The Mechanical knee

The account of a young secretary, Gail Tremblay, who is threatened by a giant cell tumor of the leg. Faced with three alternatives (amputation, fusion of the knee joint, or an experimental prosthesis), she chooses the mechanical knee. The film shows the various stages of the procedure: the construction of a hinged metal joint; in the operating room, the surgery to excise the affected area and insert the mechanical knee; and the physiotherapy that enabled her to return to work and a reasonably active life. (Award: Varna)