The Things I Cannot Change (1967) User Reviews

A superb 'cinema-verité documentary of a Montreal working-class family

[normhorner · 9/10 · 3 September 2007]

On the 40th Anniversary of its premiere, "The Things I Cannot Change" retains all of its gripping power and sensitivity. I believe it was one of many elements of Canadian society that helped to ignite the demand for justice, equality and social change. While the Bailey family had to have their family life revealed raw, the presentation of their story served a greater good.

The film was a powerful social document in 1967; 40 years later it retains that purpose, but it also now serves as a historical text. I look forward to presenting to my senior high school students in their History classes, as it presents a side of Canada during the Sixties that is often ignored in lieu of Woodstock, Hippies and Expo '67. The scenes shot in Old Montreal (the work gang lines in Place Jacques Cartier) and the rail yards along "St. James Street" in Little Burgundy are wonderful.

I began my teaching career in that neighbourhood in 1973, and taught one of the younger children in my Grade 5 class. The film portrayed the dignity of the family in the face of constant struggles. I wish I could have seen it at the time. It deserves to be considered as a Canadian classic documentary film.

At once beautiful and ethically questionable

[eolas_pellor · 8/10 · 30 November 2005]

Although this was one of Tanya Ballantyne's first films (I believe it was her second) she exhibits a great command of the aesthetic; she has a sense of anticipation that allows her to capture the Bailey children at exactly the right moment, revealing their beauty, grace, potential, and doomed existence all at once. Her interviews with the parents are interesting, but less well done, likely due to their self-consciousness.

Her editing is interesting, particularly the transitions from one sequence to the next where, characteristically, she begins the sound of the new sequence 5 or 10 seconds before the final visuals of the last sequence end. This linking device works well, connecting what would otherwise be only vaguely related fragments of film into a coherent narrative. Perhaps the most famous of these transitions occurs when Gertrude Bailey is being given a prenatal check-up and the sound of Kenneth Bailey fighting on the street with a man who owes him a few dollars begins over the final frames of the examination.

While I would have preferred a less gray tonality of the film, that likely has to do with the circumstances under which it was made (in Bailey's apartment and around their neighbourhood, during what appears to be a Montreal autumn.) In the Grade 12 film class I teach, I used this film as a means to introduce the topic of the ethics of film making to students. Ballantyne has been thoroughly and properly criticized for her treatment and exploitation of the Baileys, but this issue is not limited to her; such charges are raised against film-makers and journalists with regularity. The exposure of so many young children (the eldest of the 10 kids was only 12 at the time the film was made, and the youngest was born (on camera) during filming) to so much public ridicule and humiliation is a particularly nasty thing...even this age of Maury Povich and Jerry Springer.

Still, although "The Things I Cannot Change" ruined the Baileys' lives, it did inspire the landmark Challenge for Change series of documentaries by the NFB. And it arguably opened the eyes of many Canadians, in a decade of seemingly limitless prosperity and progress, to the problems of intractable poverty. All in all, this film is worth seeing if you have the chance, and worth getting if you are interested in the documentary film as a genre.

The Things I can not Change

[lindylu56 · 10/10 · 11 January 2007]

Watching this documentary was very difficult for me. I saw it years ago and I have never forgotten it. I gave it a 10/10 . As a child coming from a poor family I could relate to this family. For us, there were different poverty issues and family issues but the essence of what poverty looks and feels like was captured here. That was the point of this film. I first saw this with my husband who laughed his head off at the fighting, no food, the kids they kept having and the simpleness of the family in general. I was appalled at him. He had no idea that what he was laughing at made me have a panic attack and I feel sick and ashamed of my childhood. He was fortunate to have not been in that position as a child, I, however could have been one of those children with a father just like Mr B. Until you ever have needed the $6. you have no idea how much it meant to Mr. B to do what he did. This movie brought back horrible memories for me and I felt so bad for the family. But the upside was that it was educational eye opener for my husband and therapeutic for me.I knew I was not alone. I would not change a thing about it and everyone who thinks poverty is easily overcome should see this. It comes in many forms. The title is perfect. It helped me to realize that I should not be embarrassed that I came from a sad situation like that, rather I overcame it and learned not to be ashamed but to change the things I can. I did change and learned not to let that happen to me. God Bless this family and the film makers.

This documentary stayed with me and does to this day

[greg520-988-281982 · 10/10 · 13 March 2013]

Does anyone have updates, social media links on the family?

I watched this documentary in grade 9 (1979) and it was very powerful. It was my first view of a poor family up close and personal. The original living conditions on St. James West was for lack of better word ..frightening. How could a family live in those conditions? It (the documentary) in our civics class, in case anyone was wondering. The doc. as I said stayed with me. I had made a trip to Montreal for work and took time to go to the original address, it was a garden, all the buildings were gone. Just really wanted to get a sense of the neighbourhood. As you can see on street view it's been 40 years and much change has happened. Anyway, it's weird it was only a few months ago I Google searched the documentary to find the follow up doc. was available on the NFB website. That was interesting to watch, it looks like life got somewhat better for the Bailey's. However, watching the follow up, you discover that many things had went on with several of the children not too mention the parents.

That is my 2 cents. As mentioned if you know any follow up add a review and update me. Thanks!