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Screening the Nurse
A closer look by historian David Cantor at five films about nursing produced between the 1940s and 1970s. In the mid-20th century, American nursing leaders produced and deployed the motion picture as a modern tool of education, training, and recruitment. Hundreds of films were made, including informational, newsreel, and training movies for a variety of audiences. These five titles illustrate the varied uses of the nursing educational film, the complex cinematic representations of nurses and nursing during this period, and the roles of sexuality, gender, and surveillance.

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The Impotent Husband
Part of the Aspects of Sexual Interviewing series, this 1970s training film was intended to model effective techniques for physicians providing marriage or sexual counseling to patients. Mr. and Mrs. Palmer, married for 23 years, are interviewed by Dr. David Reed of the University of Pennsylvania in a “conjoint” session. The couple discuss their marriage and Mr. Palmer’s recent impotence. The viewer is challenged to observe and analyze interview techniques including the establishment of rapport, the appraisal of nonverbal behavior, interaction and coping patterns, and the therapeutic responses of Dr. Reed as he tries to educate, reduce tension and motivate the couple toward change.

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