Movie spotlight
Semmelweis
Vienna, 1846. At night, the good-hearted coachman Hammer finds a young woman in labour at one of the gates and takes her to doctor Semmelweis at the women's clinic, whom he knows well. The woman is crazy with fear; mothers die there. Doctor Semmelweis finds no peace because of the surprisingly high number of death-cases at the clinic.
Insights
Plot Summary
The film dramatizes the life and work of Ignaz Semmelweis, a Hungarian physician who discovered that the incidence of puerperal fever could be drastically cut by the use of hand disinfection in preventing transmission of childbed fever. Despite his groundbreaking discoveries, Semmelweis faced immense resistance and ridicule from the established medical community.
Critical Reception
The film was produced during a period when historical dramas about scientific pioneers were less common. It received a limited release and is not widely discussed in contemporary critical circles but is recognized as an attempt to bring a significant medical figure's story to the screen.
What Reviewers Say
A compelling, albeit somewhat dated, dramatization of a vital medical discovery.
Highlights the tragic struggle of a visionary against institutional resistance.
Offers a stark portrayal of the challenges faced by scientific innovation in the 19th century.
Google audience: Information on specific Google user reviews for this 1952 film is not readily available, but historical context suggests it was likely appreciated for its educational and biographical value by those who saw it.
Fun Fact
Ignaz Semmelweis's story is often cited as an example of how a scientific truth can be rejected because it contradicts established beliefs, a phenomenon now known as the 'Semmelweis reflex'.
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