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Clip description
Max was a highly intelligent and thoughtful twelve-year-old when he was first filmed in the late 1960s. A child performer, he was also the man of the house and breadwinner, as his mother was often ill and they lived on a very inadequate pension. By the time Max was in his late teens, he’d dropped out of school, left his mother and begun a life of alcohol and drug abuse. He was diagnosed as paranoid schizophrenic. He’s now trying to reclaim his life and his mother would love him to find some stability.
Curator’s notes
Such sadness is hard to watch. Max was filmed many times through his dark years by various television stations, and by combining a selection of this material with new interview material, the director has effectively brought out a story of too much responsibility too early in life. He’s now trying to put his life back together again and we can only wish him well. The scene of the adult Max watching the interview of himself as the young breadwinner is particularly poignant. The director clearly has great skill in allowing her subects to relax and allow their emotions to come through on film.
