THE DOCTOR
US, 1991, 123 minutes, Colour.
William Hurt, Christine Lahti, Elizabeth Perkins, Mandy Patinkin, Adam Arkin.
Directed by Randa Haines.
The Doctor is one of a series of films of the early '90s focusing on professional people, finding that they have lived empty lives, wanting to make something new of their life. Other films include Harrison Ford in Regarding Henry, Jeff Bridges and Robin Williams in The Fisher King, Patrick Swayze in City of Joy.
The film was directed by Randa Haines, who directed its star William Hurt in Children of a Lesser God. The screenplay was written by Australian Robert Caswell, based on the book A Taste of My Own Medicine by Ed Rosenbaum. Caswell was the screenwriter of Evil Angels, Over the Hill. The director of photography was Australian John Seale.
The film has a strong supporting cast led by Christine Lahti as Hurt's wife and Elizabeth Perkins as a terminally ill patient. Mandy Patinkin is a colleague who is under threat for legal malpractice.
While the film has a great number of elements from popular films and television series about doctors, the strength of the direction and the acting makes it more memorable than many other films.
1. The tradition of cinema and television programs about doctors and hospitals? Doctors, their expertise, treatment of patients? Hospital staff? Reaction of patients? The changes in doctors' lives? Audience expectations and predictability?
2. The popularity of the theme in the early '90s of professional people coming into crisis and changing their lives, a focus on a more humane life?
3. The title, the focus on the doctor as a character, as a professional?
4. The colour photography, the blue and grey tone of the film with its emphasis on life in the hospital? The hospital itself, corridors, wards, surgery? Homes? The interlude in the Nevada Desert? The musical score? The songs sung by the doctors? The songs from the past and their relationship to particular characters?
5. The credits: the surgery, the songs, the jokes and wisecracks, the attitudes of the surgeons, the patient, professionals at work, smug and impersonal aspects? The black assistant refusing to join in? The buddy system in the surgery? Expectations of doctors?
6. William Hurt as Jack McKee: his skills, professional style, treatment of patients? The initial surgery? His friendship with Murray? The rounds with the interns, his comment on cutting straighter and caring less? His reputation with the staff? The disturbance in his throat, his difficulties in talking? His patronising attitude towards Eli? Driving his car, the clash with Anne in the other car? The drive home? His relationship with his son - the phone and the boy thinking his father was on the phone rather than present in reality? Relationship with his son? Love for his wife but keeping her at a distance?
7. Jack and his work, the rounds, the visits to patients and their various reactions, the tough doctor? His own illness and having to see Dr Abbott? Her treatment of him? Impersonal? The biopsies and the tests? Anne going with him to the hospital, trying to support him? The sequences at home, in the bedroom? His inability to feel support? The hospital, the filling in the forms, his assertiveness? The information from Dr Abbott? The treatment, the delay, no single room? The encounter with Harry the cop and their discussion about doctors? His being given the enema by mistake and the administration reactions?
8. The diagnosis of his illness, opinions, radiation therapy? The effect on him, no better? Anne trying to support him?
9. The meeting with June, their relating well, talking? Her own condition, the lies told, the information about her chances of recovery, money needed for operations? June and her health, going up and down? Her spirit of fight? The roof as her special place? Urging Jack to fight against the system? Her longing to see the dancers, Jack taking her into the desert, her weariness? Their dancing by the lake, her sense of freedom? The return home, Anne and the phone call? His visiting June, her death? The delay in reading her letter? Her death and Jack telling Anne? Going up on the roof to read her letter?
10. The change to Jack, his inability to operate? The legal questions, Murray and the evidence? His seeing the injured man in the garage? Personal integrity and his decision not to back Murray? Murray as a character, surgeon, ethical questions, the files? His callous way of speaking? His career being destroyed? Friendship?
11. The clash with Dr Abbott, being late, her impersonal touch, the fight and her throwing the file?
12. Eli, the sympathetic surgeon, Jack and his visit to him, making the request, the successful surgery?
13. Jack improving in his treatment of people, the personal touch, people's names? His operation, the assistant joining him in singing in the surgery? His attitude towards the interns - dressing them in hospital garb, making them have tests for three days for empathy with the patients?
14. His own experience of surgery, Anne and his pushing her away? The bonds, his return home? Anne's anger, his having no voice? Getting the board, urging her by his writing: Shout at me, I need you? Her angry reactions? The possibilities of reconciliation?
15. Themes of reappraisal of life?
