Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Alan Rickman | ... | Dr. Alfred Blalock | |
Yasiin Bey | ... | Vivien Thomas (as Mos Def) | |
Kyra Sedgwick | ... | Mary Blalock | |
Gabrielle Union | ... | Clara Thomas | |
Merritt Wever | ... | Mrs. Saxon | |
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Clayton LeBouef | ... | Harold Thomas |
Charles S. Dutton | ... | William Thomas (as Charles Dutton) | |
Mary Stuart Masterson | ... | Dr. Helen Taussig | |
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Cliff McMullen | ... | Lodel Williams |
Luray Cooper | ... | Charles Manlove | |
Irene Ziegler | ... | Frances Grebel | |
John Emmanuel | ... | Man at park | |
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Harold J. Abell Sr. | ... | Man #1 |
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Michael E. Russell | ... | Bank Officer |
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Henri Edmonds | ... | Mary Thomas |
Alfred Blalock (1899-1964), a cardiologist (therefore, self-confident to the point of arrogance), leaves Vanderbilt for Johns Hopkins taking with him his lab technician, Vivien Thomas (1910-1985). Thomas, an African-American without a college degree, is a gifted mechanic and tool-maker with hands splendidly adept at surgery. In 1941, Blalock and Thomas take on the challenge of blue babies and invent bypass surgery. After trials on dogs, their first patient is baby Eileen, sure to die without the surgery. In defiance of custom and Jim Crow, Blalock brings Thomas into the surgery to advise him, but when Life Magazine and kudos come, Thomas is excluded. Will he receive his due? Written by <jhailey@hotmail.com>
This is absolutely one of the most inspirational movies I've ever seen. The story line was great - The life and times of one of the greatest surgeons the United States has ever produced (Alfred Blalock), played by Alan Rickman, along with his lab assistant Vivien Thomas, played by Mos Def. The acting was superb. If anyone has studied medical history, we are perhaps more familiar with the work of Denton Cooley and William Longmire. Both have spots in this movie, as students of Dr. Blalock. I highly recommend this movie. It is very much a surprise how the lives of these two men - Blalock and Thomas could have been overlooked for so long. Because of their work with "Blue Babies", they both have achieved immortality. The rating of "R" stems only from the sometimes strong (but very real) language.