The Doctor (1991)

When a self-centered doctor is diagnosed with cancer, he becomes better able to empathize with his patients and appreciate a life outside his career.

Director:

Randa Haines

Writers:

Ed Rosenbaum (book) (as Ed Rosenbaum M.D.), Robert Caswell (screenplay)

Stars:

William Hurt, Christine Lahti, Elizabeth Perkins

3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
William Hurt	...	Jack
Christine Lahti	...	Anne
Elizabeth Perkins	...	June
Mandy Patinkin	...	Murray
Adam Arkin	...	Eli
Charlie Korsmo	...	Nicky
Wendy Crewson	...	Leslie Abbott
Bill Macy	...	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

Storyline

Jack McKee is a doctor with it all: he's successful, he's rich, extremely self centred and he has no problems.... until he is diagnosed with throat cancer. Now that he has seen medicine, hospitals, and doctors from a patient's perspective, he realises that there is more to being a doctor than surgery and prescriptions, and more to life than serving only his own needs.

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Plot Keywords:

doctor | surgery | hospital | cancer | blood | 

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Taglines:

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

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

PG-13

Did You Know?

Trivia

Ed Rosenbaum: as Himself.

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Goofs

In a scene supposedly set on the roof of a San Francisco office building, between William Hurt and Elizabeth Perkins, well=known Los Angeles high-rises can be seen in the background.

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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.

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Connections

Featured in WatchMojo: Top 10 Movie Doctors (2014)

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Soundtracks

Tristeza Guajira
Written by Ramon Cabrera
Performed by Guillermo Portabales
Courtesy of Gema Records

User Reviews

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.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

16 August 1991 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Doctor

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$165,392, 28 July 1991

Gross USA:

$38,120,905

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$38,120,905

Company Credits

Production Co:

Touchstone Pictures, Silver Screen Partners IV

Technical Specs

Runtime:

122 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1