Death Be Not Proud (1975 TV Movie) User Reviews

A private memoir

[bkoganbing · 9/10 · 5 November 2017]

A private memoir about a father who was a public figure is the origin of Death Be Not Proud. John Gunther noted author and war correspondent wrote this at first to be distributed privately among relatives and friends. Someone persuaded him to let it go public. The various biographies and geographical treatises he's done have never had the enduring value that this tale of his terminally ill son, namesake, and only child.

It's the roughest thing in the world to lose a child my mother lost one of my siblings so I have first hand knowledge. How much rougher was it for John and Frances Gunther to lose their only son and a kid of such promise.

Young Johnny Gunther a brilliant student has had limited contact with his dad who has been reporting World War II from over in Europe. Their reunion in 1946 is joyous but then marked with tragedy as this 16 year old is diagnosed with a brain tumor. The film is about the struggle the parents witness over the next two years hoping against hope that young Johnny will lick this thing.

Arthur Hill, Jane Alexander, and Robby Benson play parents and child and it's a trio that is absolutely flawless in their performances. This should have been released to the big screen, it is one of the best made for TV films ever done.

I wonder if John Gunther got the idea for the private memoir from the Kennedy family when young JFK wrote the memoir about the older brother who was killed in World War II. Maybe we'll see that one go public.

Death Be Not Proud was part of the high school curriculum when I was there. I understand it still is, hopefully accompanied by a DVD of this fine film.

brought many tears to my eyes

[gingasnaps · 9/10 · 7 June 2006]

I have yet to read the book, but the compelling story of Johnny Gunther's struggle to maintain normalcy is something to take note of. Robby Benson gives a sweet and emotional performance as Johnny, a teenager suddenly inflicted with a malignant brain tumor. There were times i wanted to just yell at his parents for their callousness, but you do realize they did love him and tried every means possible to save his life. There could have been more emotion on their part, especially with such a charged and enthusiastic person Robby made the son Johnny, who is too often neglected by his father. However the cast did very well with the material they had I'm sure. This one is not to be missed. It may be out of print.

Exceptional Story

[dfm-64979 · 8/10 · 2 April 2018]

I saw this TV movie in 1975. The story is amazing. After I graduated from college that year, the book by this title was the first I read cover to cover. Years later, I was reading the book again on an airline and the lady next to me said when she read it, she cried. I told her, "I did, too!"

Wonderful touching movie

[joave · 10/10 · 8 November 2000]

I saw this movie when I was 14. I was extremely touched, even at that age, by the film. I was even more so knowing that the film was based on a true story about a boy that accidentally hit his head on a banister and then developed cancer in his head years later. It shows the courage and determination of this young man to survive. The impression of the film is that it is merely telling his story so others know. It was an extremely moving film that was very well acted and directed. Definitely belongs on the top 250.

Excellent movie that was underrated!

[sharonawit55 · 10/10 · 21 May 2005]

I saw this movie on TV in 1975 and was so taken by it (I went thru a box of Kleenex watching it) that I have been looking for it for 30 yrs.! I couldn't remember the title but my memory was correct that Arthur Hill and Robbie Bensen were in it. Also that it was based on a true story. It seemed to fortify the old adage "only the good die young". I have looked thru all kinds of movie sites and only found it here! Thanks, IMDb for listing this excellent movie, which should have won some awards but never did! Does anyone know if it is available on VHS or DVD? I sure would like to have it! . . sincerely, Sharong in Illinois

A touching, deeply movie true story.

[jv-5 · 28 January 1999]

"Death Be Not Proud" is a fine film which is based on the memoir of the same name. If you've never read the book, you ought to. In the film, Robby Benson gives a wonderful performance, as does Arthur Hill. This is a story that has stayed close to my heart for nearly 25 years now. Rent it today and you'll never forget it. Trust me.

Beautiful Film

[JLRMovieReviews · 10/10 · 3 December 2015]

Based on the book, Death Be Not Proud, John Gunther, Sr. wrote on the true account of his son's death, this is a television experience not to be missed. You can tell the minute a film opens with its first image, the first spoken word, if it's going to be good. I knew instantly this was going to be a great film. Robby Benson as the young Johnny Gunther was truly moving. His performance embodied vitality and strength, along with naiveté and sensitiveness of that college age. After his father, who's a noted writer among other things and underplayed wonderfully by Arthur Hill, had decided to try and be more present for his son, as young Johnny would come to need him more and more as he matured, it is discovered that Johnny has a brain tumor. Through all the operations and hope and strong will and resolve, we see young Johnny slowly deteriorate, but he never lost his love of life. If you've never seen this, I ask you to Youtube this, so you can witness one of the few essential television movies to see in your lifetime.

Robby Benson shines in this powerful true story

[wrxsti54 · 10/10 · 2 August 2019]

A beautiful moving TV movie adaptation of famous writer John Gunther's book "Death Be Not Proud" chronicling the sad but brave story of the death of his 17 year old son John Jr to a brain tumor in 1947.

There is no holding back from issues such as the guilt of a glamorous, famous, world travel author of sending his only son to elite boarding schools and rarely visiting only to have his and his ex-wife's life upended trying to do everything they could through numerous surgeries and treatments to save their boy's life. The final scenes are particularly moving.

Central to the power of this movie is the sensitive and poignant performance of Robby Benson as John Jr. By the late 70's Benson's dazzling blue eyes and model quality looks brought him teen idol status where he starred in a number of movies of a strongly athletic flavor (One on One, Ice Castles and Running Brave) but his fame was ironically built on a string of emotional, intense adolescent drama roles when he was still in his teens (Jory, Jeremy and Ode to Billy Joe). His performance in Death Be Not Proud helped cement his reputation for such roles whereas later roles seemed calculated to exploit his good looks and athleticism.

Anyone who has watched a loved one die from cancer (as I have) will be moved by this wonderful movie.

Death Be Not Proud

[willeyrebecca · 10/10 · 15 June 2010]

I was 11yrs old when I saw this movie and I'm now 46yrs old. It touched me dearly and I've loved Robby Benson the rest of my life so far. I agree with all reviews on this movie it's High Emotion and my Empathy for this character is still impressed on my mind and WHERE CAN I GET IT ON DVD. If they put all these useless TV movies on DVD, Why not this one its worth so much more than the others! I have for years told the story to everyone about the movie Robby Benson stared in and he played this boy that was very sick and I couldn't have a conversation with anyone about it because no one had ever seen it. I am so glad to see a few others remember this wonderful movie and wish it could cause a least a cult following like some movies do experience. Robby B. was great in this movie. I've also enjoyed the rest of his he has stared in and directed or produced.

Robbie Benson gives the performance of a lifetime

[spfi · 10/10 · 15 January 2002]

SPOILER>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Back in 1975, I was 9 years old and my parents thought this movie would be to emotional and wouldn't let me see it. So I saw it as an adult and still cried. The incredible attitude that Benson's character has despite having terminal brain cancer is a true example of what every human being should act like. At the end, Robbie still graduates from College and if that scene doesn't leave you teary eyed nothing will. Great movie!

You need to take your mind off your brain.

[mark.waltz · 10/10 · 30 October 2021]

Having dealt with heart issues in his real life, Robby Benson plays the real life teenager who dealt with a brain tumor, and unlike Benson, he doesn't have a happy ending. What he does have his support from his parents, even though they are divorced, played here by Arthur Hill and Jane Alexander, finally becoming like a family again in spite of the tragedy. This is one of the few dramas where you get to see the story from the father's perspective, and Arthur Hill is wonderful as the narrator and real-life author of the story. Alexander bottle of champagne plays the character who isn't weak or strong. She just is, at times overbearing as she obsesses over diet but coming to terms with her ex-husband as they deal with the mortality of their son, something more important than the mistakes of their marriage.

You get to see the love that these troubled parents have for their son, an only child which is fortunate because he'll is busy as a world-traveling journalist but with the issues of his son's health, he becomes more hands-on and us more loving and understanding. It is Benson however who was the heart and soul of the film, and he is an actor whom I consider as nearly perfect as a human being, as perfect as humans can be. I have met nearly angelic young people who get frustrated with their situation but manage to survive, and in every role he has played you really get to see his soul, always caring about the other people around him no matter what the situation is and facing each crisis with humor and love.

The real life drama of this true story is heart-wrenching because you get to see him spiral downward with little glimpses of hope interrupting that but the light at the end of the tunnel is not one of life but peace. This is one of the genuinely best TV movies of the 70's, if not one of the best ever made, and people who have been through this tragedy no matter what time in history will relate to what this family went through in the 1940's. Some of the narrative is a bit sketchy going from one situation to the next and switching moves very quickly but that's inconsequential because the important elements of the real story are there and you are drawn in to this family tragedy and it just may make you go home and hug your parents or children and remind everyone how important every moment in life is.