WHOSE LIFE IS IT ANYWAY?

US, 1981, 114 minutes, Colour.
Richard Dreyfuss, John Cassavetes, Christine Lahti, Bob Balaban, Kenneth Mc Millan.
Directed by John Badham.

Whose Life Is It Anyway is a very fine film about a very difficult moral subject. It is about assisted suicide, the right of doctors to make decisions about prolonging a patient’s life, the right of a patient to want to die and to arrange their death.

The film is based on a play by Brian Clark and adapted for the screen by Reginald Rose (Twelve Angry Men).

Richard Dreyfuss portrays a sculptor, a man who is very much alive and creative who is involved in a car accident and becomes a quadriplegic. While he has a vital spirit, he laments the loss of his creativity and freedom and wants to die. He institutes court proceedings to plead his cause.

The various personnel at the hospital are of different opinions. John Cassavetes portrays a doctor who wants to prolong the artist’s life. Christine Lahti is a doctor who understands the subjective attitudes of the patient. Kenneth Mc Millan is the judge.

The film is set mainly in the hospital, creates its atmosphere very strikingly. However, with Richard Dreyfuss’ sympathetic performance, the audience is drawn into his plight about his life and the moral dilemmas that he faces.

This is the kind of material that was portrayed in 2004 in two fine films which raised the moral ambiguities: The Sea Inside with Javier Badem as a quadriplegic and the Association for Assisted Suicide of Spain sponsoring the perspective that he be allowed to die. The issue was also raised in Clint Eastwood’s Million Dollar Baby with Hilary Swank, Oscar-winner, as the boxing champion who becomes a quadriplegic after a brutal attack by an opponent. Clint Eastwood plays her coach, consulting with a priest, consulting his conscience, wanting her to live, but finally deciding that it is best if her life is terminated.

The right to die, issues of euthanasia as distinct from assisted suicide are still very much to the fore of moral and ethical discussions.

1. The popularity and impact of the original play? Its being a star vehicle? The skill in transferring the play to the screen? The author's contribution? The work of Reginald Rose with his knowledge of screenplays? The play as confined with its impact of the set and the central character, central stage? The value of the opening out of the film? The atmosphere of the hospital? The range of characters introduced? The possibility of communication by close-ups as well as long shots? The change in emphasis of the film from the play - from the focus on Ken to a focus on him in his situation and the responses to his situation?

2. The choice of wide screen Panavision photography? Colour? The atmosphere of the city, of the hospital? The gloss of the production? The style of photography for Ken's memories - and the ballet flashback? The style of the musical score and its orchestrations? The contribution of the songs?

3. The film's presupposing audience attitudes towards accidents, hospitalisation, quadriplegics and their suffering, psychological repercussions? The questions about the quality of life? Physical, psychological? Human rights, responsibilities? Depression and its effect, especially for decisions? Legal viewpoint, moral viewpoint? Intellectual solutions, emotional solutions? The range of viewpoints and the audience hearing the various sides - with the possibility of changing its mind?

4. The significance of their being no religious viewpoint? Its not being excluded, its just being absent? Arguments for the quality of life in this world without any perspective of immortality?

5. The introduction to Ken - his art, skill, use of his hands, intelligence and imagination? His standing in the film as an Everyman figure? The fact that he was a special man? How fair is this for the audience to judge his situation and apply it universally? The importance of having a special kind of man for dramatic impact?

6. The introduction to the film and the angles of the city skyline, his sculpture, love for Patti and her remarks about his art, humour and offhandedness? Richard Dreyfuss and his presence, style? An exuberant character? Full of vitality in the early sequences - heightening the poignancy of the accident? The transition to his driving home, the chanciness of accidents, the vividness of the accident itself, the rescue, his being taken by ambulance - with onlookers and photographers? Audience reaction instantly to his being photographed and the object of prying and surveillance?

7. The transition to the hospital: the doctors and their skills, emergency action, the best care possible, X-rays, the giving of information to the audience? Ken's rights to hear about his own situation? Waiting till he was ready? The transition to six months later and Ken's room, life in the ward, the nurses' care for him. personal interest? Privacy and lack of privacy - especially television surveillance? How necessary for quadriplegic patients in their helplessness? The invasion of privacy necessary for his being continually turned in his bed, needing a drink of water? His medication? visits? The film's emphasis that in many ways he was a functioning body, but only a living head? The introduction to Doctor Emerson and his attitudes towards the running of the hospital, the best possible care? His role and responsibility, his experience? His taking the trainees around and his ticking off the yawning intern? His speech about the man dying at the age of 56? His severe attitudes? His encounter with Ken on the floor? His injections and adding to medication? The discussion with Dr. Scott and his injecting Ken without permission? His affirming his professional skill as against Ken's amateur views on medicine? The clashes with Dr. Scott? Dr. Scott and the feminine touch? Her care, visits? Her awkwardness - especially in Ken's talking about her figure? Her growing friendliness? The question of the injections and Vallium and her apologies? The range of personnel on the floor - Miss Rodriguez and her matter-of-fact dealing with Ken, the banter, the range of nurses? The detail of work on the floor?

8. John and his growing friendship with Ken, the haircut, the discussion about his music, the race and helplessness jokes, music? Joey and her becoming Ken's nurse? The discussions about her name? Her helping, the accident and her grief? His demanding that she stay on? Her growing friendship with John - studying for exams, his overtures? The importance of their taking Ken down to the basement for the music night? John and his presence at the hearing? Joey and her support as he went to the hearing? How well developed were these two characters and their contribution to the plot and the atmosphere?

9. Ken and his initial way of coping: jokes, incessant references to sex, accenting his helplessness? Patti and her visits, her charm, care and love? The injections and his dreaming about Patti? The long ballet sequence and the exhilaration of his sculpting? Her immediate visit and his asking her not to come? The emotional brutality of his declaring his love but asking her not to come, not to touch or kiss him? The falling vase symbolising the break?

10. The impact for the audience of the ballet interlude, Ken's ability as a sculptor? The importance of Clare's later visit to his studio, admiring his art? Patti's looking after the studio and her sorrow, respecting his wishes and considering him dead? The audience response to the studio and his work - and the Michelangelo hand and Clare's bringing it? His admiration for it? The hand symbolising creativity as well as his helplessness? The final credits focusing on the hand?

11. Ken and his being told the truth, his wanting to die? His wanting to be by himself, aware of his helplessness - reacting against the nurses, the surveillance? His difficulty in relating? The sexual frustration, his heightened imagination and the impotence of his hands? The importance of the discussion with Mrs. Boyle, her bland encouragement and his arguments against her? His challenging her to anger? His spasm?

12. The friendship with Hill and the enquiry about his rights? Hill's visit during the basketball match? Hill's outing with Clare, discussions? His decision to take the case? His legal ability, stammer? His preparation for the hearing?

13. The stances of Dr. Emerson and the audience sharing these? His explaining to Clare and warning her against Ken's death? His professional reasons, moral reasons? The importance of the doctors to preserve life? The psychiatrist and his interview with Ken - and his humorous telling him about his tidiness compulsion? The visit as a device to focus audience attention on the nature of depression and decision-making? Ken's clash with the black psychiatrist and the irony that he was the lawyer's psychiatrist? The doctor's observation of his anger?

14. Ken and the number of clashes, the growing friendship with Clare, the discussion about her sexuality, her visit to the studio and bringing the hand, her embarrassment at discovering it was Michelangelo's? The opportunity for Ken to explain why she felt he was really dead in being artistically and creatively impotent? The visit to dialysis and the discussion with the little girl who was going to get better?

15. The visit to the basement and the music evening? The change of mood? Ken's exhilaration and yet his regrets? The jokes with the pot and its after-effects?

16. The build-up to the hearing - Miss Rodriguez not encouraging him, Joey's support? John and his hostility but his listening? The judge and his attitudes, fairness? His wanting to hear all the points of view? His referring to other cases? Dr. Emerson and his declarations of experience? The support of his psychiatrist? The black psychiatrist and his supporting Ken but giving his own personal view against his being allowed to die? The judge and his ability to highlight the issues about a person's right over their own life, the nature of clinical depression and decision-making? The questions about whether he was to be a hanging judge or not? Hill and his handling of the case and nervousness? The importance of Ken's plea and his explanation of his request, the nature of his accident, the quality of his life, the prospect in five years' time? The nature of his intelligence, depression? His explanation of his understanding of the quality of life? The torture, impotence? His not asking to be killed, but to be allowed to die?

17. The atmosphere of snow, sombreness, the reaction shots of each of the participants, Clare's weeping? The judge and his reflection on the cases, his summary and explanation of h-is justice?

18. The reactions: Ken and his exhilaration, Hill and his support, Dr. Emerson and his helping Ken to die but wanting to save him? Clare and her sympathy, John? Ken's being taken back to die quietly - and the symbol of the hand?

19. How fairly and well did the film present legal arguments, moral arguments?