Canings are shown periodically on films and TV, but one wonders if script writers really know what they are depicting. Look at the film stills shown below and you will see what we mean. Most of the caners are shown as half crazed men flailing away with their canes. The reality is that most caners knew exactly what they were doing and applied the rattan with great skill. As the saying goes, the skill is in the wrist. It was always said that squash players were the best caners and tennis players the worst. The reason? The cane is best applied with a strong flick. A squash racket is flicked and a tennis racket is swung. Canes are long and, if swung down from high over the shoulder, seldom accurate. The best caners raised the cane no higher than their shoulder and brought it down with a wicked flick, and loud hiss. Those driven men depicted in so many films never really existed.