Paper Mask (1990)

A lowly hospital orderly impersonates a recently deceased doctor and goes to work in the busy ER of a small hospital where he meets and befriends a nurse who slowly figures out his secret and helps him maintain his charade.

Director:

Christopher Morahan

Writers:

John Collee (novel), John Collee (screenplay)

Stars:

Paul McGann, Amanda Donohoe, Frederick Treves

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Paul McGann	...	Matthew Harris
Amanda Donohoe	...	Christine Taylor
Frederick Treves	...	Dr. Mumford
Tom Wilkinson	...	Dr. Thorn
Barbara Leigh-Hunt	...	Celia Mumford
Jimmy Yuill	...	Alec Moran
Mark Lewis Jones	...	Dr. Lloyd
John Warnaby	...	Dr. Hammond
Alexandra Mathie	...	Beverley
Oliver Ford Davies	...	Coroner
Frank Baker	...	Happy
Clive Rowe	...	Ants
Robert Oates	...	Head Porter
Karen Ascoe	...	Alison
Dale Rapley	...	Dr. Simon Hennessey

Storyline

With the papers of a young doctor who died in a deadly accident, the ambitious male nurse Matthew manages to get hired as a doctor in the casuality department of an hospital in Bristol. Nurse Christine believes it's only his nervousness, which makes him "forget" the most basic procedures. But even her help cannot prevent that his lack of qualification soon has deadly consequences...

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Plot Keywords:

nurse | hospital | doctor | orderly | friendship | 

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Taglines:

Trust me. I'm a doctor.

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Genres:

Drama | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some sensuality and language

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 November 1991 (USA)

Also Known As:

Anestesia letale

Filming Locations:

Bristol, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

British Screen Productions, Channel Four Films, Granada Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

105 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Soundtracks

"Oh Susannah"
(uncredited)
Traditional

User Reviews

Great unknown film

Paul McGann is Matthew Harriis, who after a car accident, is able to fool everyone around him that he is the deceased medical student at a British hospital. He is assisted in his ruse by a very capable nurse, Christine Taylor(Amanda Donohoe). In one of the early scenes the good "doctor" is called to the emergency room for a blue baby and what follows is one of the darkly funniest moments I've ever seen. It's as if the Coen brothers had transported the oddballs from Fargo from North Dakota to England.

Another fair comparison could be Paddy Chayevsky's classic The Hospital, with a jump over the pond. McGann and Donohoe are a perfect pair of flamboyant, off the wall strangers who manage to connect at some level. Paper Mask is one of my favorite unknown movies.