BEST BOY

US, 1979, 104 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Ira Wohl.

Best Boy won an Oscar for Best Documentary for 1979. Director Ira Wohl spent three years with his 52 year old retarded cousin Philly and documented his life, especially his having to move away from home and the forty years' care of his parents, Pearl and Max, both of whom have died by the end of the film. Philly is a genial man. The emphasis in his story is the opening of his horizons and his progress and delight in his new life. Wohl himself intervenes with the family, along with Philly's sister Frances. The decision for Philly to try a new life and its success should encourage those who care for and about the retarded.

1. The success of this film - information, uplifting, moralising entertainment? Its Oscar for best documentary? The documentary style? Insight into retarded persons? A tribute to Philly, his parents? The achievement of their caring for him for a lifetime? The challenge to let him go?

2. The spirit behind the film: Ira Wohl and his film background, Philly as his cousin, his insight into Philly meeting a time for Philly's change from parent to school? The various groups who care for the retarded? The family ? Max and Pearl and their looking after their son, his cousin Frances and her care?

3. The colour photography for the documentary style? The self-conscious and unselfconscious sequences? Ira Wohl observing Philly's behaviour over three years? The work of editing the material into feature film length? The patience exercised in communicating with Philly, offering him opportunities? Filming him? The cumulative experience of several years working with him? The editing into dramatic impact? A portrait of Philly, his parents? The addition of the musical score, the songs, especially Fiddler on the Roof?

4. A documentary based on fact, which is impressive in itself? The nature of the interpretation of the facts? In favour of Max and Pearl and their decision to bring up Philly? Against their keeping him at home for 40 years? Audiences identifying with Philly, with his parents? The experience of pain, Max mentioning God's curse? Philly's unfulfilled life? The fulfilment of which he was capable? The frustration especially for his parents? The adequacy of opportunities for his life? The success of Max and Pearl over the years and their patience? Ultimate hope?

5. The portrait of Philly - his age, appearance, seeing him at home e.g. shaving, the meals, work? The visit to the psychiatrist and the tests? The revelation of his character in small details of his actions, reactions? The outings and his delight e.g. at the zoo? Fiddler on the Roof. the introduction to Zero Mostel and singing the song? His moving out to schools and his art work? Learning skills? The significance of his leaving and growing away from home? His impatience wit? his parents? The visit of his parents as opportunity to show what he had done? His relationship with Ira? Ira's girlfriend? With Frances? Looking back on the long experience of his retarded life, his capacity to grow, the institution when he was 12, his parents bringing him home, the limits of his horizons at home, his ability to cope with home? The need for change? His personality and manner - potential for moving away from home and profiting by an institutional life? What happened to his development in the three years of the making of the film?

6. Pearl and Max as average Americans? Their response to their retarded child? Their accepting him? Looking after him as a small boy? 1938 and their decision to bring him home? The support for four decades? The demands on their understanding and love? Their capacity for help? Their changing over the decades? Their own personal needs and their hard and frustrated life? Letting him go, adapting to the change? Visits, his return home, seeing him at the school? Pearl and her investigating the institutions, her questions? Philly's recognising them or not? Max and his suffering, illness, operation, death? Pearl and the finish of her life's work with her husband's death and son going? Her death? Frances and her concern for her cousin? The background of the dead brother?

7. Ira Wohl as a character within the film? Behind the character, perceiving the situation? His decision to act as an influence? His role in front of the camera? His own relationships with the family, parents, Frances, girlfriend?

8. The picture of children's activities and language? Philly as an adult child? His own feelings ? his response to patience, observation, encouragement? Response to tests? His childlike delight in activities exercise of skills, singing? His giving himself to the life at the institution, the camp? His becoming ready to live a new phase of his life?

9. The portrait of the institution, the facilities of the school, the girl who trained the retarded people? The sketch of the psychologists and their skills, human warmth?

10. Insight for the average film viewer into the situation of a retarded person? The challenge to empathy? Recognition of needs? Acceptance of responsibility? The possibilities of growth and change? The facts of life and the basic response of compassion?