Freeman Tries to Mind Melt Jung's Exterior

Face to face with Carl Jung - Part 1 of 4



From 1959, here is a full episode of in-depth interview show "Face to Face". Off-screen former Labour Party MP John Freeman, probes influential Swiss psychiatrist carl Gustav Jung. The interview unusually takes place out of studio, taking place in the frail 84-year old's Swiss home. The programme, beginning in 1959 held a different format to other similar interview-type documentaries, with a more intimate and tense setting, the camera focusing close-up, on the interviewee's face, in what seems in one long scene and take. On the odd time, Freemen will be shown from the back, focusing on his subject, as he rustles through another question, however we never see his face. The show ran from 1959 - 1962 with Alan Freeman, however there was a revival or second series 17 years later in 1989, this time running for longer, up to 1998. The revival was presented by Jeremy Isaacs.

In an intellectual episode, featuring Carl Jung, despite being 84, appears to be in good health and mind. The titles for the show feature no music, but nicely done, and there seems to be, just a tinge of colour, while the main programme is in black and white. The credits are simply drawn on pieces of paper floating in a lake(?), wonderfully presented. As we see the introduction to the show, there's the inaugural meeting between the 2, and the completely disconnected, whimsical orchestra music, you usually received to your ears, back in the TV of the 50's. Freeman asks Jung about his upbringing, the relationship between mother and father, religion and more. A good watch for intellectuals, and those interested in psychology. Jung died 2 years later, but is held in high regard, along with the arguably more well-known works of Sigmund Frued. Jung was a founder of a section of psychology named analytical or "Jungian psychology". He believe humans are inclined to be religious, and that it is important to feel both spiritual, but at the same time logical or scientific about life, to bring balance and harmony, as well as analysing dreams. There's that and alot more complicated stuff.

"Face to Face" was famous for some ground-breaking episodes in their first run. This includes the very private Tony Hancock, and Gilbert Harding. Harding, you may've seen in an earlier post here, appearing in the "What's My Line?" gameshow in 1955. Tried looking for the Harding episode on Youtube, but no joy. Harding came across as a very rude and stern, mature man on TV, but was a giving and gentle man off-screen. Blighted, really by the closed society at the cusp of the 1960's, when homosexuality could have you arrested and killed. Harding cries about seeing his dead mother, as Alan Freeman really does hit a vibe, which he later regrets, on the homosexual accusation part.