Days after print publication, Bill Knight’s syndicated newspaper column, which moves twice a week, will appear here. The most recent will appear at the top. (Columns before Sep. 11, 2017, are archived at http://billknightcolumn.blogspot.com/).

Thursday, January 17, 2019

Medical-movie stereotypes tell stories of life and death


Bill Knight column for 1-14, 15 or 16, 2019

Medical films and TV shows existed long before “Chicago Med” was an idea in creator Dick Wolf’s mind, before Dr. Richard Kimble was falsely accused in “The Fugitive,” and before movies like Mel Brooks’ 1977 comedy “High Anxiety” or director Mervyn Leroy’s 1943 biopic “Madame Curie.”
Dr. Albert Schweitzer, the Nobel Prize-winning humanitarian, was born this week in 1875, a nice time to recall why Hollywood so frequently uses medicine as a formula: Doctors, nurses and hospitals let screenwriters tell stories of life and death.
Youngstown State University professor Rick Shale decades ago cited five reasons: Healing is a natural subject for drama and suspense; the doctor character is versatile, fitting most genres; the medical profession is easily understood; doctors have status, letting stories easily move through various situations; and historically, they make money.
Doctors? How about Dr. Caligari, Dr. Dolittle, Dr. Jekyll, Dr. Who and Dr. X. (And don’t forget the Three Stooges’ “Calling Dr. Howard, Dr. Fine, Dr. Howard...”)
There have been comedies and dramas, biographies and thrillers, medical heroes and villains: “Men in White” and “Green for Danger”; “The Doctor,” “The Surgeon” and “The Student Nurses”; “Bikini Med School” and “Candy Stripe Nurses”; “Coma,” “Contagious” and “Flatliners”; “Extreme Measures” and “Desperate Measures.”
Dramatized lives have included Schweitzer, Alfred Blalock, Bennet Omalu and Ben Carson.
Series focused on Dr. Kildare, Ben Casey and more. Bad-guys docs? “The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse,” Dr. Phibes, Dr. Cyclops and, of course, Dr. Frankenstein.
Funny? There’s “Critical Condition” and “The Disorderly Orderly,” “Doc Hollywood” and “Dr. Detroit.”
“Crazy”? Try “Shock Corridor,” “Snake Pit,” “Three Faces of Eve” and “One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest.”
TV series have included “ER,” “Scrubs,” “St. Elsewhere,” “Trapper John M.D.,” “Marcus Welby, M.D.,” “Emergency” and “Medic.”
The shows all use many of several medical stereotypes: the country doctor, the devoted researcher, the God-like healer, the mad scientist, the idealistic medical student or intern, the quack, the superficial specialist (Beverly Hills plastic surgeon, Park Avenue therapist, etc.), the bureaucrat, the substance abuser, the greed-head, the nurse as sex object or doctor as stud (men wrote most of these scripts).
Other filmmakers who’ve done medical shows include John Ford (1933’s “Dr. Bull”), George Stevens (1940’s “Vigil in the Night”), Stanley Kramer (1955’s “Not as A Stranger”), and Michael Crichton (1971’s “Andromeda Strain,” among others).
Here’s a dozen top medical films available on video, online and on-demand:
“Arrowsmith” (1931). Director John Ford had an exceptional cast when he filmed Sinclair Lewis’ novel about a young doctor tempted by money. It stars Ronald Colman and features Myrna Loy and Helen Hayes.
“Awakenings” (1990). One of Robin Williams’ early efforts at serious acting, this was directed by the late Penny Marshall and stars Robert DeNiro and Max von Sydow.
“The Citadel” (1938). Great acting from Robert Donat, Rex Harrison and Rosalind Russell highlight this King Vidor film about a Scottish physician who relinquishes his goals of healing the poor by serving wealthy patients.
“The Hospital” (1971). Writer Paddy Chayefsky penned a remarkable, Oscar-winning dark comedy set at a New York medical center. George C. Scott stars, with Diana Rigg.
“The Interns” (1962). A big-screen soap opera, this foreshadowed shows like 1982’s “Young Doctors In Love,” etc. It stars Cliff Robertson, Stefanie Powers, Buddy Ebsen and Telly Savalas.
“Magnificent Obsession” (1954). Rock Hudson stars as a boozing cad whose reckless driving causes Jane Wyman to go blind, and whose regret leads him to become a surgeon – to restore her sight. Agnes Moorehead and Barbara Rush co-star.
“Outbreak” (1995). A virus threatening California seems to be the same as a military medical man (Dustin Hoffman) found in Africa. The film features Morgan Freeman, Rene Russo and Cuba Gooding Jr.
“Panic in The Streets” (1950). This stars Richard Widmark and Paul Douglas as investigators trying to find a murderer infected with bubonic plague. Directed by Elia Kazan, it’s a blend of medical drama and film noir, co-starring Jack Palance and Zero Mostel.
“Patch Adams” (1998). Based on a real physician with innovative approaches to health care, this fine Robin Williams vehicle co-stars Philip Seymour Hoffman.
“The Story of Louis Pasteur” (1936). The great Paul Muni has the title role in this biography of the 19th century scientist who promoted vaccinations. It features Porter Hall and Fritz Lieber.
“The Story of Dr. Wassell” (1944). Gary Cooper portrayed the World War II doctor who transported wounded soldiers through Japanese-held territory. Directed by Cecil B. DeMille, it co-stars Larraine Day.
“Whose Life Is It Anyway?” (1981). John Cassavetes and Christine Lahti portray doctors in this gripping drama that deals with the “right to die.” Richard Dreyfuss stars in director John Badham’s drama, featuring Kenneth McMillan and Bob Balaban.

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