The Deserter
This short drama highlights the work of the Family Welfare Service in its compassionate tale of a husband who abandons his wife and children. Part of the Perspective series.
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Perspective1955 46 filmsThis TV series from the mid-1950s blended documentary and fiction to tell Canadian stories from a Canadian perspective.
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directorJulian Biggs
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producerGrant McLean
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executive producerGrant McLean
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scriptThomas Farley
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photographyJohn Foster
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soundFrank Orban
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editingDennis Sawyer
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castSean SullivanLes RubieCharmion King
Warnings: [Depictions of alcohol consumption, alcoholism]
A short film revolving around family, poverty and social programs in the mid-20th century. Ideal for research projects, essays and classroom discussions about economics, social programs and media depictions of family life in post-World War II Canada. The film begins with the narrator describing it as a story about “a man and his troubles.” Do you think this is an accurate assessment? Why or why not? The family in the film is presented as an average Canadian family; what does this say about how the “average Canadian” was imagined in media during the post-World-War II era? How does this depiction differ from your own experiences? Discuss the relationship between compassion and professionalism in the film.