Something the Lord Made (DVD)

While other reviews focus on the content and plot of the film, I'd like to address the filmmaking aspects. This film has taken its place on my top five list due to its outstanding script with its artful use of subtext; ensemble acting that is restrained in order to make its emotional currents all the more powerful; cogent, insightful, and sensitive direction; authentic set design; a score that enhances and complements the story's emotional tone; and circumspect, fearless editing. Like the script for Brokeback Mountain, this one stays faithful to the story it is telling. It doesn't wander or digress but remains true to the message being conveyed. Therefore, the viewer doesn't get lost in unnecessary sub-plots. Each scene moves the story forward and reveals more about these characters--Blalock and Thomas--their relationship, and journey together. The story was told from Thomas' point of view as he wrestled with his conflicting needs for external acknowledgment and recognition vs. his internal need to follow his heart in the form of his "true" work. While others discussed the racism conveyed by the film, I saw this as a backdrop that added complexity and obstacles to the personal journeys these men were on--much like the Holocaust provided the backdrop to Otto Schindler's evolution from a self-centered businessman to an enlightened human being. We all have obstacles to overcome--internal and external--given the genes we inherit, the families we are born into, and the time, place, and often oppressive social norms surrounding us. The ultimate question is how do we cope with the hand we are dealt? This story was first and foremost about Vivien Thomas' journey and his impact on and relationship with those around him as he fought his own internal battle to live authentically and honorably within a society of tightly restricted social and economic roles assigned by social class, ethnicity, and tradition. This movie's dialog was some of the best I've ever heard. One of the most poignant moments comes when the two men are parting. Blalock stops abruptly and makes a short speech, saying that a person has never really lived unless they have regrets. He then says, "I regret.." which had he finished, would have been "on the nose" and far less evocative. Instead, he says simply, "I have regrets." In its brevity, this speech is all the more powerful for what Blalock doesn't say than what he does. We know exactly what he means and what he feels. And we know that Vivien does too. It is also in character with the Blalock we've come to know. This is dialog at its very best. Not only is this dialog good but Rickman's delivery of this speech is next to perfect. We feel what Blalock is at that moment--the intensity of his regret and his feelings for Thomas. There is no emotional wall between actor and audience. Rickman invites us in in a very personal and intense moment. Moments like this fill the film from both actors, and even the supporting cast. Dr. Taussig's (Mary Stuart Masterson's) unveling of Vivien's "likeness" puts us in the audience, feeling the joy she does in being able to acknowledge her colleague. Clara's (Gabrielle Union's) glance at the copy of Life magazine speaks volumes, as does the derision of Thomas and Blalock by Thomas' predecessor following their pioneering surgery. Mos Def's portrayal of the mild-mannered, highly-intelligent, self-effacing, yet driven Thomas made learning of his other talents as a rapper all the more astonishing. What a range this man has! His performance was highly nuanced and intricately textured in rich contrast to Blalock's arrogant and eruptive character. The two actors blended and twisted their personalities together like a windy country road which served to demonstrate how human relationships based on common values and commitments bloom into respect to the point of genuine love--that of cherished friends. And look what that level of relationship was able to achieve! Was there doubt in anyone's mind that Thomas actually came to love Blalock when his footing became unsure after hearing of his colleague's fate or when he thanked his friends who "could not be here" when he finally received his long overdue acknowledgment? The performance of each actor served to enhance the power of the other. What an example of ensemble acting! When acting is this uniformly good, as it was in Robert Redford's "Ordinary People," you can bet it's the result of first-rate directing. Shots are varied and supportive of the story and the director appears to genuinely care about the people whose stories he is telling and treats them with much respect. This voice of respect shone through as a narrator far away in the distance but ever-present. Perhaps that's one of the signs of good directing--truly caring about your characters and the story you're telling. Audiences sense that when it's there. As a boomer around for much of the time during which the story took place and having been in Hopkins and grown up in the DC-Baltimore area, I found the sets and mood established for the place and times to be very authentic. Great job by the set design folks. It is difficult to focus on the lighting because the story is so involving, but the emotional content is frequently enhanced not only by the melodious and also understated score, but by some incredible lighting. If you permit yourself the pleasure of watching this film multiple times, look for it. You'll be rewarded if you do. Editing was tight--almost too tight. I found myself wondering, for example, how and where Vivien got into his bellboy suit and how he could afford to throw it away. The editor discarded any footage that did not contribute directly to the story--thereby, helping to tell it and only it. It's rather astonishing that so much artistic merit could dwell in the heart of such a "small" story not well-known outside of medicine and probably not even outside of cardiology or Hopkins. The fact that it was produced by HBO and not a big-name studio with a big budget, makes its achievements all the more laudable. If you're a movie buff or purist, be sure to latch onto this one. It can be enjoyed many times over!

FORMAT: DVD UPC: 0-26359-24612-8 RELEASED: 2007-01-16 TITLE: Something the Lord Made (2004) • NR • 1:50:01 Alan Rickman, Mos Def, Kyra Sedgwick, Gabrielle Union Joseph Sargent (Director) This movie tells the story of two real-life American medical pioneers, neither of whom will likely be familiar to you today — one because his contributions to medicine happened over seventy years ago, the other, tough he worked side-by-side with the first on those very SAME medical procedures, was considered by American society of that period to be a non-entity. I first saw this movie when it made its debut on HBO back in 2004 — and, thought then, as I do now, that it was an excellent telling of a fascinating story. Since then, HBO On-Demand has usually made this movie available for viewing every two or three years, or so, for a limited time — and, every time that they did so, I watched it (at least once) — so, when I saw that it was available on DVD, this was a definite "no-brainer" purchase. Featuring Alan Rickman, performing in his usual brilliant manner; Mos Def, surprisingly (at least, to me) holding his own with Rickman; and, a great, well told, story. What's not to like? HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. See the other reviews for more detail and/or other opinions regarding the plot of the movie. VIDEO: 1.78:1 • Color • 480p • MPEG-2 (6.3 Mbps) Though this is a made for (cable) TV movie, it still (within the confines of the DVD format) looks pretty good. Its image features a slightly muted color-palette (which, I think, was probably done purposely in order to visually invoke the time period of the movie). The image also has good contrast and decent shadow detail. In addition, relatively fine detail (for a DVD) is evident in the brighter scenes and in many of the close-ups of actor's faces and their clothing. Also, there are no obvious artifacts such as banding, specks, white dots, hair-lines or color fluctuations to detract from the image. Overall, this movie's presentation on DVD has very good picture quality, and should satisfy all but the very pickiest of viewers. AUDIO: Dolby Digital 5.1 (384 Kbps) This movie's soundtrack, while doing nothing spectacularly, does everything at least adequately. The dialog is very clear and well-placed, with all voices being easily understood. The musical score is well-recorded, and well-integrated with the on-screen events. The surrounds, while not overly active, usually do an adequate job of conveying the on-screen location (the vast majority of which are indoors). Unfortunately, there is no deep bass — but, the content of the movie doesn't really call for it. This is a "workmanlike" audio presentation, that does not embarrass itself, and serves its visual presentation quite well. Most listeners should find that it has somewhat more than acceptable sound quality. EXTRAS: Director's Commentary Featurette Slide Show 'Making History' None of the extras were reviewed.

Alan Rickman and Mos Def give superb performances in this wonderfully-written film about the triumph of intelligence and creativity over the effects of racial prejudice. "Something The Lord Made" is the real-life story of Dr. Alfred Blalock and technician (later Dr.) Vivian Thomas, both of whom pioneered open-heart surgery in America in the mid-twentieth century. Rickman, as Blalock, gives a flawless, charismatic portrayal of an egotistical surgeon who gains nobility of spirit while he defies (and yet is simultaneously confined by) the customs of his society. Rickman's performance is all the more impressive because he is British, and Blalock was an American from the south; nevertheless, Rickman's southern accent is natural and effortless. Rickman brings likability and humanity to what could otherwise be an unsympathetic character; and this core humanity gives "Something The Lord Made" a depth not often seen in tales of bigotry within American society. Too often, tales of this sort delineate the bad guys from the good guys in an almost cartoonish fashion, but Rickman's Blalock is both good and bad, reflecting more accurately the reality of the times in which both characters lived. Mos Def gives a subtle, moving and sympathetic performance as Vivian Thomas, a gifted man who is caught in the trap of prejudice and the expectations of an unenlighted society. The film clearly demonstrates that Thomas is the intellectual peer of Blalock; it is society and circumstance that for years robs Thomas of the practical opportunity to become Blalock's actual peer in terms of status. Def gives us the portrait of a man who chooses patience over reaction; through him, we feel outrage at the denial of the respect due Thomas, time and again. The writing in this film is low-key and highly effective. Because American society has in some ways changed since the mid-twentieth century setting of this film, younger viewers may not understand the actions and choices made by Blalock and Thomas, both within this film and within real life. Nevertheless, "Something The Lord Made" gives an extremely uplifting and surprisingly accurate portrayal of life as it really existed in those times, and should be appreciated both as an historical and enlightening film.

Great film based on actual events. Would highly recommend for any fans of the stars. Really well done.

Good movie and it keeps your interest right till the end.

Great, true story that explains the importance of medical research and how racism has interfered with medical progress.

The extraordinary story of Vivien Thomas is one that all Americans should be proud of. Thomas proved what was formerly a common tenent in this country--that you do not need a formal education or a degree from a prestigious university in order to excel and achieve miraculous things. Thomas's story is also one we should be ashamed of. In striving for his dreams he overcame obstacles and suffered indignities that were degrading--not to Thomas, but to the ignorant and short-sighted men who feared his abilities and his success. "Something the Lord Made" does a beautiful job of telling this story without getting lost in an obsessive need to create villains and saints. All of the characters are richly human, complex and sometimes contradictory. We see that ego, even more than racism, prevents Blalock from giving Thomas the credit he deserves. Bureaucracy, a near-universal hindrance, places another stumbling block in his path (though, without racism, this might have been more easily surmounted). The result is an inspiring movie that evokes both triumph and disappointment. It does not tell you to hate racism--it makes you feel the tragedy of racism. It reminds us that even good men can be betrayed by their own weaknesses, and that forgiveness is a blessing on both the giver and the receiver. Alan Rickman and Mos Def are simply great together. They are able to recreate with subtleness the complex relationship between two men who were equal, yet unequal; who were forced acknowledge their need for each other, in spite of their strong, independent spirits. This is a film to enjoy and to share.

If you work in any capacity, in health care/medicine, this movie might be for you. It was far better than other movies that focus strictly the relationships between two people (drama only related to ethnicity, only to the structures of the society depicted, or perhaps only differences between the sexes). Yes there is alot of that in here, and it does share the stage with the work the two main characters are doing together. But, I feel that people who have not worked in healthcare will not fully appreciate what is happening. The relationship between a nurse, technician, or a "first assist," to a surgeon in an operating room is unique and this movie depicted it very accurately and I believe in depth (though the era in which these things occured was much different then 2025, so I cannot be sure). One other mention I would like to make is the casting. I normally don't care for rappers, wrestlers, Youtube personalities, Influencers, etc being used as actors. 99% of the time they are horrible, but in this movie Mos Def hit a home run. He portrayed an assist as good as a real assist would have done themselves. I don't even yet know what other movies, if any he has been in, but wow. Also, I rarely give movies all 5 stars, or 10/10s, but I have to give this one full marks. It takes a small step back from standing on a soap box and shaming people, and allows the actions of the man Vivien Thomas, to be more important. It allows us to see how he worked instead of strictly focusing on why he could not fully, but it is still there. In other words, it is not so overt and in your face that it overshadows the contributions to humanity that he made. Again, if you work in healthcare this movie is probably for you!

Absolut genialer Film!!! Alan Rickman brillierte auch in den „unbekannteren“ Filmen Leider nur mehr als Import verfügbar

Súper recomendable para una tarde de películas en casa.

内容に感動しました。新しい技術の発明過程に感動しましたし、アメリカの負の歴史も勉強できてよかったです。

Fantastic

Great movie about unknown part of medical history. Even with the racial unfairness of the times, the story illustrates the importance of this man's contributions. Good acting.