''The Doctor'' is a 1991 American

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super- ...

directed by Randa Haines. It is loosely based on Dr. Edward Rosenbaum's 1988 book, ''A Taste Of My Own Medicine''. The film stars

William Hurt William McChord Hurt (March 20, 1950 – March 13, 2022) was an American actor. Known for his performances on stage and screen, he received various awards including an Academy Award, BAFTA Award and Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actor. H ...

as Jack McKee, a doctor who undergoes a transformation in his views about life, illness and human relationships.

Plot

Dr Jack McKee is a successful surgeon at a leading hospital. He and his wife, Anne, have all the trappings of success, although Jack works such long hours that he rarely has time to see their son and has become somewhat emotionally dead to his wife. His "bedside manner" with his patients, in many cases seriously ill, is also lacking. The decorum in the operating theater is very casual and the chatter between him and his partner, Dr. Murray Kaplan, not particularly professional. Returning home from a charity event, Jack has a coughing fit. His wife is shocked when he coughs up blood all over her and the car. In an examination, Jack has a sample of a growth removed from his throat. The biopsy comes back positive for cancer. His time spent with another cold, impersonal surgeon in this examination is the beginning of his transformation. Further tests and disappointments are blended with scenes of other patients' grace and

empathy Empathy is the capacity to understand or feel what another person is experiencing from within their frame of reference, that is, the capacity to place oneself in another's position. Definitions of empathy encompass a broad range of social, co ...

towards each other and a much better view of the delays and missteps of their doctors and medical support personnel. As Jack experiences life as a patient, he gains a clearer understanding of the emotional void hospitals, some doctors, and his own colleagues can display. He befriends June Ellis, a fellow cancer patient who has an inoperable brain tumor. She gets him to promise to never lie or mislead a patient again. Jack begins to bark at the medical establishment. Jack and June take off to see a Native American show, but the pace is too much for her. His wife, meanwhile, struggles to understand Jack's relationship with June. Jack's radiation treatment does not stop the cancer on his vocal cords. His despair ends in a confrontation with Dr. Leslie Abbott, the surgeon treating him whom he provokes in a heated discussion. Jack asks a colleague he has previously ridiculed, Dr. Eli Bloomfield, to perform his needed surgery. Jack apologizes for his and Murray's insulting behavior, to which Eli replies with a smile, "Well, Jack, I've always wanted to slit your throat, and now I've got the chance." Eli's bedside manner is a perfect example for Jack. Jack's cancer is treated and cured, but June dies. The experience changes Jack forever. When he returns to work, he begins to teach new medical interns about the importance of showing

compassion Compassion motivates people to go out of their way to relieve the physical, mental or emotional pains of others and themselves. Compassion is often regarded as being sensitive to the emotional aspects of the suffering of others. When based on n ...

and sensitivity towards their patients, which in turn will make them better doctors. Jack puts the interns in patient gowns, assigns them various illnesses and orders all the tests for them to "feel" the experience that they will soon put their patients through.

Cast

as Dr. Jack McKee * Christine Lahti as Anne McKee * Elizabeth Perkins as June Ellis *

Mandy Patinkin Mandel Bruce Patinkin (; born November 30, 1952) is an American actor and singer, known for his work in musical theatre, television and film. He is a critically acclaimed Broadway performer, having received three Tony Award nominations, winning ...

as Dr. Murray Kaplan * Adam Arkin as Dr. Eli Bloomfield *

Charlie Korsmo Charles Randolph Korsmo (born July 20, 1978) is an American lawyer and actor. He is best known for portraying the Kid from the film adaption of ''Dick Tracy'' and Jack Banning in ''Hook''. Personal life and acting work Korsmo was born in Fargo, ...

as Nicky McKee *

Wendy Crewson Wendy Jane Crewson (born May 9, 1956) is a Canadian actress and producer. She began her career appearing on Canadian television, before her breakthrough role in 1991 dramatic film '' The Doctor''. Crewson has appeared in many Hollywood films, inc ...

as Dr. Leslie Abbott * Zakes Mokae as Dr. Charles Reed (uncredited)

Production

Warren Beatty Henry Warren Beatty (né Beaty; born March 30, 1937) is an American actor and filmmaker, whose career spans over six decades. He was nominated for 15 Academy Awards, including four for Best Actor, four for Best Picture, two for Best Director, ...

was originally announced for the lead role but left over creative differences with the director. William Hurt replaced him, reteaming with Haines again after their 1986 film '' Children of a Lesser God''.

Reception

The movie gained positive reviews. Based on 17 reviews, it holds a favorable 82% rating on

Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wan ...

as of October 2019.

Box office

The movie was a modest box office success, grossing $38 million in the US.

Award (nominations)

Young Artist Award The Young Artist Award (originally known as the Youth in Film Award) is an accolade presented by the Young Artist Foundation, a nonprofit organization founded in 1978 to honor excellence of youth performers, and to provide scholarships for young ...

for Best Family Feature Film – Drama

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Doctor, The 1991 drama films 1991 films American drama films Films about cancer Films about surgeons Films directed by Randa Haines Films scored by Michael Convertino Films set in hospitals Touchstone Pictures films 1990s English-language films 1990s American films