Monkey on the back

This documentary drama, based on the real-life experiences of a drug addict, not only portrays the terrible consequences of the misuse of narcotics but presents the general problem of addiction and, particularly, of the addict as an individual. Dick Smith lost everything valued most in life because of his craving for the narcotics which finally killed him. In relating the story of his attempts to break the habit, the film reveals the essential nature of addiction as both a social and a human problem.