Fascinating Look into Iowa Prison Hospice Program Poignant and Redemptive

Another film nominated in the Documentary Short Subject category at the Oscars was Prison Terminal:  The Last Days of Private Jack Hall, directed by Edgar Barens.  This remarkable film tells the story of the final days of Jack Hall, a terminally ill prisoner at the Iowa State Penitentiary.

At the time this film was made, Hall was 83 years old, and was serving a life sentence for the murder of his deceased son's drug dealer.  The drug dealer had been boasting about his profit from drug sales.  Hall's son, who had been addicted to drugs from a young age, had previously committed suicide.

One sad parallel about Hall was that he fought in WWII, and recounted how his experience as a POW profoundly impacted his life.  In fact, while watching the film, one has the sense that there was much more to the life of Hall, and this adds to the poignancy and power of the documentary.

Barens had unlimited access to the prison while filming, and the viewer gets an inside look at the prison's hospice program.  Hall was cared for by other prisoners serving lengthy sentences for violent crimes, but the humanity of those prisoners comes through as they strive to make Hall's final days peaceful and comfortable.

The viewer is with Hall as he passes away, and one cannot help but wonder about the fate of other elderly prisoners around the country, most of whom will not have not have access to a hospice program during their final hours.