This was made by John Huston for the Pentagon. They wanted him to film real men who came back from WWII with neuro-psychotic problems and how they were cured at army hospitals. They thought this would show the public that men suffering from war trauma could be easily cured and reenter society. It had quite the opposite effect (anyone who saw this would be terrified to enlist) and was banned for 30 years! Seeing these poor men shaking, crying, unable to walk is downright harrowing. Also the psychiatrists interviewing the patients come off as somewhat cold and uncaring. I realize the camera might have caused this but who knows? The patients are also cured with ridiculous ease. Supposedly none of this was staged but I really wonder. Also, at the end where it tries to be all happy, all I could think of was how many of these guys had relapses? Did they make it in society? Where they REALLY cured for good? The movie just ends in a fake manner that I didn't buy for one minute. It's pretty tame compared to what we have today but it's still more than a little disturbing. Powerful anti-war documentary. Worth catching. Be warned--the sound quality is pretty poor at times.
Review of Let There Be Light
