" PROFILE OF A PROBLEM DRINKER " 1957 ALCOHOLISM AWARENESS, TREATMENT & EDUCATION FILM CC10125

[Music] the national film Board of Canada presents perspective a Canadian view of Canada its people and the world in which they live this week perspective presents David the profile of a problem Drinker by Stanley [Music] Jackson don't worry hello Norma come on in hien how are you hi Norma hi David see you Monday oh where's David off to Toronto Toronto no I just think it's crazy to send a guy like David spear to Toronto to represent us at a conference that important we shouldn't take the chance he knows more about utility design than anyone else in the farm but you know you can't depend on him [Music] no than thank you why should it be so different for David I don't know it's all right now though I think he hasn't touched a drink for over a month make up your mind ride in the Rocks double I'm in a hurry never known remember ages go Norma how we used to talk I said David's the best of the lot remember in spite of everything I still think so he's kind and I just wish he were happier somehow he's not really happy I'm sorry sir your train left just 2 minutes ago sorry sir all our morning flights are book solid and there's a long waiting list sorry I couldn't help you [Music] sir so the moral is never spend an evening at home come now I'll your [Music] hand come on Jordy let's get over [Applause] here teer do you know where I can get a bottle of ride this time tonight sorry Mike long business send off $20 okay get in hello is Mr spear there it's for Daddy hello hello is Mr spear there by any chance no Mr spear is in Toronto today is there any message this is his office calling is that Mrs spear yes you're sure Mr spear left for Toronto yes he left is something wrong no it's just that we hadn't been able to contact Mr spear in Toronto and I thought perhaps he might be have been sick and no no thank you Mrs spear goodbye Timmy I asked you to go to the store for me now hurry up well he's in some fleet trap downtown I'm all right all right I lose don't look so smug oh the fool the absolute fool it's hopeless I honestly thought a quick drink could help me sleep on the train can't come home David where are you I don't I don't know what to do where are you uh I don't know got a nice wife kids he's done a lot of nice work for me I can't give him the boot just like that tell you what I'll do I'll demand as an absolute condition of his job that he see a doctor who knows something about this alcoholic business he doesn't need a doctor he needs a swift kick in the he'll see a doctor can I be cured put it Bentley I don't know we'll have to see how this problem developed first by the way would you have your wife come and see me would be a great help is David an alcoholic don't worry about the term he certainly is a very sick man he's one of those who can't drink without it having a very disastrous effect upon their lives it's a long slow process generally but you can tell by certain signs when it's happening but why does it happen there are a great many reasons we'll come to that first we have to know how it happened tell me what was David like when you first knew him I thought he was wonderful he was [Music] wonderful I remember the first time I ever saw David it was at a party it was my cousin Norman introduced me to David there was something awfully nice about him he seemed sort of shy and polite and I don't know modest not like Pete Gorman in that Bunch so he says I don't know what kind of a dog it was but he says you so have sh it before I had it [Laughter] shaved excuse me strength oh thanks you can't fly in One Wing Bo oh come on David get in this a thing all right thanks hi Norma told me David was a very quiet chap not a drinking type but that night he threw caution to the winds and he had a wonderful [Applause] [Music] [Applause] time he sort of came out of his sh forget my mar he's the best of the lot he's serious but he's great fun too I want to meet him again that was a wonderful party in the year after that I saw quite a bit of David he was going to be an architect he was working hard terribly conscientious but once in a long while he scraped together enough money for us to have a real Splurge of an evening he used to talk sometimes about his family out in the country about funny things that happened when he was a kid on the farm he wasn't shy with me or anybody really when he'd had a few drinks he'd even try dancing he wasn't very good but wonderful friends wonderful evenings I'd fallen in love with David we were married the next year what on Earth got into him doctor I want to hear more about him well we were happily married I don't make any mistake about that what about drinking well nothing really then there'd be a bang of party at Pete Gorman's or someplace pretty often David drank a lot at a party he'd get awfully gay and funny and have a hangover the next day say I'm never going to have another drink as long as I live if I live you know Timmy was born a couple of years after our marriage David adored him I was content I'd quit my job of course when the baby came along what about David's work well he was with thorl and Scott right from the time he graduated he began as a utilities draftsman fitting the heating and plumbing stuff into other people's designs not very inspiring but they all began with something like that perhaps it was a poor firm for David to be with then they weren't doing too well and promotions were slow the junior men used to convene for beers at the pub after work sort of a daily bull session only get off as big fat behind he's too conservative I give him three months but there's no change in three months I walk out lousy paid lousy it's all right for you to talk you're single it's different for us guys look you can't blame everything on thorkelson it's not his fault if a customer changes his mind he doesn't make the customer's policy PA asy schaly I'm an architect not a plumber excuse me I used to get cross with David sometimes seemed to me they didn't have to drink every day I never knew quite when to have dinner ready then as time passed odd things began to happen Mike Norma's husband used to drop in the odd time for a beer with the boys I learned about it from him a real L from the shipping room was there that day he'd had too much to drink kept butting in say how much beer do you drink in a day not too much boy if I drank as much as that I'd be tied in a bed bug will you mind your own business it's a free C Tre what's the matter with him he's drunk well something I forgot I have to be on my way it's on the H gentlemen so [Music] long same again [Music] [Applause] [Music] hi David Mike happened to phone you left the boys at the pub over an hour ago where have you been I was at the bar who is myself why on Earth well I wanted to have a drink all alone I think things over what things how much have you had to drink six R six six rise I know I I've been drinking too much I I didn't want to tell you H I didn't want you to get upset honestly aren't you happy David or sure I'm happy I know look Ellen there's nothing to worry about I decided tonight to go on the wagon I'm not going to touch another drink till New Year's so hard to believe you don't look really drunk you'll be all right you've got to trust me Helen I do H stey sound asleep I guess I was expecting to hear something like that know why David was so touchy about those remarks in the pub because he's a good man with enough sense to be afraid afraid that alcohol was becoming essential to him but why we leave that question to David how long did he stay on the wagon what makes you so sure he went on the wagon as a matter of fact he didn't even touch a glass of beer for over a month and we were happy everything was going fine as far as I knew David had got a raise although he was still on pretty routine work and then I can't explain what happened to him I only know what happened it was pure chance that David bumped into Pete gor I haven't seen in a month look Pete I really haven't got time oh come on everybody's got time for a quick one come on tell and Pete maneuvered him into the bar what it beats on me I'm buying beer will be F beer are you kidding on a day like this Jim make us do those rum specials huh Pete left David stayed called me about 7:00 I'll be late don't worry dry martini that night Pete dropped in for a night cap he found David you here again or still [Music] yeah yeah got my car outside they drive you home I'm all Pete brought David home that night we had to put him to bed next day David didn't even remember how he got home something like that or looks like that has happened to a lot of people man gets into a jam may go out with the intention of forgetting it it's not exactly an adequate way of handling the situation but it's not serious the first time was there any special reason for him to drink like that as far as I knew it was just an ordinary day and after that he was off the wagon with a Vengeance I don't know whe whether to weep or laugh when I remember some of the things one summer evening Mrs Henry Baylor had thrown open her home to the neighbors she'd invited us to discuss a plan for a community playground it was one of those Affairs where there's one drink for the gentleman and the ladies are expected to ask for coffee I had trouble persuading David to go he thought the whole idea was Impractical he'd had a lot of drinks before dinner I was worried from third DAV had disappeared it's my hope can be made into a park a place for the children to play in a place of Beauty for the adults this can be done if we as responsible citizens act together as a group of petitioners individually we're helpless but if we act as a group what do you think Mr Pollock well I think the idea is all right I'm just wondering if we're going about it in the right way yes oh Mr spear Mr spear as some of you may know is an architect you know our aim what do you think think Mr spear I think this petition is a lot baloney this District isn't Zone you could you you could build a glue factory here and there's nothing you can do about it all this business about beautiful gardens he's right you know you have to be more realist you have to be more realistic he's drunk where do you suppose he got the stuff I wish I knew Suppose there is something to what Mr spear St I suppose David gave you good reasons for drinking that night oh yes there was always a reason could be anything he drank himself stiff to celebrate the last day of winter the next to celebrate the arrival of spring he drank because a headline upset him he drank his lunch because he wasn't hungry always some reason your dinner's in the oven you'll have to warm it up H look G I couldn't get away I didn't want to install Arie who's Arie I told you about Arie cousin of Harold rud shingo 36 today nicest fell you want to meet David don't get upset Ellen he only has his birthday once a [Music] year a you David David I'm sorry [Music] it was heartbreaking our life was a mess what your husband calls reasons for drinking they aren't genuine better to call them aliis to cover up the fact that he could no longer help drinking unless somehow he could get greater understanding into what was happening the alcohol was beginning to run him certainly something was you know the horrible thing was that alcohol began to seemed to be more important to him than anything else me the children his job his friends he didn't even drink with the boys anymore you talk about understanding he understood let me tell you about a weird coincidence it was after midnight David was out heaven knows where he'd been drinking heavily for months I thought I can't stand trying to understand David anymore we have no money we're up to our ears in debt his job's shaky I thought there's only one thing to do borrow some money from Dad admit we're a failure get David into a rest home or sanitarium or someplace like that take the kids and go home home and then see what happens see if [Music] [Applause] it's all over Mommy Mommy I heard a big noise nothing Jenny now go on back to bed go on now I'll clean it up Helen I I've got to could have given it away it's finished Helen I don't know how you stood it but it's over now I haven't had a drink in 4 days tonight I've been by myself thinking do you know why I drink really because I despise my job 10 years utility Drafting and I drink to deaden the disappointment then thoron says see you can't trust them with anything but the Joe jobs because he drinks it's a vicious circle but I see it all clearly now now and it's not too late to start over again no more kidding myself I know it's tough Ellen but I want you to try and trust me can you yes David's a brave man it takes courage to face reality when the reality is as disheartening as that only question is was that really the whole of what was bothering him I don't mean he wasn't being honest but no anyway we started all over again David worked hard and thorkelson was pleased with him well a week ago yesterday was the night he was supposed to leave for Toronto the rest you know yes is it hopeless no not hopeless there are people of course who go on drinking until they kill themselves one way or another but David's health is I know what going to ask no I've examined him he's actually not in too bad shape physically he's one of the lucky ones doctor what could I have done what should I have done I mention there are certain signs when a person is drinking in a way that leads to disaster these signs sort of chart the course drinking every day sneaking drinks blackouts the aliis the fears even going on the wagon the remorse the helplessness it's cruel to say it to you now but if you were your husband had known the meaning of these signs you might have caught it before it was too late is it too late doctor in a way yes you're going to have to get along without alcohol for the rest of your life it may take all the resources of medicine to help you hospitalization drugs Psychotherapy it's possible we won't have to get to that I want you to try something go home get lots of rest lots of food no liquor and try and find out for yourself why it is that alcohol meant so much more to you say than Pete Gorman I've had patients who numb themselves with alcohol to cover feelings of guilt or to dampen down hostility towards others or to brace themselves for situations that they couldn't face who seem to drink for the sake of drink I want you to try and find out why for you at least you've been looking for an answer lately that's something sure doesn't take a masterm to know why I started drinking look before I met you I hated going to a party I was scared I was awkward I was a boob then give me a few drinks and I'm the life of the party I'm a wit I'm just dandy that's what you married a fake personality listen that's not why I loved you there was another side to you David you were quiet and serious and you were fun too where's that gone you know doctor it's funny how things happen over the years I'd forgotten a whole part of my life Timmy that's my son last Saturday morning he dragged me off to the park to see a snow house he was building such a simple thing in Tim I saw part of myself the right part before I get sidetracked into trying to be something other than myself this sounds all very romantic but believe me for the first time in years I felt the possibility of joy joy and work in my family you know doctor when I tried to stop drinking before I nearly went out of my mind now I feel entirely different I'm free no you're not free you're on the track of something good keep keep on it but it won't be that easy I'd like to put you in touch with Alcoholics Anonymous or some similar organization and I want you to see me frequently during the next year at least once a month you're feeling pretty good right now but one of those gray days the days when things get on your nerves because you can't ever drink again not a glass of Sherry at Christmas nothing it'll be a struggle sometimes often but your whole life is in the balance oh hello obviously can't Jak hands how's the family fine David oh just fine doctor I've been wanting to come to see you for months to thank you well I just gave him a steer that's all the real job he's doing himself it's not all over yet you know he mustn't get over confident no we're building in the spring you know out at Brier Hill David's designing houses now not just ours he's happy cheers it's all right just plain ginger ale CH excuse me how you you boy what are you Happ there just plain ginger ale ginger ale here let me let me let me no I'm all right P Come On Dave just have one little drink for Pete sake for Pete sake come on look Pete I don't drink I can't drink [Music] I'm slipping away [Music] on Christmas toast yes [Music] haven't seen you for a long time Mr spear quiet tonight here most people home tonight [Music] I don't want anything Oscar I don't know why I'm here happy New Year to you Mr spear same to you [Music] Oscar by the way Miss Hardy would you reserve a hotel room for Mr spear for April 6th to April 10th very well you're sending spear to Toronto logical man you a good architect Scott but you haven't a sense of humor [Music] [Applause] [Music] oh [Music]