FIRST DO NO HARM
US, 1997, 94 minutes, Colour.
Meryl Streep, Fred Ward, Seth Adkins, Allison Janney, Margo Martindale, Oni Faidah Lampli, Leo Burmester, Tom Butler, Millicent Kelly.
Directed by Jim Abrahams.
First Do No Harm had its origins in a forty-five minute film made in 1994, directed by Jim Abrahams and narrated by Meryl Streep, An Introduction to the Ketogenic Diet. This was a documentary about a particular diet for severe epileptics. Frowned on by many in the medical profession, it had achieved results from the 1930s though was not tested according to some of the principles for scientific testing.
Writer Anne Beckett was asked to do a screenplay, fictionalising a particular case of a young boy with the disease. Because Meryl Streep had narrated the documentary, she came in to make this telemovie. Fred Ward joined her as the father of the boy. Seth Adkins, young at the time, gives an extraordinarily persuasive performance as a little boy with epilepsy. Alison Janney, prior to The West Wing, is a rather stand-offish and determined doctor. With such a strong cast and strong performances, the message about families having the right to know the options for treatment as well as the demands on doctors to honour their Hippocratic Oath (from which the title comes), is made a much more forceful telemovie than usual.
While the film has the elements of the 'disease of the week' telemovie, there is a heartfelt energy in the film which communicates itself emotionally as well as alerting audiences to other possibilities in alternate medicine.
Jim Abrahams had made a name for himself as a writer, director and producer of comedies and parodies like the Airplane, Flying High series.
1.The impact of the telemovie? Information for a wide audience? Emotional response?
2.The background of the documentary on the diet, the development of the feature film? Its aim, audience, status with its cast, especially with Meryl Streep?
3.The reality of epilepsy, statistics given in the film, the explanations for the reason for seizures and the working of the brain? The variety of epilepsies? The role of medication, side effects? Possibilities for surgery? The diet, the information? The impact of having many members of the cast named at the end and the explanation given that they had benefited by the diet? Millicent Kelly as herself at the end, giving the explanations, her own work of over forty years at Johns Hopkins Hospital?
4.Audience attitudes towards the medical profession, towards medication, towards alternate medication? Doctors and the tradition, the status quo, the use of drugs? Issues of the reliability of diets, drugs? Testing?
5.The title, the Hippocratic Oath? The symbolism of Lori reading The Emperor's Clothes fable to her son - and the medical profession being the emperor?
6.The introduction to the family, Lori, Dave, Lyn and Mark, Robbie? At home, the bonds, The Emperor's Clothes story, Dave and his work, the financial situation, in the Midwest? The poker game, the jokes, the horse? The importance of the horse for Lori - and her riding it at the end? For Robbie, patting it, wanting to ride it - and the end with the Fourth of July procession and his being on the horse?
7.The home routines, going to school, Mark and his not wanting to learn grammar, Lyn and her work, Robbie and the sudden seizure?
8.Robbie, his age, the ability of the actor to perform seizures, to show himself as ill, tantrums, acting when he was well? An impressive performance?
9.The hospitals, tests, the staff, medication, side effects, waiting, the regular seizures, their intensity? Specialists? Issues of insurance, the loopholes from the insurance agencies? The increasing number of seizures, the effect, Robbie at home, Lori having to cope, each member of the family and their attitude, behaviour, ability and inability to cope?
10.The insurance, the loophole, the money for the hospital, the issue of repossession of the house, the notice and Mark taking it down, the taking of the TV and the washing machine? The promise of the trip to Hawaii, the jar with the money, inability to go, Mark's hostile reaction? The family struggling?
11.Doctor Abbasac, her tough stances, treatment, her warnings, the meetings, Lori confronting her? The issue of Lori's behaviour and custody? Her final reluctance and agreement?
12.Marsha, her work at the hospital, care for Robbie, warning Lori about the dangers, accompanying the group to Baltimore?
13.Lori and the effect of caring for her son, the intense mother-love, her tensions with Dave, his night driving and the dangers, the concerns about finance, getting Doc Peterson to help? Dave and his contribution?
14.Lori and her study, getting the information, discovering the reality of the diet, her enthusiasm dampened, ringing Johns Hopkins, her abducting her son, being caught, the consequences?
15.Dave, strong, decisions, the confrontation of Doctor Abbasac? The decision to go to Baltimore, Marsha and Doc going, the seizure on the plane?
16.At Johns Hopkins, the doctor and the eye test, going to the sisters, their welcoming of the family, the humour of life in the convent?
17.The diet, Millicent Kelly and her explanations? The effect?
18.Robbie's gradual recovery, the diet, leading and ordinary life, the lack of seizures? The testimony of the members of the cast and their own healing?
