An Enemy of the People Directed by George Schaefer,
1978
The film An Enemy of the People (1978) was based on Henrik Ibsen’s 1882 play, a version of which was staged by Arthur Miller in 1950. The film is set in a Norwegian spa town that is popular with tourists, and stars Steve McQueen in the role of the town’s GP.
The doctor documents that the town springs are contaminated with harmful bacteria by a tannery uphill. The mayor explains that no one should know about this as it is too expensive to change the water system and the economy of the town will be negatively affected. The editor and a journalist of a local ‘progressive’ newspaper encourage the doctor to write an article about the contamination, but under pressure from the mayor they decline to publish the article. When the doctor refuses to conceal the truth the mayor threatens to expel his brother from his post as the doctor of the springs. The doctor, with the help of Richard Bradford (captain of a ship), calls for a meeting to explain to the townsfolk the issue, refusing the truth to be silenced. In the name of ‘democracy’ the doctor is not allowed to expose his point of view; in fact, he is shouted at as an ‘enemy of the people’ and his house windows are smashed by rocks.
As the doctor’s family become outcasts, a decision to immigrate to America on the captain’s ship is made. However, the doctor decides to stay when his father-in-law raises several points. He is convinced that the locals actually listened to and believed him as on the second day they all sold their shares in the baths at half price.
An Enemy of the People makes one reflect on several issues. To someone interested in ethics this is a must-see movie dealing with several principles like truth telling and doing no harm. Obscuring or changing the truth is a universal and ongoing issue leading to death and destruction (for example, Iraq’s invasion and subsequent war). One wonders if democracy is possible when the media is intimidated by power or when powerful people use the media to influence politicians. One may not be aware of Ibsen’s play but many may be familiar with the story of Rupert Murdoch, the media tycoon, who appears to have manipulated several politicians in developed countries.1 Others may have watched The Green Hornet (2011) which highlighted the influence of politicians on the media, as is the case in Ibsen’s play.
Altruism, a rare commodity in medical practice (at least in our opinion), is exemplified in the behaviour of the doctor refusing to compromise even at the expense of losing his job, the expulsion of his children from school, and even departing the country. Most doctors nowadays look for a secure and lucrative job. Some physicians may forget their oath to do the best for the patient and not what is convenient to them. For instance, in Lebanon (currently witnessing an emergency situation with the presence of more than a million Syrian and half a million Palestinian refugees) many physicians decline to serve those in dire need of their expertise.
The doctor in An Enemy of the People was concerned with morality and science away from economy and politics. He realised that not only was the water poisoned but also the minds of the ignorant majority, too imprudent to know what was best for them. Thus, it seems that intelligent individuals in our world are often powerless to act on their opinion out of fear of the majority.
- © British Journal of General Practice 2015
