“The directors have recorded moments of deep human emotion. Their cameras allow participants to speak for themselves—but they also allow the observer to see a great deal that is not spoken aloud.”
—Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
“Extraordinarily moving study…If screen art is defined as that which offers the Aristotelian experience of ‘pity and terror’ there can be few ‘art films’ which have included anything so devastating as a single scene in this film.”
—Variety
“Home For Life is the most moving and gently penetrating film I have seen, dealing with the theme of old age in our society. It is, in a sense, a hymn to life; yet, it presents a challenge to us to face up to one of the most pressing problems of our day—our attitude towards the aged. In its own way, it is a work of art rather than an artful work.”
—Studs Terkel, Author
“The Movie of Truth—unforgettable scenes, a film of devastating impact…”
—Michaela Williams, Chicago Daily News
“An extraordinarily moving documentary…”
—Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
Home for Life depicts the experiences of two elderly people in their first month at a home for the aged. One is a woman whose struggle to remain useful in her son and daughter-in-law’s home is no longer appreciated. The other is a widower, without a family, who suddenly realizes he can no longer take care of himself. The film offers an unblinking look at the feelings of the two new residents in their encounters with other residents, medical staff, social workers, psychiatrists and family. A touching, sometimes painfully honest dramatic experience, it is valuable for in-service staff training, and for all other audiences both professional and non-professional, interested in the problems of the aged.