Review of Sister Kenny

An inspiring story I've seen several times. Her unorthodox desire, as an independent Australian 'bush' nurse, to teach doctors how to effectively ameliorate the debilitating symptoms of polio, based on her own experimentation, was acutely felt as a threat to the authority of doctors, including specialists in polio. Her story much reminds me of the dramatized "Story of Louis Pasteur", who had the advantages of being male, and already known for his work with yeasts. She fought against the prevailing practice of immobilizing the affected limbs, claiming that the muscles weren't truly paralyzed. Rather, they needed to be 'reeducated' by correct stimulation to function as they should........ Of course, better sanitation, to reduce transmission, and an effective preventative vaccine were ultimate goals in reducing the prevalence of polio's debilitating symptoms. But before these were achieved, an effective method of treating those already afflicted was needed. Sister Kenny offered this. But it was not something that everyone could master, hence doubts persisted.........In my judgement, Rosalind Russell , as well as the other main characters, did a fine job in communicating Sister Kenny's persistence in trying to buck the system, when she was convinced the system was all wrong, and children, especially, were unnecessarily suffering. I think Rosalind deserved an academy award for her role, and the film, as a whole, also deserved an academy award.