Starring: Alan Rickman, Mos Def, Kyra Sedgwick, Gabrielle Union, Merritt Wever Directed By: Joseph Sargent Average Rating: Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 Audience Rating: Unrated Binding: DVD Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD-Video, NTSC Label: Hbo Home Video Number of Items: 1 Region Code: 1 Release Date: January 25, 2005 Running Time: 110 minutes Theatrical Release Date: May 30, 2004
Product Description: (Drama) Something the Lord Made tells the emotional true story of two men who defied the rules of their time to launch a medical revolution set against the backdrop of the Jim Crow south. Working in 1940s Baltimore on an unprecedented technique for performing heart surgery on "blue babies" Dr. Alfred Blalock (Alan Rickman) and lab technician Vivien Thomas (Mos Def) form an impressive team. As Blalock and Thomas invent a new field of medicine saving thousands of lives in the process social pressures threaten to undermine their collaboration and tear their friendship apart.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: DRAMA UPC: 026359246128
Amazon.com: Something the Lord Made recounts the relationship between Dr. Alfred Blalock (Alan Rickman) and Vivian Thomas (Mos Def). It begins in 1930s Nashville when imperious cardiac surgeon Blalock hires Thomas, an African American carpenter, as his janitor. When the latter reveals a passion for medicine and facility with surgical instruments, Blalock promotes him to lab tech. Thomas isn't given a raise, works side jobs to make ends meet, and is expected to be grateful. Along the way, he follows Blalock from Vanderbilt to Johns Hopkins, where they save thousands of lives through their pioneering work, but will Thomas ever get any credit? The film provides a satisfying answer to that question. Joseph Sargent (A Lesson Before Dying) directs with subtlety and intelligence, while Rickman and Mos Def are in top form, often underplaying where most actors would do otherwise. Something the Lord Made won the 2004 Emmy for outstanding made-for-TV movie. --Kathleen C. Fennessy
SOMETHING THE LORD MADE A MUST SEE MOVIE.I'VE BEEN RETIRED FROM THE U.S. GOV'T FOR EIGHT YEARS. AFTER SEEING THIS MOVIE AGAIN I'M NOW IN COLLEGE.
One Of Rickman's BEST, and that is Saying Something... The plot is incredible, and other reviewers have covered that aspect quite well. The performances are beyond compare. If you know Rickman's work, you realize he is known for having one of the best voices in the world, combined with intelligence and excellence in every scene. Never once, in this film, do you doubt he is an American from the South. I was a huge fan before I purchased this. I was amazed that this was the same man. This film illustrates that the quality and depth of his ability has not yet been fully showcased.
Rickman becomes the characters he plays - they do not become him. Acting is defined as the art of reacting. Alan Rickman defines excellence in this film. It is worth viewing again and again, both for the message and for the performances.
enjoyable i haven't seen this movie in a long time and i only saw it the one time, but i remember it being really good.
Something the Lord Made This is a very substantial, poignant movie about the radical change-in-thinking and experimentation preceding the first-ever heart surgery. Did everyone except me know that the beating human heart was NEVER to be touched. Excellent casting and acting. Now one of my favorite movies.
Something the Lord Made I really enjoyed this movie. My son has a heart defect, the one shown in the movie, and it made me realize that if it wasn't for the work of this lab tech, he might not be here today. Very inspiring movie.... some people really love the work they do and we profit from it.