The Doctor (1991)

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

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

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:

Co-stars Christine Lahti, Mandy Patinkin, and Adam Arkin all played doctors on "Chicago Hope" (1994).

Quotes:

Dr. Jack MacKee: If I *ever* hear you describe a patient as "terminal" again, that's how you'll describe your career!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Ken Adam: Designing Bond (2000) (V)

Soundtrack:

Big Girls Don't Cry

Brilliant. US film makers should study this

One of the major problems with American-made films is they overlook the touching effectiveness of simplistic and credible story telling combined with well-toned, subtle and even performances. Films such as Rain man and Erin Brockovich are good examples of where these attributes are ditched in favour of over-dramatic, occasionally over-melancholic and (often) unrealistic subplots. This, in turn, usually results in forced, uneven and rather unmoving performances.

American film makers need to review films such as Paris, Texas and The Browning Version to see how powerful, touching and engaging real-life drama is presented most effectively when the script-writers and director chooses simplicity and subtlety, without 'flair' and forced drama (ie... they need to look to Europe to see how it's done!)

The Doctor is certainly a large step in the right direction. The tone is subtle and the acting is fantastic because it is even across the cast. There is nothing unrealistic or fancy about the story and we don't have doctors running round the "ER" yelling and screaming and "manufacturing" drama. The Doctor is simple, yet brilliant.

I find it irrelevant that the story is overtly predictable. I'll never know why Hollywood finds it necessary to throw in the "dramatic twist" into every film? The majority of the time, the "twist" is usually predictable anyway, creates little by way of dramatic effect and is often childish and stupid (case in point "High Crimes"). Telling the story is the secret to drama, not artificially manufacturing one!

Perkins was terrific in the Doctor, but it was surprising to see that she had few notable roles after this film.