A War Story on AllMovie

Without either a nationalistic or political cast, this documentary looks at the suffering caused by the nature of war itself. Written, produced, and directed by Anne Wheeler, the film tells the story of her father, Dr. Ben Wheeler, and his captivity during World War II. The doctor was first taken prisoner by the Japanese in Shanghai in 1942, but the segment of his diaries that is the focus here is based on his time in a mining camp run by the Japanese. His job was to keep the British POWs healthy so they could work in the mines. He had very few medical supplies or equipment, yet the survivors who were interviewed unanimously praised him for his good work. Narration is by Donald Sutherland reading excerpts from Ben Wheeler's journal entries.