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The English Surgeon (2007) More at IMDbPro »

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Overview

User Rating:
8.2/10   159 votes
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Director:
Geoffrey Smith
Contact:
View company contact information for The English Surgeon on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
24 July 2009 (USA) more
Genre:
Documentary more
Plot:
This documentary offers a glimpse into the life of an English neurosurgeon (Henry Marsh) situated in Ukraine as we are exposed to the overwhelming dilemmas he has to face and the burden he has to carry throughout his profession. | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
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NewsDesk:
(6 articles)
Buy This: Nick Cave & Warren Ellis Soundtrack Collection
 (From Cinematical. 24 September 2009, 2:02 PM, PDT)
The English Surgeon
 (From New York Post. 23 July 2009, 11:02 PM, PDT)
User Comments:
Life Afirming (and a little heartbreaking, too) more (4 total)

Cast

  (Credited cast)
Henry Marsh ... Himself
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Additional Details

Parents Guide:
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Runtime:
USA:93 min | UK:94 min
Country:
UK
Language:
English | Ukrainian
Color:
Color
Certification:
Australia:M
Filming Locations:
UK more
Company:
Bungalow Town Productions more

Fun Stuff

Movie Connections:
Edited into "P.O.V.: English Surgeon (#22.8)" (2009) more

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User Comments

   (Comment on this title)
2 out of 2 people found the following comment useful.
Life Afirming (and a little heartbreaking, too), 26 August 2009
9/10
Author: druid333-2 from United States

Henry Marsh is a successful Neurosurgeon from England with enough patients for a lifetime. Several times a year, Henry goes to the Ukraine to treat patients with little or no money,in some of the most primitive hospital conditions in Eastern Europe (hospitals there,as well as in Russia are controlled by the K.G.B.). He is generally assisted by Dr.Igor Kurilets. We see the endless queues of patients waiting for Henry to tell them wither it's yes or no on brain surgery. Much of the documentary is focused on a young man named Marian,who has a brain tumor that causes epileptic seizures. The operation must be done while the patient is awake,for the full effect to take place (i.e.:the removal of the tumor). We see,via a "fly on the wall" approach to all of this (preparations for surgery,and a good block of the surgery itself). A subtext to all of this is Marsh visiting the family of a patient that didn't make it (a 15 year old girl),which Marsh took all too seriously. We see Marsh & the girl's family make peace with one another. I really admired the documentary's "cinema verite" style (no outright narrative:the images speak for themselves). Geoffrey Smith directs & produces this fine documentary,that was produced for BBC Television (it's shot entirely on video,so not a whole lot of cinemas will be screening it). Not rated by the MPAA,but contains some graphic,bloody scenes of brain surgery that will put some viewers off,as well as a few rude words that spew from the occasionally frustrated surgeon's mouth

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