Life for Ruth

When a deeply religious man finds himself under attack (and is placed on trial) for allowing his injured daughter to die on grounds of his religious beliefs, it’s not just his marriage which runs into danger of breaking down…

In many respects this tense b/w drama from 1962 completes a trilogy (which may have been intentional) by screenwriters Janet Green and John McCormick - the previous two being 'Sapphire' (1959) and 'Victim' (1961). All looked closely at problems still very much with us sixty years later, namely racism, homophobia and in this instance, religion. LIFE FOR RUTH, it must be said, is by nature the most ‘downbeat’ of the three with its thought-provoking theme of religious fanaticism. Like the previous two films, it was directed by no-nonsense director Basil Dearden. It was shot entirely in a wintery and bleak Durham which only emphasizes the topic to a considerably greater degree and further enhances the point of the story which poses a strongly vexed question for the viewer; one which can (as hinted before) seriously end any friendship.

John Harris (Michael Craig) is a nice and decent working class bloke living in Durham near the coastal line and is happily married to Pat (the tragic Janet Munro). The couple are also proud parents to their eight-year old daughter Ruth (played by Lynn Taylor). One afternoon, while playing football on the beach with her friends, the ball accidentally finds its way into the roaring sea and Ruth and her pal Teddy (Freddy Ramsey) decide to go out in a rowing boat which they find on the seashore in order to retrieve the ball. At this point the North Sea is raging with high waves and the two kids - amid jutting rocky contours – find themselves in big trouble in no time! This is partially Pat's fault for not keeping an eye on her daughter and on the other kids. Looking back from the cliff top a distraught Pat spots Ruth and Teddy in peril and alarms everyone nearby including her hubby John. Brave hero that he is, he climbs down the cliffs and jumps into the roaring sea, attempting to save their lives. After hesitating for a few seconds he decides to save the boy first who, minutes earlier, had been washed overboard while his daughter Ruth is still in the boat. Unfortunately, by the time John reaches the boat it had smashed against the rocks and leaves the girl gravely injured.

Later that evening at the local hospital, the worried parents are informed by Dr. Brown (Patrick McGoohan) that Ruth will need a blood transfusion to save her life BUT! Here then is the crunch because John has a different religion from that of his wife (although she converted to his religion after marrying him). Although not actually stated we can only assume that John is a ‘Jehovah's Witness’ - it is a religion (in case you didn't know) which preaches the divine will of God, meaning that a blood transfusion from another person will prevent the recipient from life everlasting - it may save you in this life but as a taker of another's blood you will be impure and prevented from entering God's eternal kingdom. In other words, you will be damned for all eternity to burn in hell!

On the other hand, Dr. Brown - a modern thinker - believes the only way to save Ruth's life to give her a transfusion and doesn’t hide his disapproval as far as Ruth parents are concerned. This John adamantly refuses and says it must be left to the will of God to decide. After the parents go back home for the night Dr. Brown wants to give the girl a transfusion anyway but he is overruled by his superior, Dr. Harvard (Michael Aldridge) who points out that John Harris’ religious beliefs ought to be respected. Meanwhile, Pat, after arguing with her husband, rushes back to the hospital unbeknownst to him and asks Dr. Brown to proceed with the blood transfusion - sadly her interference comes too late as Ruth died in the meantime. While John initially is of the opinion that his daughter’s death was God’s will, his wife is suddenly not so sure anymore about the religion she took on after her marriage to him. Her emotional pain is made worse by the fact that Teddy, the little boy whom John managed to drag out of the sea, has made a full recovery and it’s only when Teddy’s parents (Maureen Pryor and Frank Finlay) come to thank John that they learn of Ruth’s tragic fate.

Incensed that John Harris allowed his daughter to die on religious grounds, Dr. Brown wants to take this matter considerably further… which he does, even if it means leaving no stone unturned to find a lawyer willing to take on the case. We end up in Court where John Harris finds himself facing a charge of wilful murder. This entire scenario opens up a huge can of worms and you can make up your own mind up as to whether or not Harris's character should elicit your sympathy or not. We must bear in mind that this is a good and decent man but given his strict religious principles (taught to him by his father – played by Malcolm Keen) his impeccable character suddenly seems blighted. The film doesn’t offer any upbeat moments whatsoever although it addresses a very serious and totally relevant question. Michael Craig excels in what could not have been an easy part to play and is amply supported by Janet Munro as his devoted wife whose love and own faith begins to falter following the (unnecessary) tragedy of their daughter’s death.

LIFE FOR RUTH is available in a brand new restoration on HD Blu-ray and DVD format. Bonus features include: Archive career-retrospective interview with actor Michael Craig, brand-new interviews with Michael Craig and 1st assistant director Anthony Wayne, theatrical trailer, image gallery, plus limited edition booklet.