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Know for Sure

  • 1941
  • 23m
IMDb RATING
3.9/10
182
YOUR RATING
Ward Bond, Samuel S. Hinds, and Shepperd Strudwick in Know for Sure (1941)
DramaShort

Documentary detailing the dangers and treatment of venereal disease. Tony Medroni is excited about the imminent birth of a son, but when the child is born dead, Tony must face the fact that ... Read allDocumentary detailing the dangers and treatment of venereal disease. Tony Medroni is excited about the imminent birth of a son, but when the child is born dead, Tony must face the fact that his own sexual history has caused the child's death. A doctor explains the problem to Tony... Read allDocumentary detailing the dangers and treatment of venereal disease. Tony Medroni is excited about the imminent birth of a son, but when the child is born dead, Tony must face the fact that his own sexual history has caused the child's death. A doctor explains the problem to Tony and discusses other cases with a colleague.

  • Director
    • Lewis Milestone
  • Stars
    • Ward Bond
    • Joseph Crehan
    • Samuel S. Hinds
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    3.9/10
    182
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Lewis Milestone
    • Stars
      • Ward Bond
      • Joseph Crehan
      • Samuel S. Hinds
    • 4User reviews
    • 3Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos1

    View Poster

    Top cast9

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    Ward Bond
    Ward Bond
    • Patient
    • (uncredited)
    Joseph Crehan
    Joseph Crehan
    • Supporting Role
    • (uncredited)
    Samuel S. Hinds
    Samuel S. Hinds
    • Dr. Perkins
    • (uncredited)
    Tim Holt
    Tim Holt
    • Jerry Anderson
    • (uncredited)
    Edwin Maxwell
    Edwin Maxwell
    • Dr. Paxton
    • (uncredited)
    Etta McDaniel
    Etta McDaniel
    • Supporting Role
    • (uncredited)
    J. Carrol Naish
    J. Carrol Naish
    • Tony Madroni
    • (uncredited)
    Francis Pierlot
    Francis Pierlot
    • Mr. Spencer
    • (uncredited)
    Shepperd Strudwick
    Shepperd Strudwick
    • Dr. Morton
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Lewis Milestone
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews4

    3.9182
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    Featured reviews

    cinnatusc

    Screamingly funny

    Yes, the director of the amazing "All Quiet on the Western Front" made an educational film about syphilis. Don't expect art, this thing is pretty atrocious, but hilarious, especially the flagrant Italian stereotype in the opening. "It was just a little sore!" If you're wondering how Lewis Milestone wound up "reduced" to this, it's actually his contribution to the war effort in the '40s, later re-edited into an educational film for America's Youth. The original is, to my knowledge, currently unavailable and probably lost. Not that we miss it, but it's sort of too bad. This can be found, in its "safe-for-schoolkids" form, on the "Educational Film Archives: Sex and Drugs" DVD from Fantoma.
    6boblipton

    Syphillis

    Grocer J. Carroll Naish is happily awaiting the birth of his son. When the doctor comes in, he tells him the boy was born dead, and he thinks it's from syphillis.

    Here's a short subject from the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences that didn't play at the kiddie matinee. It speaks fairly frankly about venereal disease in the days when there wasn't any easy cure, before its spread could be controlled by antibiotics... but never eliminated.

    It uses some words that were taboo under the production code: syphillis, of course, but also prostitute, a trade that was so taboo that it couldn't be shown . Directed without credit by Lewis Milestone, it's an interesting movie for an audience that might be going to war very soon; although there's no release date, the draft had already begun.
    5planktonrules

    Well worth seeing just for the cast...

    If you are a fan of classic Hollywood films, then you might get a lot out of seeing this film--about, of all things, sexually transmitted diseases. Why? Because seeing J. Carroll Naish, Ward Bond and Tim Holt all playing guys with VD is such a shocker--after all, these guys and many other famous character actors appear in this seldom-seen film.

    As far as the actual quality of the film goes, it is of dubious quality. While some of the information is quite correct, the preachy style probably resulted in many laughing off the important information in this short film. In addition, Naish should have been ashamed of himself for playing such an incredibly stereotypical Italian-American. It was almost as bad as having Chico Marx playing the part.

    Well worth seeing for fans of the strange and obscure.
    6djpass-1

    Social history

    This film is not in the league with "Sex Madness" and other exploitation films. Instead of trying to scare people away from a problem, it explained how to avoid or treat it. It is melodramatic, but well acted with good production. Tim Holt, Ward Bond and J. Carroll Naish appear as victims, and Lewis Milestone directed.(I image there were a lot of outtakes, though, when the actors couldn't help laughing when they had to say things like "I noticed a sore...down there.") I'm not old enough to remember syphilis--or patent medicine "doctors"--being a big problem, but I appreciate this film as a slice of the social history of our past.

    Related interests

    Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)
    Drama
    Benedict Cumberbatch in The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar (2023)
    Short

    Storyline

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    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Six years after this short was made, Samuel S. Hinds and Ward Bond would appear together in "It's a Wonderful Life."
    • Quotes

      Dr. Morton: You're wrong, Tony. With proper medical treatment, you can both be cured then you can have all the bambinos you want...

    • Alternate versions
      There are two versions of this US Public Health film. The unedited version has graphic shots of syphilis sores, male genitalia and how to use a condom.
    • Connections
      Edited into RiffTrax: Shorts-Tacular Shorts-Stravaganza! (2010)

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 17, 1941 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Production companies
      • Research Council of Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
      • United States Public Health Service
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 23m
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

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