During the 1930s and 1940s many governments realised that the moving image was a powerful tool they could utilize to communicate with the public and became involved in the production of films addressing social and political problems. The Irish government was no different in this regard sponsoring a number of public information films in the 1940 and 1950s addressing topics such as rural electrification, hygiene awareness, prevention of accidents in the home, road safety and the prevention and treatment of TB.

In the middle of the 20th century, tuberculosis was a disease that still killed thousands of people every year. Through educational films, the Irish government wanted to debunk the prejudices that surrounded tuberculosis and publicise the development of modern sanatoria and the programme of preventative measures and education that had been put in place by Minister for Health Dr. Noel Browne. The National television station RTE was not founded until 1960 so these short films were shown in cinemas before the main feature and reached large audiences as a result.

Voyage to Recovery, made by Gerard Healy for the National Film Institute in 1953, was one of these productions funded by the State; the aim of which was to demystify and de-stigmatise TB and its treatment.  It features Brian, a middle class family man and loving husband, who is a sympathetic character with whom the public can identify. By refusing to be ashamed of his illness, Brian addresses the prejudices that existed in the public consciousness at that time regarding the disease. The film subtly reassures the public that the government was dealing with the problem of TB in an effective manner. The film -makers employed a variety of mechanisms to address a disease that was still considered by many to be shameful. Shots of x-rays at high-tech laboratories, aerial photos of an ultramodern hospital with encouraging statistics regarding the combat of TB all assure the viewer that this deadly illness can be defeated by modern scientific methods. The use of humour and the casting of familiar Irish character actors to portray the ‘average family’ further normalise the illness and reassures the audience.

The combined success of the prevention programme and modern sanatoria meant that by the 1960s T.B. was all but eradicated from Irish society.

Production credits:

Script Writer: Gerard Healy

Director of Photography, Editor (Film/Tape): George Fleischmann

Sound Supervisor: Movietonews

Technical Advisers (Content): Dublin Corporation Tuberculosis Service, Dept. of Health, Ballyowen Sanitorium, St. Mary's Chest Hospital, Dublin, Western Regional Sanitorium, Galway