NET PLAYHOUSE: ARTHUR MILLER'S ADAPTATION OF AN ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE (TV)
Summary
One in this series of plays and films. This television production of the Henrik Ibsen play follows Arthur Miller's adaptation, written in the 1950s as a protest against the repressive tactics of the McCarthy era. The three-act play deals with the confrontation between an idealistic scientist and the members of a small Norwegian spa town when he discovers the local waters are contaminated. Act I, Scene 1 takes place in the home of Dr. Tom Stockman. The doctor's brother Mayor Peter Stockman and Mr. Hovstad, editor of the liberal paper The People's Monitor, agree to publish one of Dr. Stockmann's articles on the spa's health benefits. Act 1, Scene 2 takes place that evening; as Mr. Hovstad and others socialize at the doctor's house, Dr. Stockmann receives a letter confirming his in-depth study into the possible contamination of the spa. He reminds his colleagues that several spa patrons were ill with typhoid and explains that he analyzed the waters and found they are being polluted by a nearby tannery. His friends from The People's Monitor congratulate the doctor on his research, which will prevent continued illness among spa patrons, and call him a hero. Dr. Stockmann gives copies of his report on the potential epidemic to the newspaper and to his brother, believing the town will rejoice. But the next day, the mayor shocks his brother by dismissing the report and asking him to withdraw it before it ruins the reputation of the spa's board of trustees -- of which both Tom and Peter are members. In Act 2, Scene 1, Dr. Stockmann visits the offices of The People's Monitor where he and staff members eagerly conspire with the doctor -- until Mayor Stockmann visits the news room and convinces the paper's director, Aslaksen, that the doctor's report will lead to higher taxes, unpopular with small business owners who make up the paper's readership. Mayor Stockmann provides the paper with a statement against Dr. Stockmann and his allegations. Act 2, Scene 2 is set at Captain Horster's house and opens on Dr. Stockmann preparing to give a lecture concerning his findings. The lecture is hijacked by Mayor Stockmann and his cronies. The Mayor turns public opinion against the doctor, and Dr. Stockmann is chased from the building by a crowd calling him "an enemy of the people." In Act 3, the Stockmann home is under siege by an angry mob. The doctor considers leaving the country for their safety; but after colleagues and family members pressure the doctor to submit to public opinion, he is too outraged at the hypocrisy and mob mentality of the community and vows to remain to fight for the truth.
(This series was telecast on WNDT from 1966 to 1970 and on WNET from 1970 to 1972.)
The acquisition and cataloging of The Arthur Miller Collection was made possibly by The Laura Pels Foundation.
Details
- NETWORK: WNDT-TV (New York, NY) / NET National Educational Television / PBS forerunner
- DATE: December 2, 1966 8:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:49:10
- COLOR/B&W: B&W
- CATALOG ID: T:80466
- GENRE: Drama
- SUBJECT HEADING: Arthur Miller Collection, The; Drama
- SERIES RUN: WNDT (New York, NY) - TV series, 1966-1970
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Jac Venza … Executive Producer
- Jack Landau … Producer
- Paul Bogart … Director
- Arthur Miller … Writer
- Henrik Ibsen … Based on the play by
- John Adams … Music (Misc. Credits), Music consultant
- Philip Bosco … Cast, Stockmann, Peter
- James Daly … Cast, Stockmann, Dr. Thomas
- Barbara Dana … Cast, Petra
- Lou Gilbert … Cast, A Drunk
- William Hansen … Cast, Nansen
- Ken Kercheval … Cast, Billing
- Walter Klavun … Cast, Captain Horster
- James Olson … Cast, Hovstad
- William Prince … Cast, Aslaksen
- Kate Reid … Cast, Catherine Stockmann
- George Voskovec … Cast, Morten Kiil
- Timothy Daly … Cast, Morten
- Earl Hedin … Cast, Ejlif
- Conard Fowkes … Cast, townsperson
- Ruth Girard … Cast, townsperson
- Lawrence Keith … Cast, townsperson