Vital Signs (1990)

This movie follows the lives of medical students who are in their third year, which is the time that they have to decide what they intend to specialize in. At the center is Michael Chatham ... See full summary »

Director:

Marisa Silver

Writers:

Larry Ketron (story), Larry Ketron (screenplay),

Stars:

Adrian Pasdar, Diane Lane, Jack Gwaltney

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Adrian Pasdar	...	Michael Chatham
Diane Lane	...	Gina Wyler
Jack Gwaltney	...	Kenny Rose
Laura San Giacomo	...	Lauren Rose
Jane Adams	...	Suzanne Maloney
Tim Ransom	...	Bobby Hayes
Bradley Whitford	...	Dr. Donald Ballentine
Lisa Jane Persky	...	Bobby
William Devane	...	Dr. Chatham
Norma Aleandro	...	Henrietta Walker
Jimmy Smits	...	Dr. David Redding
Wallace Langham	...	Gant
James Karen	...	Dean of Students
Leigh C. Kim	...	Dr. Chen
Enid Kent	...	Vivian

Storyline

This movie follows the lives of medical students who are in their third year, which is the time that they have to decide what they intend to specialize in. At the center is Michael Chatham son of a respected surgeon, who's trying to be his own man. He has to deal with another third student, Kenny Rose who like Michael wants to be surgeon and the surgical internship at their school. Kenny is also having problems with his marriage because the long hours he puts in his studies. Michael is also butting heads with another doctor, Ballentine over personal and professional issues.

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Plot Keywords:

student | medical | ambulance | sex | death | 

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Taglines:

Some things never change.

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

13 April 1990 (USA)

Also Known As:

Los residentes

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles County/USC Medical Center - 1200 N. State Street, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Gross:

$1,224,605 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, CBS Entertainment Production

Technical Specs

Runtime:

103 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Quotes

Dr. David Redding: Third year is like being a rookie pitcher called on to pitch the seventh game of the World Series... blindfolded.

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Connections

References The Lone Ranger (1949)

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Soundtracks

"The Birds and the Bees"
Written by Herb Newman
Performed by Jewel Akens
Courtesy of Dominion Entertainment Inc.

User Reviews

Prototype third year medical students learn about medicine and life

Why is it that movies about medical school always have the same formula for their characters (reference this movie, Gross Anatomy, Patch Adams...more)? There always has to be the hot-shot male lead for whom everything comes easy...except the good looking, no-nonsense female student, who feels like she has to work harder than everyone else to make up for the fact that she is a woman (and therefore has no time for men). Then there is the wacky friend, and as always there is the uptight, male student we all hate, who works really hard, but just can't seem to beat the protagonist. Surely there is some other way to develop interesting characters in this setting.

Either way, coming from the perspective of a current medical student, I found this movie to be far more interesting, realistic, and believable than any of the other aforementioned movies (yes, I know P.A. was a true story...my statement stands). Granted, you will be infinitely more likely to find third year medical students transporting stool samples and chasing down fast food for their residents than scrubbing in and performing abdominal surgery.

I found the student/patient, student/student, student/resident relationships to be very well developed and believable. The script was interesting, upbeat, and gave a good look at the tempo and pressure of third year. There were plenty of plot intricacies to keep you "tuned in" throughout the movie. The cast is short on big names, but I believe well cast, and believable as students(I've read that they shadowed medical students before filming).

I wouldn't say that this movie is a must-see, but it is the most accurate depiction of medical school that I have seen, and there probably isn't a physician out there whose stomach won't tense up a bit when the attending physicians begin "pimping" the students on Grand Rounds.