a look. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/17/23 Full Review Read all reviews

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