The National Health, or Nurse Norton's Affair

The National Health, or Nurse Norton's Affair from 1973, shines a sardonic light on the British National Health Service, anchored by the phenomenal performances of Lynn Redgrave, Colin Blakely, and Eleanor Bron.

Set primarily in the men's ward of a public hospital, the film presents a succession of vignettes laced with dark, satirical humour that underline the systemic challenges plaguing the healthcare system in the UK at the time. At times bitterly cynical, at others tender and compassionate, this film manages to keep the viewers engaged despite the grim circumstances it portrays. The tonal balance between comedy and tragedy is achieved due to the skilled direction of Jack Gold and the adept screenplay adaptation of Peter Nichol’s stage play, by Jeremy Sandford and the playwright himself.

Lynn Redgrave plays Nurse Katherine Norton, who is trying her level best to navigate the fluid chaos of an underfunded and overburdened hospital. The role is challenging, but Redgrave’s immense talent brings depth, complexity, and humanity to Norton. She is revealed as a person grappling daily with the absurdities of a crumbling system, dealing with difficult patients, and managing the quirks of her colleagues. What is admirable about Nurse Norton's portrayal is her intrinsic empathy and diligence, which simultaneously underlines the extraordinary commitment of healthcare professionals and the dire shortcomings of the system that they work within.

Colin Blakely adds nuances to the narrative as the gruff yet staunch socialist Barnet, who is in for chronic illness and becomes a vocal critic of the healthcare system's issues from within the ward. His character provides a poignant contrast to the mostly apathetic or resigned patients around him, becoming the social and political conscience of the story.

Eleanor Bron, as Sister McFee, the hospital's matronly and somewhat icy ward sister, impeccably depicts the authority figure entrenched in the system. Beneath her stern exterior, however, lies a person who is well aware of the system's flaws and carries a quiet determination to keep things progressing as smoothly as possible within her purview.

The supporting characters – a collection of long-term hospital patients – are drawn from a vast cross-section of British society, offering additional layers of reflection on the mid-20th century British life. These diverse characters act as a microcosm of the outside world, bringing nuances of class, age, ethnicity, and gender into the confined space of the ward.

The National Health, as a film, uses its unique socio-political lens to expose the harsh realities of the National Health Service. Despite this, it never strays into the territory of disdainful ridicule. Though criticism is evident, it becomes clear that the target of the mockery is the system, not the patients and healthcare professionals struggling within it. It refrains from suggesting its own solutions or preaching to the audience; instead, it presents the unvarnished truth and allows the audience to form their own conclusions.

The film's dialogue is compelling, often incisive, and the visual storytelling enhances the themes the narrative explores. Cinematographer Tony Imi captures the antiseptic and impersonal atmosphere of the hospital contrasting with the warmth and resilience of the characters.

Overall, The National Health is a dramatic, darkly comical, and politically charged film that casts a discerning eye on the British healthcare system through a kaleidoscope of human stories. It is as significant a film today, as it was in the time of its release, for the universal experiences it portrays within the context of public healthcare. The film showcases the strengths and the failings, the resilience and the fatigue, the compassion and the indifference of people working and living within a strained system. The National Health, or Nurse Norton's Affair is a thought-provoking take on the interconnectedness of society, health, and politics, sharply observed and brilliantly brought to life by a talented cast and crew.