Mental Hospital

Typically upbeat and bland, MH =is= somewhat informative, "Fred" (the patient shown with the clinical psychologist and his assistants) =is= properly paranoid, and the almost wholly discarded treatments of the time =are= realistically presented in the era pre-dating the advent of Thorazine and the other, first-generation "major tranquilizers" we now call "anti-psychotics."

But the film is utterly unrepresentative of the interpersonal behavior between patients in present-day mental hospitals, as well as the degree and percentage of successful treatment and symptom remission. Dances? Softball games? Religious services? Work in hospital departments? Not now, folks.

Ya see, everything changed when Thorazine, Lithium, Nardil and the other early psych meds made it possible for the "Freds" of the world to be treated far less expensively in "partial day" programs or even weekly visits to a "shrink." Mental hospitals emptied out, and politicians looking for budget reductions (Ronald Reagan was one of the foremost during his turn as governor of California) loved it.

Fast forward 65 years: Take a stroll downtown. (And I'm not taking about downtown Delhi.) Have a look around at the folks sitting on the sidewalks with a hat or a basket in front of them. They're almost always medicated (one way or another). And they usually get some disability, but it's not enough to live any sort of what you or I would call a "life."

And the ones who're hospitalized now in long-term residential care are those whose suffering defies medication or even modern-day, low-amperage electric shock... along with those whose psychosis is so intractable that allowing them out on the street would be intolerable to your local police chief.

But, insofar as the "system" is concerned, they're all "fixed." Hey! "Mission accomplished!"

Mental Hospital (1953)

** (out of 4)

The Oklahoma State Department of Health (with the cooperation of the Oklahoma State Department of Mental Health - so said the credits) produced this twenty-minute documentary, which I'm guessing was meant to explain to people why mental hospitals are a good thing and how they can actually help sick people return to their normal lives. While we get to see various patients, the film focuses in on one man who explains his mental issues and then we see him admitted and slowly begin to be cured. Okay, it's doubtful too much of what we see here is overly correct as this comes off like a tourist guide just begging people to come spend time in this mental hospital. I think those suffering with mental illness wouldn't be so "happy" as they're shown here. While sick people are also shown the documentary almost makes it seem like a few days and they'll be back to normal. Of course, there wasn't as much known about mental illness so this short is basically a reminder of where things used to be. It's doubtful this short will appeal to very many people but those who enjoy Turner Classic Movies' TCM UNDERGROUND will know this title as it shows up at least once a month and usually in the 5:30am time slot. If you happen to be up or recording the previous film then this here isn't too bad to watch but again, there's really no point in taking it too serious. I'll admit that inside the hospital did seem a tad bit creepy and this atmosphere certainly spills over and I couldn't help but be reminded of the dark side in Scorsese's SHUTTER ISLAND.

Here's another industrial film about psychological disorders from Oklahoma. It is clearly intended to make people less terrified about mental disorders and their treatments.

Modern methods often differ vastly from the standards 65 years ago. There are a lot more outpatient programs, and many mental illnesses are treatable by medicine. In truth, the standards of treatment in 1953 had shown enormous changes from earlier eras; many people had a vision of psychiatric hospitals based on standards centuries out of date, when mad people were placed in Bedlam and exhibited to the public like animals in a zoo. This movie emphasizes the pleasant, engaged methods, with only a brief mention of some of the harsher forms of treatment.