''Bad Medicine'' is a 1985 American

comedy film The comedy film is a film genre that emphasizes humor. These films are designed to amuse audiences and make them laugh. Films in this genre typically have a happy ending, with dark comedy being an exception to this rule. Comedy is one of the o ...

starring

Steve Guttenberg Steven Robert Guttenberg (born August 24, 1958) is an American actor, author, businessman, producer, and director. He is known for playing Carey Mahoney in the '' Police Academy'' films from 1984 to 1987. He also acted in '' Three Men and a Baby ...

Alan Arkin Alan Wolf Arkin (March 26, 1934 – June 29, 2023) was an American actor, filmmaker and musician. In a career spanning seven decades, he received numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Tony A ...

and

Julie Hagerty Julie Beth Hagerty (born June 15, 1955) is an American actress. She starred as Elaine Dickinson in the films ''Airplane!'' (1980) and '' Airplane II: The Sequel'' (1982). Her other film roles include ''A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy'' (1982), '' ...

. The film was written and directed by Harvey Miller, and was based on the novel ''Calling Dr. Horowitz'', by Steven Horowitz, MD and Neil Offen. The film was criticized for its negative ethnic stereotypes. Although the film is set "Somewhere in Central America," it was filmed entirely in Spain. It was released by

20th Century Fox 20th Century Studios, Inc., formerly 20th Century Fox, is an American film studio, film production and Film distributor, distribution company owned by the Walt Disney Studios (division), Walt Disney Studios, the film studios division of the ...

, and was one of three 1985 films to feature Hagerty in a starring role, the others being ''

Lost in America ''Lost in America'' is a 1985 American satirical road comedy film directed by Albert Brooks and co-written by Brooks with Monica Johnson. The film stars Brooks alongside Julie Hagerty as a married couple who decide to quit their jobs and tra ...

'' and ''

Goodbye, New York ''Goodbye, New York'' is a 1985 Israeli-American comedy drama produced, directed and written by Amos Kollek in his directorial debut, who also co-stars alongside Julie Hagerty. The story follows an American woman who accidentally ends up in Israe ...

''.

Plot

Below-average pre-medical student Jeffrey Marx (Guttenberg), after being rejected by prestigious

medical school A medical school is a tertiary educational institution, professional school, or forms a part of such an institution, that teaches medicine, and awards a professional degree for physicians. Such medical degrees include the Bachelor of Medicine, ...

s, is sent by his father (

Bill Macy Wolf Martin Garber (May 18, 1922 – October 17, 2019), known professionally as Bill Macy, was an American television, film and stage actor known for his role in the CBS television series '' Maude'' (1972–1978). Early life Bill Macy ...

) to a seemingly sub-standard medical school in Central America. He and his fellow American students struggle with exams, the effects of pep pills, and the language barrier. Jeffrey eventually discovers the plight of local villagers in need of medical assistance. With the help of fellow students (including romantic interest Hagerty, who steals medicine and prescription pads), he illegally provides medical services to the villagers, including delivering a baby whose enraged father had earlier shot him in anger. A comic scene shows three students trying to hide a stolen corpse. Eventually, the school's authoritarian, macho dean (Arkin) discovers the students' activities and decides to prosecute, while also trying to romance a reluctant Hagerty. However, the dean dismisses the charges at the urging of the villagers.

Reception

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'' gave it a mixed review and was critical of the ending, which the reviewer felt undermined what had gone before. Most other reviewers in New York gave it unfavorable reviews.

References

External links

* * * 1985 films 1985 comedy films 20th Century Fox films 1980s English-language films American comedy films Films scored by Lalo Schifrin 1980s American films {{1980s-US-film-stub