The Doctor (1991)

85% of critics liked it
(13 reviews)
68% of users liked it
(3,091 ratings)

A doctor finds out the hard way that there's more to medicine than skill in the operating theater in this emotional drama. Jack McKee (William Hurt) is a gifted but arrogant surgeon who cares little about the emotional welfare of his patients and is little more than a benign stranger to his wife… More A doctor finds out the hard way that there's more to medicine than skill in the operating theater in this emotional drama. Jack McKee (William Hurt) is a gifted but arrogant surgeon who cares little about the emotional welfare of his patients and is little more than a benign stranger to his wife Anne (Christine Lahti) and his son Nicky (Charlie Korsmo). Jack has been suffering from a nagging cough for some time, and when he begins coughing up blood one morning, he finally allows another doctor to take a look at him. The doctor discovers that Jack has a malignant tumor in his throat that could rob him of the ability to speak, or even kill him. Suddenly, Jack is a patient instead of a doctor, and he learns first hand about the long stretches in the waiting room, the indignity of filling out pointless forms, and the callous attitude of the professional medical community. Jack also gets to know June (Elizabeth Perkins), a terminal cancer patient whose joyous embrace of life as her time draws to a close is an inspiration to him. Restored to health, Jack is determined to be a more caring healer and strives to be a better husband and father, but his new lease on life also earns him an enemy in fellow surgeon Murray (Mandy Patinkin), who wants Jack to lie under oath for him in a major malpractice case; and a new respect for Eli (Adam Arkin), an ear-nose-throat man he used to ridicule for his empathetic treatment of his patients. The Doctor was based on the memoir of real-life surgeon Ed Rosenbaum, entitled "A Taste of My Own Medicine." ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: PG-13, 2 hr. 5 min.
Directed By: Randa Haines
Written By: Anthony Minghella
Genres: Drama

In Theaters: Jul 24, 1991 Wide
On DVD: Apr 6, 2004

Critic Reviews

Chuck O'Leary, FulvueDrive-in.com
An honest, well-acted and very moving drama about a cold, arrogant surgeon (a terrific Hurt) who learns about compassion when he becomes a cancer patient.
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality and Practice
Gives a fresh appreciation of the dynamic interplay between mind, body, and soul in the art of healing.
Pablo Villaca, Cinema em Cena
Um filme que deveria ser assistido por todos os profissionais da área de Saúde.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

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Featured Audience Ratings

Alice S

Great doctor jokes and theme of karmic retribution, but a little gaggy all throughout. I rather liked William Hurt in this performance though. Funny/ironic how he played a man teaching deaf students to speak in "Children of a Lesser God" and a man who can't speak… More
Great doctor jokes and theme of karmic retribution, but a little gaggy all throughout. I rather liked William Hurt in this performance though. Funny/ironic how he played a man teaching deaf students to speak in "Children of a Lesser God" and a man who can't speak (temporarily) in this film (both directed by Randa Haines). Teehee.
Jessica v

Hurt. Nuff said. He's simply brilliant here, perfectly cast and at the top of his game. Which is a good thing, seeing as he's pretty much carrying the whole film on his own. While the film does border on the melodramatic, some moments really stuck with me. Our entire… More
Hurt. Nuff said. He's simply brilliant here, perfectly cast and at the top of his game. Which is a good thing, seeing as he's pretty much carrying the whole film on his own. While the film does border on the melodramatic, some moments really stuck with me. Our entire med class watched this together and the immediacy really hit us hard. It's believable. You can see yourself falling into those habits of negligence or over-working yourself. All I can say is that if you're in a health-related field, this is pretty much required viewing. Thanks, Will. :)
Barry L

Superb film, Hurt is brillaint as the egotistical surgeon and his fall from grace is touching and extremely well done.

Cast

            William Hurt as Jack McKee

            Christine Lahti as Anne

            Elizabeth Perkins as June

            Mandy Patinkin as Murray

            Adam Arkin as Eli

            Charlie Korsmo as Nicky

            Wendy Crewson as Leslie Abbott

            Bill Macy as Al Cade

            J.E. Freeman as Ralph

            William Marquez as Mr. Maris

            Kyle Secor as Alan

            Nicole Orth-Pallavicini as Sarah

            Tony Dean Fields as Roger

            Brian Markinson as Michael

            Maria Tirabassi as Lonnie

            Akuyoe as June's Nurse

            Woodryan Alexander as O.R. Nurse

            Brandyn Artis as Nurse Jane

            Fran Bennett as Admissions Secretary

            Jusak Bernhard as Record Clerk

            Rosa Maria Briz as Mrs. Maris's Mother

            Matthew T. Clancy as Doctor in Hallway

            Ross Eto as 1st MRI Tech

            Nicholas Frangakis as Priest

            Breon Gorman as Joey's Mother

            Karen S. Gregan as Dr. Abbot's Receptionist

            Steven Gundry as Heart Transplant Surgeon

            Denis Heames as Young Patient

            Gregor Hesse as Max

            Lillian Hurst as Mrs. Maris

            Bruce Jarchow as Tim

            John Marshall Jones as Anthony

            Jonathan Kohl as Anesthesiologist

            Laurie Latham as Kristin

            Zoaunne Le Roy as Ward Nurse

            Nellye Leonard as Nancy

            Ken Lerner as Pete

            Susan Schelling Long as Operating Room Nurse

            Lily Mariye as Operating Room Nurse

            Cynthia Mason as Barbara

            Zakes Mokae
            
            Stephen Moore as Dominic

            Gail Neely as Operating Room Nurse

            Michael O'Dwyer as Builder

            Nancy Parsons as Laurie

            Jeris Poindexter as Doctor in Hallway

            Keith Polk as Joe

            Sue Rihr as Shirley

            Susan Schelling as O.R. Nurse

            Millie Slavin as Carrie

            Lynn Stalmaster
            
            Derek Van Longshore as Orderly

            Renee Victor as Lucy

            Ping Wu as Jay-Jay

            Adam Wylie as Joey

            Richard McKenzie as Mr. Richards

            John Miller as Mr. Richards
See full cast

The Doctor (1991)

Critic Reviews

Featured Audience Ratings

Alice S

Jessica v

Barry L

Cast