The Doctor (1991)

User Rating:

6.7/10   

Director:

Randa Haines

Writers (WGA):

Ed Rosenbaum (book)
Robert Caswell (screenplay)

Release Date:

24 July 1991 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

He was a doctor who thought he knew it all... until he became a patient.

Plot:

Jack McKee is a doctor with it all: he's successful, he's rich, and he has no problems.... until he is diagnosed with throat cancer...

Plot Keywords:

Cancer | Hospital | Medical School | Doctor Patient Relationship | Surgeon

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

William Hurt	...	Dr. Jack MacKee
Christine Lahti	...	Anne MacKee
Elizabeth Perkins	...	June Ellis
Mandy Patinkin	...	Dr. Murray Kaplan
Adam Arkin	...	Dr. Eli Blumfield
Charlie Korsmo	...	Nicky MacKee
Wendy Crewson	...	Dr. Leslie Abbott
Bill Macy	...	Dr. Al Cade
J.E. Freeman	...	Ralph
William Marquez	...	Mr. Maris
Kyle Secor	...	Alan
Nicole Orth-Pallavicini	...	Sarah
Ping Wu	...	Jay-Jay
Tony Fields	...	Roger
Brian Markinson	...	Michael

Runtime:

122 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:L | Australia:M | Argentina:13 | Chile:14 | Finland:K-10 | Spain:13 | Sweden:11 | UK:12 | USA:PG-13 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Silver Screen Partners IV

Trivia:

This movie is based on the real life story of Edward Rosenbaum, MD. Dr Rosenbaum wrote an autobiography of his experience entitled "A Taste of My Own Medicine: When the Doctor Becomes the Patient". This book formed the basis for the movie and is presently out-of-print.

Quotes:

June Ellis: [suffering from an inoperable brain tumor] My tumor, I see it giving me certain freedoms I never allowed myself.
Dr. Jack MacKee: Yeah, like being incredibly hostile?
June Ellis: Like being honest and expecting people around me to do the same.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Animaniacs: Video Review/When Mice Ruled the Earth (#1.47)" (????)

Soundtrack:

Big Girls Don't Cry

very good, even if it doesn't seem 100% realistic

San Francisco surgeon Jack McKee (William Hurt) has been a jerk his whole life. He never refers to his patients by their names and apparently never knows why they're in the hospital. In short, Jack's the opposite of Patch Adams. But then, he becomes a patient, and finds out what it's really like to be on the other side. Admittedly, this is sort of a cliché (and maybe sappy at times). But still, it's a good look at one man's change.

I will say that what Jack does at the end looked a little unrealistic; I doubt that he went that far in real life. But even so, I still say that the movie is worth seeing. Not a masterpiece by any stretch, but important. Also starring Christine Lahti, Charlie Korsmo, Mandy Patinkin and Adam Arkin.