The Physician (2013)

In Persia in the 11th Century, a surgeon's apprentice disguises himself as a Jew to study at a school that does not admit Christians.

Director:

Philipp Stölzl

Writers:

Noah Gordon (based on the novel by), Jan Berger (screenplay by)

Stars:

Tom Payne, Stellan Skarsgård, Olivier Martinez

5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Tom Payne	...	Rob Cole
Stellan Skarsgård	...	Barber
Olivier Martinez	...	Shah Ala ad Daula
Emma Rigby	...	Rebecca
Elyas M'Barek	...	Karim
Fahri Yardim	...	Davout Hossein
Makram Khoury	...	Imam (as Makram J. Khoury)
Michael Marcus	...	Mirdin
Ben Kingsley	...	Ibn Sina
Stanley Townsend	...	Bar Kappara
Emil Marwa	...	Tuveh Ben Meir
Martin Hancock	...	Merlin
Adam Thomas Wright	...	Rob Cole (10 Years) (as Adam Wright)
Jodie McNee	...	Agnes Cole
Dominique Moore	...	Despina

Storyline

When nine-year-old Rob Cole felt the life force slipping from his mother's hand he could not foresee that this terrifying awareness of impending death was a gift that would lead him from the familiar life of 11th-century London to small villages throughout England and finally to the medical school at Ispahan. Though apprenticed to an itinerant barber surgeon, it is the dazzling surgery of a Jewish physician trained by the legendary Persian physician Avicenna that inspires him to accept his gift and to commit his life to healing by studying at Avicenna's school. Despite the ban on Christian students, Rob goes there, disguising himself as a Jew to gain admission. Gordon has written an adventurous and inspiring tale of a quest for medical knowledge pursued in a violent world full of superstition and prejudice.

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Plot Keywords:

medicine | middle ages | persia | journey | muslim | 

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Taglines:

A journey out of darkness into light

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Genres:

Adventure | Drama | History

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some violent content, sexuality/nudity and brief language

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [Japan]

Country:

Germany

Language:

English

Release Date:

5 December 2014 (USA)

Also Known As:

El médico

Filming Locations:

Morocco

Box Office

Budget:

$36,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

UFA Fiction, ARD Degeto Film, Beta Cinema

Technical Specs

Runtime:

150 min 119 min (cut theatrical)

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the West, Ibn Sinna is referred to as Avicenna. He is renowned as a foundational figure in the history of medicine.

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Goofs

In the final scene on the battlefield when Isfahan is attacked by the Sentjoeks, one of the actors who plays a dead soldier takes a very quick look at the Shah just before the camera stops to focus on him.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Barber: [performing for a crowd] Back and forth, up and down, left to right, for more than one hundred years. But nowhere have I had the pleasure of looking out upon a crowd with prettier girls than here in your wonderful Rough Dovender. Why do I specially like it here because... I always lay me best eggs here.
Barber: [starts imitating a chicken, then produces an egg]

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Alternate Versions

German TV version runs approx. 30 minutes longer.

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Soundtracks

Amor es Aquella Cosa
Lyrics by Schirin Partowi
Music Composed by Ingo Frenzel and Schirin Partowi
Performed by Schirin Partowi
Orchestra: Deutsches Filmorchester Babelsberg

User Reviews

My review

OK, two things. 1. Is the movie historical factual. Not really. Is it entertaining, yes. I'm glad to see so many reviews on here talking about the inaccuracy of the film. I'm from the Southern United States and thanks to Hollywood, so many people have so many misconceptions about the South and about the history of the South. Hollywood has embellished a lot for entertainment which was done with this movie. 2. Did they really have to show the actor circumcising himself? What a horrific barbaric act that unfortunately still exists today in the world. God put foreskin on man so I'm pretty sure he didn't intend for it to be chopped off. It's there for a reason. One day this barbaric useless surgery will end. And why do Christians always have to submit to all other religions? I never see Jews submitting to anything Christian and of course we know the Muslims don't submit to ANYTHING.