Miss Evers' Boys (1997)

The true story of the U.S. Government's 1932 Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment, in which a group of black test subjects were allowed to die, despite a cure having been developed.

Director:

Joseph Sargent

Writers:

David Feldshuh (play), Walter Bernstein (teleplay)

Stars:

Alfre Woodard, Laurence Fishburne, Craig Sheffer

Won 1 Golden Globe. Another 16 wins & 16 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Alfre Woodard	...	Eunice Evers, R.N.
Laurence Fishburne	...	Caleb Humphries
Craig Sheffer	...	Dr. Douglas
Joe Morton	...	Dr. Sam Brodus
Obba Babatundé	...	Willie Johnson
Von Coulter	...	Hodman Bryan
Thom Gossom Jr.	...	Ben Washington
Ossie Davis	...	Mr. Evers
E.G. Marshall	...	The Senate Chairman
Robert Benedetti	...	Senator
Peter Stelzer	...	Senator
Donzaleigh Abernathy	...	Nurse Betty
Tommy Cresswell	...	Dr. Larkin
Judson Vaughn	...	Dr. Davis
Larry Black	...	Dr. Hamilton

Storyline

In 1932 Macon County, Alabama, the federal government launched into a medical study called The Tuskegee Study of Untreated Blacks with Syphilis. The study selected 412 men infected with the disease and faked long term treatment, while really only giving them placebos and liniments. The premise of the action was to determine if blacks reacted similar to whites to the overall effects of the disease. The experiment was only discontinued 40 years later when a Senate investigation was initiated. At that time, only 127 of the original study group were left alive. The story is told from the point of view of Nurse Eunice Evers, who was well aware of the lack of treatment being offered, but felt her role was to console the involved men, many of whom were her direct friends. In fact, the movie's name comes from the fact that a performing dancer and three musicians named their act for her - "Miss Evers' Boys". All had the disease. A romance with one goes unrequited even after he joins the Army ...

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Plot Keywords:

study | experiment | syphilis | nurse | dancer | 

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Taglines:

Based on the true story of the infamous Tuskegee experiment.

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Genres:

Drama | War

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for theme and related elements

Did You Know?

Quotes

Eunice Evers, R.N.: I love what I'm doing here. The treatment, the program... know that I'm doing good.
Caleb Humphries: For us, sinners.
Eunice Evers, R.N.: The disease is the sin, Caleb, not the people, the disease.

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Alternate Versions

Final title cards at the end of the film differ in at least 2 versions. Version #1 No one connected with the study was ever charged or disciplined. The debate over human experimentation in America continues today. In Version #2 on HBO NOW differs slightly: No one connected with the study was ever charged or disciplined. On May 16, 1997, President Clinton offered the Tuskegee survivors the government's first formal apology: "We can finally say on behalf of the American people, what the United States did was shameful, and I am sorry."

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Connections

Featured in The 55th Annual Golden Globe Awards (1998)

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Soundtracks

Show Me Lord
Music and Lyrics by Charles Bernstein
Vocals by Carmen Twillie

User Reviews

A film about science, well how INTERESTING!

First of all, I must say that this was one of the best TV movies I've ever seen. Not only were there quality actors (Alfre Woodard, Laurence Fishburn, Joe Morton), but the people involved succeeded in making this an honest drama and not one where the schmaltz comes dripping out of your screen. As for the film itself I must say that all the cast and crew were great and I had no complaints about the film, but one. I really missed that sarcastic edge in the end. I mean, if I was a director I would have blacked out the screen in the end and would have inserted the conclusion of the experiment there. You know a black screen with something like: ‘Compared to whites, blacks do not react differently to syphilis.' taken from … and so on. I would have really liked that, because I (as a first year psychology student) have read about a lot of experiments even now, some of which were morally more acceptable than others, but never in my life have I read something as terrible as this. Do not get me wrong, I understood the intention at the beginning of the experiment, but I think it was unhuman to go along with it. Even if some men had died from getting pene - something (an anti biotic), it would have been better than the terrible death they faced through syphilis. But what about science you ask? Screw the data!

7 out of 10

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

22 February 1997 (USA)

Also Known As:

Miss Evers' Boys

Filming Locations:

Porterdale, Georgia, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

HBO NYC Productions, Anasazi Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

118 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Color