Wit (TV 2001)

A renowned professor is forced to reassess her life when she is diagnosed with terminal ovarian cancer.

Director:

Mike Nichols

Writers:

Margaret Edson (play), Emma Thompson (teleplay),

Stars:

Emma Thompson, Christopher Lloyd, Eileen Atkins

Nominated for 2 Golden Globes. Another 9 wins & 12 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Emma Thompson	...	Vivian Bearing
Christopher Lloyd	...	Dr. Harvey Kelekian
Eileen Atkins	...	Evelyn 'E.M.' Ashford
Audra McDonald	...	Susie Monahan
Jonathan M. Woodward	...	Dr. Jason Posner
Harold Pinter	...	Mr. Bearing (Vivian's Father)
Rebecca Laurie	...	Vivian aged 5
Su Lin Looi	...	Nurse (as Su-Lin Looi)
Raffaello Degruttola	...	Technician 1
Miquel Brown	...	Technician 2
Hari Dhillon	...	Fellow 1 (as Harry Dillon)
Benedict Wong	...	Fellow 2
Alex Gregor	...	Fellow 3
Lachele Carl	...	Fellow 4
David Menkin	...	Student 1

Storyline

Based on the Margaret Edson play, Vivian Bearing is a literal, hardnosed English professor who has been diagnosed with terminal ovarian cancer. During the story, she reflects on her reactions to the cycle the cancer takes, the treatments, and significant events in her life. The people that watch over her are Jason Posner, who only finds faith in being a doctor; Susie Monahan, a nurse with a human side that is the only one in the hospital that cares for Vivian's condition; and Dr. Kelekian, the head doctor who just wants results no matter what they are.

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Plot Keywords:

cancer | professor | doctor | english professor | ovarian cancer | 

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Taglines:

It appears to be a matter of life and death.

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Genres:

Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for some thematic material

Details

Official Sites:

e-Pipoca [br] (Portuguese)- synopsis, gallery, trailer

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

24 March 2001 (USA)

Also Known As:

Amar la vida

Filming Locations:

London, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Avenue Pictures Productions, HBO Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

99 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

When Margaret Edson wrote the play "Wit" (for which she won the 1999 Pulitzer Prize for Drama), she was an Atlanta-area kindergarten teacher. In 2010, she changed to teaching sixth grade instead at Inman Middle School in Atlanta. "Wit" was the first (and, as of 2012, the only) play she ever wrote.

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Goofs

The size of Vivian's and Susie's popsicles.

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Quotes

Vivian Bearing: After all, brevity is the soul of wit.

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Connections

Featured in The 59th Annual Golden Globe Awards (2002)

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Soundtracks

"Spiegel im Spiegel"
Written by Arvo Pärt
Produced by Manfred Eicher
Courtesy of ECM Records

User Reviews

Margaret Edson's play becomes tour-de-force for Emma Thompson...

A female professor--wry, canny, tough, fragile--goes through a wrenching medical experience fighting ovarian cancer. One of those cable movies that looks great on TV, but would it also play successfully on the big screen? In this case, yes, but television--being a far more intimate medium--certainly allows the viewer a bird's-eye glimpse into this story about sickness. Just because "Wit" isn't on the movie screen doesn't mean its not an all-encompassing, breathtaking drama. Director Mike Nichols hasn't been this focused in a long time (he flashes around in this woman's life with uncanny accuracy, and always returns to the present at just the right moment). The pacing of the movie is gentle but not doddering--this isn't a melodrama about pity, nor is it a medical expose or a squeamish thing with lots of needles. It is a quietly absorbing, exceptionally well-rounded chapter of a woman's life, and that woman--Emma Thompson, doing precise and brilliant work--is an embraceable subject. We let her into our hearts, making the finale that much more emotional. ***1/2 from ****