Perspective Season 3, Episode 5: Capital City

1

Arrival

This drama portrays an immigrant family and the mingled feelings of hope and despair that characterize their life in a strange land. An Italian wife joins her husband in a large Canadian city. After two years in Canada the husband feels his dream of a better life is close to realization, but his wife feels that differences of language and custom are insurmountable. How such feelings are dispelled by simple gestures of friendship from Canadian-born neighbours gives a heartening conclusion to the film.

30 min

2

The Barrier

This feature-length drama tells two sides of the same story to illustrate the lack of communication between employer and employee. The story takes us into a fictional paper company to meet two men who, despite having similar goals, are at odds with each other. First, we see the tale unfold from the point of view of the employee, and then we get to see the same story retold through the eyes of the employer.

60 min

3

Birth of a Giant

This documentary short tells the story of the conception, construction and testing of the largest Canadian aircraft of its time - the Canadair Argus. A marine reconnaissance aircraft, the Argus was designed and manufactured by Canadair for the Canadian Forces and the Royal Canadian Air Force. In its early years, it was reputedly the finest anti-submarine patrol bomber in the world.

30 min

4

Borderline

15-yr old Nora is in a home for "problem teens" because of her rebellious nature. The film implies the blame is on her parents' leniency.

28 min

5

Capital City

A trip along the Rideau Canal leads to a tour of Ottawa including Parliament,various government buildings, surrounding parks and historic sites. A National Film Board production.

30 min

6

Double Vedict

A lawyer unexpectedly hangs himself in his home while his wife is running an errand. Why did he do it?

30 min

7

Encounter at Trinity

As a "tourist", broadcaster Fred Davis visits Trinity Bay, Nfld. where the residents regularly round up pods of pothead whales (pilot whales) both for their oil and to grind up to feed farmed mink.

28 min

8

Fires of Envy

This short film is a dramatization of Canadian author W.O. Mitchell's penetrating story about the racial prejudice encountered by a Polish immigrant farmer in a rural Saskatchewan community. Presented with the incisiveness characteristic of Mitchell's Jake and the Kid radio series, this film story employs homespun events of a farming community to lay bare some universal truths about the unthinking discrimination practiced against a man who is different from his English-speaking fellow farmers.

29 min

9

Haiti

This short film from the Perspective series highlights social and economic development in Haiti circa 1957. It depicts customs and traditions used to pass along the history of a people, and offers a look into their daily lives — lives that looks very different from their experiences today.

30 min

10

Howard

This documentary short presents the dilemma of a teenager caught in the crossfire of adult opinions and youthful enthusiasm. Howard, just out of high school, is slated for college and a career as a chemist. But he first wants to embark on a summer-long, foot-loose tour of Canada with a school pal. This plan, however, meets with strong resistance from his socially conformist parents. The film's depiction of Howard's resultant confusion illustrates the inner conflicts that can arise in teenagers when every carefree impulse is rationalized out of existence.

29 min

11

Island Romance

This short fictional film features the picturesque seaside landscape of Prince Edward Island as the setting for a summer romance between a girl from Winnipeg and a young fisherman from North Rustico, PEI. The young couple visits historic and scenic sites such as Government House in Charlottetown and Cavendish, of Green Gables fame. The film is a classic summertime romance and a nostalgic visit to the delightfully sun-soaked PEI of the past.

30 min

12

Joe and Roxy

Dramatises the psychological problems of two teenagers in love who try to counterbalance with their relationship the drabness of their home life. Contrasts the teen-ager's need for absolute rules with the confusion of adult standards.

28 min

13

Log Drive

This short documentary brings to the screen a great seasonal event in the Québec spruce forest—the log drive. In lyrics set to a sprightly tune, ballad singer describes this annual spectacle. A vast aggregation of logs moves downstream on a river, spurred by dynamite and sharp-tipped cant hooks, tossed and twirled by the boots of leaping men.

29 min

14

Pierrot in Montreal

In this documentary short, Canadian mime Guy Hoffman, acting as Pierrot, introduces us to the art of pantomime. The streets of Montreal and the Belmont Amusement Park are the backdrop for the traditional story of Pierrot, who loses his love, Columbine, to Harlequin.

30 min

15

Profile of a Problem Drinker

A young businessman begins drinking to cope with the stresses in his life. His wife struggles to get him to stop as he begins to embarrass himself in public and to lose effectiveness at work. He is not helped by his friend Pete, who continually eggs him on to drink more. But with the help of a doctor and his wife's encouragement, the young man begins to see hope for an end to his addiction.

29 min

16

The Happy Fugitive

This short drama profiles a fugitive who skipped out on parole 28 years ago and now finds that he must finish his prison term. The film is based on a case from the files of the John Howard Society, whose mission is to advocate for humane prison reform and provide practical assistance to prisoners and ex-prisoners.

30 min

17

Test Pilot

A suspenseful story by Arthur Hailey about the excitement and hazards of being an aircraft test pilot.

30 min

18

Wolfe and Montcalm

This historical short looks at the circumstances, the plans, and speculates on the thoughts of the the two generals leading up to the historic battle on the Plains of Abraham in 1759.

29 min

19

The Harvest

A small town Canadian prairie pastor needs to decide whether to accept a position in the big city, or to continue the struggles of small town life.

30 min