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Something the Lord Made (2004)

TV Movie  |   |  Biography, Drama  |  30 May 2004 (USA)
8.3
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Ratings: 8.3/10 from 8,949 users  
Reviews: 97 user | 17 critic

A dramatization of the relationship between heart surgery pioneers Alfred Blalock and Vivien Thomas.

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Title: Something the Lord Made (TV Movie 2004)

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Nominated for 2 Golden Globes. Another 16 wins & 27 nominations. See more awards »
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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
...
...
Vivien Thomas (as Mos Def)
...
Mary Blalock
...
Clara Thomas
...
Mrs. Saxon
Clayton LeBouef ...
Harold Thomas
...
William Thomas (as Charles Dutton)
...
Dr. Helen Taussig
Cliff McMullen ...
Lodel Williams
...
Charles Manlove
...
Frances Grebel
John Emmanuel ...
Man at park
Harold J. Abell Sr. ...
Man #1
Michael E. Russell ...
Bank Officer
Henri Edmonds ...
Mary Thomas
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Storyline

Alfred Blalock (1899-1964), a cardiologist (therefore, self-confident to the point of arrogance), leaves Vanderbilt for Johns Hopkins taking with him his lab technician, Vivien Thomas (1910-1985). Thomas, an African-American without a college degree, is a gifted mechanic and tool-maker with hands splendidly adept at surgery. In 1941, Blalock and Thomas take on the challenge of blue babies and invent bypass surgery. After trials on dogs, their first patient is baby Eileen, sure to die without the surgery. In defiance of custom and Jim Crow, Blalock brings Thomas into the surgery to advise him, but when Life Magazine and kudos come, Thomas is excluded. Will he receive his due? Written by <jhailey@hotmail.com>

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Taglines:

A breakthrough that changed the face of medicine. A unique partnership that broke the rules.

Genres:

Biography | Drama

Certificate:

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Parents Guide:

 »
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Details

Official Sites:

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Language:

Release Date:

30 May 2004 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

La création de Dieu  »

Filming Locations:

 »

Company Credits

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Technical Specs

Runtime:

Color:

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1
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Did You Know?

Trivia

Dr. Irving Sorkin, a retired dentist, was instrumental in getting Katie McCabe's article made into a feature film. Dr. Sorkin died of lymphoma on October 18, 2007, at the age of 88. See more »

Goofs

When Blalock is eating dinner and attempting to get Vivian a raise, his napkin changes places between shots. See more »

Quotes

[Amazed at Vivien's surgical skill]
Alfred Blalock: This is like something the Lord made.
See more »

Connections

Featured in The 56th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards (2004) See more »

Soundtracks

Baltimore Bounce
Written by Keter Betts
Performed by Keter Betts, Harold Mann, Larry Willis and Jacques Johnson
See more »

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User Reviews

So good that it leaves you wanting more
1 June 2004 | by (Baltimore, MD) – See all my reviews

One of the earmarks of a great true story on film is that, when it's over, you find yourself wishing it had been longer and wanting to know more about the subject. This is definitely the case with "Something the Lord Made." I can't wait to do a little reading up on this very intriguing story! Alan Rickman as Alfred Blalock is excellent, as he always is, but the real pleasure is in watching Mos Def as Vivien Thomas. Through his lovely, subtly nuanced performance, we are able to truly appreciate this incredibly gifted and complex man. The writers did an excellent job of making the viewer aware of the racial climate in Viven Thomas' life; note the early scene in which Vivien and a friend are walking and talking, and each time some white people approach them on the sidewalk, they step aside and yield right of way without hesitation. And yet, there is no heavy-handedness or preachy air to these scenes. The racial injustices that Vivien Thomas endured are obvious, but the viewer is not clubbed over the head with them.


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