Never Fear

A little context might be helpful since the scourge of polio has fortunately receded from public view. For those of us post-war kids, polio was a real fear. It struck a lot of youngsters and could not only cripple legs, but also impair breathing and even kill. I can still picture kids sadly confined to iron lungs. Common wisdom among us was to stay away from public pools in the summer. I don't know if this helped, but at least we felt it did. I still remember that day in spring 1955, I believe, when the Salk anti-polio vaccine was announced. It had real impact for us. Anyway, I'm glad folks today don't have to worry, thanks to medical science and The March of Dimes.

The movie itself deals with a young woman's affliction (Forrest) and her various stages of coping. The therapeutic stages are understandably emphasized, along with a generally hopeful resolution that should—for a movie—come as no surprise. Kudoes to Ida Lupino and husband Collier Young for producing a film on what was then (1949) a sensitive subject. (Note how the word 'polio' is hardly used in the screenplay.) The movie's mostly well acted without going over the top. I suspect the romantic angle is played up for greater commercial appeal, along with the alternate title 'Young Lovers'. After all, how many folks would be attracted by a disease themed screenplay. All in all, the human drama of dealing with affliction remains affecting, though the scourge of polio has fortunately receded. In that sense, the film still appeals over and above its time period.