Goodbye, Mr. Germ

Duration:

Year Published: 1940

Creator: Edgar J Ulmer

Complete Record: Features actor (and sometime director) James Kirkland, this short film apparently predates the TB vaccine, or at least its widespread use. Kirkland is the doctor (or scientist) father of two youngsters. His lab consists of various different animals and pets. He imagines inventing a radio that can hear germs speak, and that he can understand their language. Most of the film features Kirkland talking to a animated tuberculosis germ (he views through his microscope) as they discuss how TB is transfered from one person to another, how the body fights it, and how it can live dormant for years in a person's body waiting for a moment of physical weakness that allows it to escape. TB causes one to cough until eventually it ruptures blood vessels such that the discharge contains blood. Kirkland then tells the germ that they've been able to discover "him" in the body now, which is then verified with an X-ray. MS young boy and girl looking out a window whisper to each other MS young boy and girl looking out a window POV from behind them MS parrot squawks MS boy and girl walk over to their father to talk to him. father is smoking a pipe and reading a book in a chair MS picture of the germ that causes tuberculosis MS father explains the personality of the germ MS father tells bird to be quiet MS father (head shot) wondering about germ while daughter listens on MS cat walks across laboratory desk as DOG barks up at it MS bird squawks in the cage MS rabbit in a castle with a carrot fence around it MS rats crawl up on each other MS owner comes home MS owner feeds monkey a banana and rabbit a carrot MS owner takes off jacket and puts on lab coat MS monkey looks at camera MS owner takes monkey down onto his shoulder MS DOG barks MS Owner places monkey on table MS parrot swings in cage MS monkey looks around on floor MS professor talks about the germs he’s learned about MS DOG barks on the floor CS professor turns dial on machine MS professor tells everyone to be quiet and puts on eye patch CS spinning spiral on machine CS flashing nodes on machine MS professor looks into microscope microscope POV - nothing in view MS professor turns microscope to focus microscope POV - birds eye view of animated TB germ microscope POV - animated TB germ looks up as a microphone is handed down to him MS TB germ grabs microphone and says hello to the professor MS professor looks into microscope and asks TB germ to tell us about him MS TB germ complies MS TB germ talks about himself MS professor talks into microphone to the TB germ MS aunt Matilda coughing MS aunt Matilda and baby nephew eating at a table MS head shot of baby nephew Edgar MS aunt Matilda feeds baby nephew Edgar MS aunt Matilda blows on spoonful of food to make sure it isn’t hot and tastes a little of it CS spoons with food CU animated TB steps out of spoon of food MS baby nephew Edgar eats the spoonful of germed food MS animated picture of Edgar’s lungs MS TB sliding through lungs/ body of Edgar text: “Lungland” Lots and Lots for Sale MS TB swims and lands and stands inside the body of Edgar MS professor asks what happened next? MS animated stills of Edgar’s lungs MS TB germ creates a germ family. TB stands and smiles as little germ kids march by. MS germs peek out of lung and continue to come out MS professor smiles and looks through microscope MS animated TB replies through the microphone MS animated germs dance inside Edgar’s body to produce warmth MS germs bottled up in cell MS professor talking above microscope MS professor pointing to a diagram in book MS professor closes book and speaks again MS TB talking into microphone MS sleeping germs, one germ wakes up MS grown up Edgar MS Edgar with girlfriend MS Edgar eating MS Edgar going to sleep MS germs multiplying MS Edgar eating with girlfriend eating outside MS germs swimming inside body MS germ pokes hole in vein and blood squirts out MS Edgar coughing up up some blood MS Edgar at a sanitarium MS Edgar sitting outside drinking milk MS professor speaks above microscope MS germ TB speaks MS professor listens and responds MS Edgar puts paper cup into bag MS bag is taken to get burned MS male in laboratory doing research MS man making a culture MS professor talks above microscope MS TB germ talks into microphone MS professor talks above microscope MS TB germ talks into microphone MS professor talks above microscope MS TB germ talks into microphone MS doctor giving a boy a skin TB test MS TB germ talks into microphone MS doctor talks to boy and father about test MS professor talks above microscope MS TB germ talks into microphone MS professor talks above microscope MS TB germ talks into microphone MS professor points at and explains an x-ray MS TB germ talks into microphone MS monkey looks around MS bird looks around MS DOG looks around MS TB germ talks into microphone MS professor talks above microscope MS TB germ talks into microphone and falls over MS TB germ talks into microphone MS professor in chair talking to children MS mother brings in a drink for the three of them