The Defense of Fort McHenry (review)

teaching about legal history, ethnic history, and the history of World War II, as well as for American history surveys, they deserve wide viewing, both for the importance of their subjects and as fine examples ofdocumentary filmmaking. Carlos E. Cortes University of California, Riverside. National Park Service. The Defense of Fort McHenry. Film obtainable from the National Audiovisual Center, National Archives & Records Administration, 8700 Edgeworth Drive, Capital Heights, MD 20743-3701, Order No. Ao3094. RROl. Running time, approximately 1 5 minutes, color. This is one of those films that the National Park Service apparently prepares for showing on site. It is based upon the diary of Dr. William Beanes, an American who lived between Washington and Baltimore, was involved in treating the British wounded after the burning of the U.S. capital, and then was taken aboard the British flagship as a hostage. Francis Scott Keyes was sent to plead for his release as a hostage taken in violation ofthe agreement made. While Keyes and the freed, but still retained Dr. Beanes were still aboard, the British sailed up and bombarded Fort McHenry. The attack failed, but inspired the national anthem. The film has been well done using Dr. Beanes as the narrator from his diary, contemporary cartoons and nineteenth century drawings and paintings to make the scene come alive in color. Nor are musical and other effects lacking. What the viewer gets, then, is a similar impression to what someone in 1815-1820 might have received. And what is wrong with that? The answer is that since the average viewer is not warned that he or she is only getting the story as told by one of the participants with a little editorial help, the filmmakers are assuming a great deal of knowledge on the part of the viewer—or they do not care if he or she has none at all. This applies both to the spoken word and to the visible images. Is the account balanced? Are the images true? (One as far as I could tell with the machine stopped shows a steam frigate ofthe 1840's, for instance.) No previewer's material came with the film, so it is assumed that this is one for the Visitors' Center at Fort McHenry. In that case as a vignette, it gives a fine idea of how things appeared from Dr. William Beanes' position and the milieu in which he moved. Robin Higham Kansas State University ...