The Story of Papworth, the Village of Hope

Here's a short subject appealing for money. Like the modern annual Will Rogers Foundation appeals, it asks for money for a medical charity. Papworth was -- and largely, still is -- an instititution devoted to the care and treatment of sufferers from tuberculosis and other ling and heart diseases. In the movie it has a healthy dose of self-help involved, because it is clearly marked at showing the plight of the working man who develops tuberculosis. He cannot afford to take off from work, or expensive treatment, and so becomes a disease vector.

Despite the best of intentions and some stellar talent -- Gordon Harker, Madeileine Carroll and C. Aubrey Smith appear in front of the camera, with Victor Saville directing -- the result is a dull, often amateurish little movie, with mugging, breaking the fourth wall, long, declamatory appeals, and dull exposition. I hope they raised the hundred thousand pounds, but the artistic component of this movie wasn't what did it.