THE WHITE ANGEL
US, 1936, 92 minutes, Black and white.
Kay Francis, Ian Hunter, Donald Woods, Nigel Bruce, Donald Crisp, Henry O’ Neill.
Directed by William Dieterle.
The White Angel is a biography of Florence Nightingale. Already, soon after her death in 1910, there were films made about the Lady with the Lamp, her work in the Crimea, her reformation of the British nursing system. There was to be a later film with Anna Neagle, The Lady of the Lamp, and a television film with Jacqueline Smith.
Kay Francis is rather sombre as Florence Nightingale here, with still the touch of an American accent. The film is quite lavishly mounted, recreating the 1850s in England and in the Crimea (Warners just having filmed The Charge of the Light Brigade).
The film puts Florence Nightingale on a pedestal. However, she still comes across as very determined, with a sense of vocation, passionate in her beliefs rather than in her emotional outpourings. She is confronted by the hostility of doctors, not realising the value of women as nurses. She is supported by Ian Hunter as the reporter Fuller of the London Times who championed her cause and who roused public opinion for her in England. Donald Woods plays a suitor who comes to the Crimea and is injured in battle. The hostile doctors are Nigel Bruce and Donald Crisp. Henry O’ Neill is a more sympathetic doctor.
The film shows the difficulties for women in these decades before the suffragettes and the granting of votes to women. The film also shows the rather Dickensian situation of the hospitals, the carelessness of the nurses, the need for reform, the developments that Florence Nightingale contributed to.
The film builds up to a climax where Florence Nightingale encounters Queen Victoria and is supported by her.
The film also quotes from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s poem, and the description of the Lady with the Lamp.
The film was directed by William Dieterle, German director who came to Hollywood, made quite a number of the Warner Bros biopics of the 1930s including Juarez, Despatch from Reuters, Doctor Erlich’s Magic Bullet, The Story of Louis Pasteur, The Story of Emile Zola.
1. Audience knowledge of Florence Nightingale, her career, contribution to medicine and nursing? The film’s admiration of her? The other versions of her life?
2. Warner Bros production values in the 1930s, the interest in biopics? The presentation of the character as noble, role model, of her period, the strong legacy? The women’s issues? A world of men, their hostility towards her, towards women in the nursing profession? Florence Nightingale as an exception?
3. Nursing and British conditions in the 1850s? Her aims in changing things? Training? Her experience on the continent? Menial work but important? Hygiene? Her wanting to go to the Crimea, the eventual consent of the War Office, her being in charge? Bringing about change despite the opposition? The public’s support of her? The aftermath of the war, her work as a nurse, dying in 1910?
4. The production values, the re-creation of Britain, British upper-class society, the contrast with the poor, the slums, the hospitals and wards? The re-creation of Crimea, the boats, the trenches, the hospitals and wards? Musical score?
5. Florence Nightingale’s world, the air of nobility? The Victorian era, the opening with the toasts to the queen? The admiration for the queen? Parliament, the lords, the variety of committees, the need for reform, the possibilities? The end, Florence Nightingale’s strong speech, Queen Victoria’s reaction?
6. The 1850s, the hospitals, the nurses drinking, the hard working hours, the complaints of the patients, the critique, the nurses and their conditions, the complaints being sent to Mr Nightingale, the discussion by the ministers, the opposition from the doctors? The consideration of women as lesser beings?
7. Pre-suffragette England? The expectations of women, their place in the family, the weaker sex, their influence on men? Physically and psychologically unable to do the work of nurses? Florence Nightingale in this context, her determination, her sense of vocation, mission, passion? Her declarations? Her life at home, wealthy, pensive, her mother and the ambitions for her to marry, social life, her father and his work, support? Charles and his support, wanting to marry her? Her reading her father’s files, the effect on her? Going to Doctor West, the interview, his contempt? Doctor Hunt in the Crimea, his active opposition to her? Mr Bullock and his political stance against her?
8. Kay Francis as Florence Nightingale, pensive, at home, passion, her training, Doctor West, the clash with him, the recruiting of the nurses, the War Secretary and getting authority, the criteria for her nurses, the Daughter of Charity and her interview? The gossiping women and not allowing them to come? The criticism by the women of her choices? Her rejecting Miss Stephens? The voyage to the Crimea?
9. The arrival, the conditions, the rain, Doctor Hunt and his civility yet his opposition? Her inspection of the hospital, opening the windows, cleaning the wards? The requisitions, the opposition, the closing of the depot against her? Typhoid, the separate wards? Cleaning, the men dying, young Tom and his role in battle, the drummer, her keeping vigil? Their recovery? Doctor Hunt and his treatment, their being no bandages and Florence’s retort? Doctor Scott and his support, his being sent to the trenches?
10. Fuller, his articles, observing life in the Crimea? The public’s response, the donations? Money, goods, bandages…? Discussions in the War Office, the talk amongst the ministers, the articles by Fuller, the secretary pointing out their blame? Fuller and his meeting Florence? His admiration, help?
11. The work at the front, Miss Stephens and creating chaos, the inspection?
12. Florence in Scutari, being sent to the front? Charles coming to help, unable, going to the front, her seeing him die? The boatloads of soldiers, the French, the bombardments, her helping? Cholera, the fear of the nurses? Her own illness? Her sitting outside the hospital, being refused admission? Tom going to Lord Raglan, the discussion with Raglan, his visit and allowing her into the wards? His criticisms of Doctor Hunt?
13. Florence’s return to Scutari, the chaos, Miss Stephens in bed, the drinking nurses, reform, her speech to the nurses, their volunteering? Her getting official recognition to be in charge?
14. Her return, the War Office not wanting to celebrate her, Bullock and his stances against her, the discussions with Hunt, Hunt and his grudging admiration for her? His meeting Florence before her audience with the queen? Her opposing him, the system? His not wanting the system to change?
15. Her speech of policy, Queen Victoria’s reaction?
16. Florence Nightingale as a personality, in British history, a 19th century person, as active, her legacy?
