User Reviews

This documentary shows how primitive life could be in 1956 rural Alaska. The hospital ship USS Hygiene stops at the coastal town of Haines. This is the only time of the year when actual medical care is available. The rest of the time the residents rely on home remedies. There is no dialogue, just narration by the nurse as she and the female doctor treat their patients. Both doctor and nurse are very plain looking women with no makeup. No Hollywood effects here! Ralph Sarlan is the only person named. He is a young half-white half-Eskimo boy. Ralph has a deformed foot and he is depicted being airlifted out of Haines to go to a hospital where his foot can be fixed, after which he will be able to walk like other boys and girls. The documentary gets a good point across about the selfless and necessary work done by a few medical professionals to bring medical care to Americans who really need it. I just watched this on TCM and it was an interesting 21 minutes.

This documentary follows a boat called M/S Hygiene Clinic and an unnamed public health nurse as they arrive in Haines, Alaska. She cares for the locals especially a native boy called Ralph Sarlan. He's the only one who is named in this short. There are no doctors and no hospital. The locals band together to construct their own hospital.

This is the "Theatre of Life" series from RKO-Pathe. Supposedly, these are the real folks. I can understand why they don't name the nurse, but I think they should. They should also show the onboard life of the ship. It could be as compelling as anything else. This feels like a standard 50's government doc that they show at schools.

NOTE: I looked at this short subject of Turner Classic Movies during the 2020 Coronavirus lockdown. Nothing to make you understand the trials of a town short on medical help like a little personal experience, is there?

There's something annoying about the narration of this late RKO short about the nurse who's in charge of an Alaskan village's health care most of the year.

It photographed by Floyd Crosby. He was a distinguished cinematographer who shot documentaries for Robert Flaherty and beach movies for AIP. He specialized in exotic locations, which is probably why he did this short subject; in 1956, remember, Alaska was a faraway territory. It would not achieve statehood for another four years.

It saddens me to read that some people find work like this boring. What is special about this film is the heart that went into making it - behind the camera and in front of it. Audiences who knew this kind of civility in earlier decades may appreciate it more than younger populations who may find the film and the characters dull. More attuned audiences will see how Herbert Morgan brings out the vulnerability of real people and real communities.

The film has a simple narrative line to it with a touch of humor in the situations. The scripted narration delivers its message - the importance of preventative health care - and is delivered by a pleasant female voice-over. The fact that this documentary is not polished, (yet very smooth), adds to the humanness of it.

I was very moved by "Alaska Lifeboat" and thought about the film long after I viewed it. I'm motivated now to learn more about Herbert Morgan and his other works.

This featurette is not boring as the other reviewer was so happy to tell us. It is quiet, charming and purposeful. The story concerns one nurse's experiences working on a medical ship called "HYGIENE".

The movie is not meant to represent real life. But it does come close to that "everyday" feeling we all experience as we live.

I was charmed by the duties of a traveling medical ship and the different problems that one might encounter in helping people who are not accustomed to regular medical care. It was a fine movie with a fine message. If you want to really come down to it, it is a slice of Americana in which I was raised. An earlier time when simplicity was prized and a steady pace was appreciated.

I only caught this by accident on Turner Classic Movies. I had dvr'd the Mickey Spillane film "The Girl Hunters", and this came afterwards. I was surprised to discover that the film was made in 56, and not some perhaps 10 years earlier or even before. That it was made in 56 and not in color is also surprising, though the film does really show you the beauty of the area.

While some may feel the film is dated, it is rather contemporary as it discusses issues such as health care, and the responsibilities of a society and community.

It is a charming little film, and if you ever watch Turner Classic Movies, hopefully you will be able to come across.

Alaska Lifeboat (1956)

** (out of 4)

Part of RKO's "Theater of Life" series, this one here takes a look at a doctor working off a large boat on the coasts of Alaska. The documentary short tells us that Alaska is very important to the cash flow of the U.S. but unfortunately the people there aren't aware of personal hygiene. The doctor takes this boat all around giving free exams and tries to teach people the importance of being clean. In many ways this series tries to be like the John Nesbitt shorts from MGM but they don't come close in terms of entertainment. I've seen three or four of these as Turner Classic Movies debuts a new one every few months and I really haven't been impressed at all. This film, as well as the others, was shot silent and we get narration for all the action. There's nothing wrong with this style as many low-budget movies used it but the problem here is that the narration is too dry and nothing on screen is overly interesting.