LORENZO'S OIL

US, 1993, 140 minutes, Colour.
Susan Sarandon, Nick Nolte, Peter Ustinov.
Directed by George Miller.

Lorenzo's Oil is a fine film. Lorenzo Odone was a young boy suffering from adrenal leukodystrophy, a debilitating disease in brain, blood and limbs. His parents struggled with the medical profession from the mid-'80s for support and treatment and learnt to become expert at understanding the disease, even to discovering leads for the remedy, called Lorenzo's Oil.

The film is not a so-called disease of the week movie. It is a human drama, parents, family and child, as well as a medical case study. The screenplay by Australians Nick Enright and George Miller was Oscar-nominated and is written as a file report on Lorenzo's progress from 1983 to 1992.

Director George Miller (Mad Max movies, Witches of Eastwick) is a doctor and has brought his expertise to bear on communicating the complexities of the illness, on the criteria for testing of treatments and the reaction of the medical profession and the drug companies.

The film is demanding for mind and for emotions, but is a tribute to the human spirit. Susan Sarandon's Oscar-nominated performance is very strong. Nick Nolte, with a realistic Italian accent, gives a solid performance. Peter Ustinov has a serious role as a doctor.

1.The film as a tribute to human nature? Focus on illness, disability, the medical profession, treatment?

2.The African locations, Britain, the United States - Washington? The American focus? Authentic? The range of the musical score, classical music, liturgical music?

3.The title and its focus on Lorenzo and his treatment?

4.The structure of the film: names, dates - the equivalent of a medical file? Involving the audience - yet a distancing technique for the audience to observe the progress of the illness and the treatment?

5.Audience knowledge of the illness? Inherited by boys from their mothers? Symptoms, coping, medical treatment, the reaction of doctors, the members of the association and their mutual support? Their support of the doctors?

6.The African prologue, Lorenzo at play, at school, many languages? Playing with the kite? At home in Africa? His friendship with Omouri? His parents and their work in Africa?

7.The transition to the United States, Washington, Lorenzo at school, his angry outbursts, the puzzle of the teachers, the parents? His behaviour at home, breaking out? As a child, his age, playing, toys and stories? The psychological effect, physical effect?

8.The presentation of diagnosis, the visits to the doctors? His parents and their anxiety, support? Lorenzo in hospital, nurses, treatment, tests? The introduction to Professor Nikolais? His sympathy, explanations, theories, treatments, diet? The prognosis?

9.The characterisation of Augusto and Michaela Odone? His Italian background, her Irish-American? background? His work in the bank, skills, collaboration? The bank's support of him with Lorenzo's illness? The background of his first marriage, the children and their visit from Italy for Lorenzo's party? His hopes? Michaela, her sisters? Deidre and her help? Learning that she had passed on the disease to Lorenzo and its psychological effect on her? Emotional? Wanting to have more children? The relationship between the two? The importance of the Catholic background - the Easter Vigil ceremony? The religious hymns?

10.Lorenzo in his illness, the picturing of his decline, hospital, at home? Prostrate in bed, increasingly disabled? His mother and her continual care, tenderness, telling him stories? His life span expectation, the growing isolation? The treatments and his convulsions? The dramatic impact of his fits? The results of the oil, the change, his learning to nod for yes and indicate no? His wanting new stories? The aftermath of the treatment, the possibility of some growth and development?

11.Michaela and her strength, her sense of family, her reaction to the doctors, the friendship with Nikolais yet the struggles with him? The association and the Muscatines? Going to the meeting, asking awkward questions? Her frustration, her desire for research? The intensity of her study, discovery of articles, indicating to Nikolais? Her impatience with the time taken for testing? Lorenzo and his diet? Her moods, her treatment of the nurses? Her reactions to Deidre and ordering her out? Worn out, going to meetings, research? The oil and its effect? The relationship with Augusto, her love for him? His trying to speak the truth to her? Augusto and his love, tension, pressure? His study? Trying to speak honestly to Michaela? His love for Lorenzo and tenderness? Their showing the human spirit?

12.Nikolais, medical background, help and sympathy, his diet and its taking time, the need for raising money, speeches for the association? Taking sides with the doctors? His continued uncertainty?

13.The friendly doctors and their support? The medical profession and its suspicion?

14.The drug companies and the expense of making drugs, their collaboration and help? The investigations by Suddaby (playing himself) in England, his impending retirement, his work on the oil, the good results?

15.The association, the Muscatines and their personalities, their children? Organising, helping? The meetings? The questions? Nikolais and the Odones organising the international seminar, the range of experts, their discussions, mutual help and collaboration? The association and its faith in doctors? The Muscatines and their driving to visit the Odones, the tension between them? The oil, the members of the association wanting the oil and their demands?

16.Wendy Gimble, her friendship, her boys and their illness? Offering fruit and vegetables in payment? The decline of her son? Her gratitude to the Odones?

17.The nurses, their continued care for Lorenzo? Their pessimism? Their challenging of Michaela - and her sacking them? Deidre and her care for Lorenzo? The clash with Michaela? Her travels, her return, the reconciliation?

18.Omouri and his coming to Washington, joining in the care for Lorenzo, the friendship with Lorenzo and helping him to recovery?

19.The cumulative effect of the illness, the treatment, the recovery? The Odone's tenacity and research? The tenacity of the human spirit?