This article originally appeared in The Washingtonian and is reprinted on Longform by permission of the author. Something the Lord Made is a 2004 American made-for-television biographical drama film about the black cardiac pioneer Vivien Thomas (1910–1985) and his complex and volatile partnership with white surgeon Alfred Blalock (1899–1964), the "Blue Baby doctor" who pioneered modern heart surgery. Alfred Blalock: You know Vivien, I say you haven't really lived lest you have a lot to regret. Just click the "Edit page" button at the bottom of the page or learn more in the Synopsis submission guide. Parents Guide. When they save the first blue baby, their surgery technique becomes a worldwide success. The film dramatizes their race to save dying Blue Babies against the background of a Jim Crow (Racial Segregation) America, illuminating the nuanced and complex relationship the two sustain. 3. But Thomas' remarkable manual dexterity and scientific acumen shatter Blalock's expectations, and Thomas rapidly becomes indispensable as a research partner to Blalock in his first daring forays into heart surgery. A local dentist with big Hollywood dreams, Sorkin pushed for the story to be taken to the screen for many years, finally succeeding in 2004 with the HBO film Something the Lord Made. something the lord made summary essay "It feels like something the Lord made" is said once, to describe how well done a specific procedure had been done. The movie is based upon how Vivien Thomas, a young black lab technician, and Dr. Alfred Blalock, a wealthy white physician, are brought together in friendship and medical research of a procedure to save cyanosis, bluish skin, children. But Vivien has no credit for his accomplishment. The American Film Institute, which named Something the Lord Made the Best Television Movie of the Year for 2004, called it "a revelation...a bittersweet story [that] is an important tool for America as it continues to search for a public vocabulary to discuss issues of race. At the end of the film, in a formal ceremony in 1976, Hopkins recognized Thomas' work and awarded him an honorary doctorate. 1; Success! Set Email Alert. After losing his job, who does Vivian go to work for and what does he do? Something the Lord Made tells the story of the 34-year partnership that begins in Depression Era Nashville in 1930 when Blalock (Alan Rickman) hires Thomas (Mos Def) as an assistant at his Vanderbilt University lab, expecting him to perform janitorial work. VIVIEN THOMAS: 1910-1985' over Thomas's. something the lord made essay The second edition of this must have’ guide builds on the success of the first with updated and expanded advice good essay writing provides answers to the. and a brief montage shows 'DR. Something The Lord Made appears in an aspect ratio of 1.85:1 on this single-sided, double-layered DVD and has been anamorphically enhanced for 16X9 televisions. This is the beautiful piano song from the movie "Something the Lord Made." Thomas, an African-American without a college degree, is a gifted mechanic and tool-maker with hands splendidly adept at surgery. Helen Taussig (Mary Stuart Masterson), the pediatrician/cardiologist at Johns Hopkins, challenges Blalock to come up with a surgical solution for her Blue Babies. Plot Keywords ''Something the Lord Made'' is based on a true story, and it faithfully tracks the rise of both Blalock and Thomas. Get unlimited DVD Movies & TV Shows delivered to your door with no … ALFRED BLALOCK 1899-1964' over Blalock's portrait, and 'DR. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. He was a janitor. Something the Lord Made is a 2004 American made-for-television biographical drama film about the black cardiac pioneer Vivien Thomas (1910–1985) and his complex and volatile partnership with white surgeon Alfred Blalock (1899–1964), the "Blue Baby doctor" who pioneered modern heart surgery. The film traces the two men's work when they move in 1943 from Vanderbilt to Johns Hopkins, an institution where the only black employees are janitors and where Thomas must enter by the back door. The subject matter doesn’t exactly lend itself to stunning visual imagery, but while it doesn’t thrill, it doesn’t disappoint, either. Watch Something the Lord Made starring Alan Rickman in this Drama on DIRECTV. (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. Instead, he watches from behind a potted palm at the rear of the ballroom. Taglines “Something the Lord Made” is a film that documents the work of Vivian Thomas and Alfred Blalock in an effort to cure blue baby syndrome. Together, as a remarkable and inseparable team, they achieved a monumental medical breakthrough. Together, they attack the congenital heart defect of Tetralogy of Fallot, also known as Blue Baby Syndrome, and in so doing they open the field of heart surgery. This is a documentary type movie that tells the story of heart surgery. The duo is seen experimenting on stray dogs they got from the local dog pound, deliberately giving the dogs the heart defect and trying to solve it. McCabe's 1989 Washingtonian magazine article on Thomas, "Like Something the Lord Made",[1] generated widespread interest in the story and inspired the making of a 2003 public television documentary on Thomas and Blalock, "Partners of the Heart. Something The Lord Made is a film about the black cardiac pioneer Vivien Thomas and his complex and volatile partnership with white surgeon Alfred Blalock, the world famous "Blue Baby doctor" who pioneered modern heart surgery. Something the Lord Made is a story about the development and incredible miracle of the Blue Baby procedure. It is an emotional narrative. Dr. Blalock moves to the Johns Hopkins University and brings Vivien with him. Dispelling the myth that the heart cannot be touched, saving countless lives, and learning to look beyond skin color, Alfred Blalock and Vivien Thomas changed the practice of medicine in such a miraculous way, it is almost like Something the Lord Made. Something the Lord Made is a story about the development and incredible miracle of the Blue Baby procedure. This movie includes obvious racism and discrimination. [3][4], The film was nominated for nine Emmy Awards (including acting nominations for both principals) and won three, for Outstanding Made for Television Movie, Outstanding Cinematography for a Miniseries or Movie (Don Morgan) and Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special (Michael Brown). Thomas' story was first brought to public attention by Washington writer Katie McCabe, who learned of his work with Blalock on the day of his death in a 1985 interview with a prominent Washington, D.C. surgeon who described Thomas as "an absolute legend." We will get back to you shortly. Produced for the premium cable network HBO, Something the Lord Made also features Gabrielle Union, Mary Stuart Masterson, and Charles S. Dutton. All these are the bad things, that racism could do. Together, they boldly attack the devastating heart problem of Tetralogy of Fallot, also known as Blue Baby Syndrome, and in so doing they open the field of heart surgery. Rent Something the Lord Made (2004) starring Alan Rickman and Mos Def on DVD and Blu-ray. The film won a number of awards that year, including an Emmy for Outstanding Made For Television Movie. Thomas, an African-American without a college degree, is a gifted mechanic and tool-maker with hands splendidly adept at surgery. Something the Lord Made “Something the Lord Made” is a film that reports crafted by Vivian Thomas and Alfred Blalock with an end goal to cure blue child disorder. A dramatization of the relationship between heart surgery pioneers Alfred Blalock and Vivien Thomas. Start studying Something the Lord Made. Something the Lord Made is a story about the development and incredible miracle of the Blue Baby procedure. | He becomes a lab assistant. Something the Lord Made “Something the Lord Made” is a film that reports crafted by Vivian Thomas and Alfred Blalock with an end goal to cure blue child disorder. When Blalock insists that Thomas follow him to Johns Hopkins University, they must find a way to skirt a racist system to continue their study of infant heart disease. The finest made-for-television film that I have seen in 2009 has to be the HBO production Something the Lord Made (2004). Thomas is indispensable to Blalock's progress, but Blalock is the only one who is allowed to receive the. Something the Lord Made Most individuals are familiar with the common phrase, ‘necessity is the mother of invention’, and this holds steadfast in the medical field. Blalock praises Thomas' surgical skill as being "like something the Lord made", and insists that Thomas coach him through the first Blue Baby surgery over the protests of Hopkins administrators. I have some regret. Submit. Thomas asks why she's dying in the dream and she says it's because she has a baby heart. The movie is based upon how Vivien Thomas, a young black lab technician, and Dr. Alfred Blalock, a wealthy white physician, are brought together in friendship and medical research of a procedure to save cyanosis, bluish skin, children. 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. What was Vivian Thomas’ profession at the beginning of the movie? The outcome looks good and they are excited to operate on a baby with the defect, but in a dream, Thomas sees the baby grown up and crying because she's dying. Vivien expects to join the medical school but his savings are lost in the Great Depression. Along the years, they develop the bypass surgery using dogs as guinea pigs. Thank you for sharing the requirements with us. | "It feels like something the Lord made" is said once, to describe how well done a specific procedure had been done. Save Changes. Yet outside the lab, they are separated by the prevailing racism of the time. However his heart is so with the work he left behind that he finds himself unhappy in other endeavors and decides to overlook Blalock's lack of acknowledgement and return to the lab. Something the Lord Made Buoyed by excellent lead performances, made-for-HBO trifle hardly screams out pay TV (think more Hallmark Hall of Fame), which is … But soon Vivien is promoted to lab technician due to his skills. 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). 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). Something the Lord Made tells the story of the 34-year partnership that begins in Depression Era Nashville in 1930 when Blalock (Alan Rickman) hires Thomas (Mos Def) as an assistant at his Vanderbilt University lab, expecting him to perform janitorial work. LONGFORM REPRINTS. Vivian Thomas was a black man living in a time of great prejudice in our country. This film exhibits remarkable acting from Dante “Mos Def” Smith and Alan Rickman. Be the first to contribute! Will he receive his due? But Thomas' remarkable manual dexterity and intellectual acumen confound Blalock's expectations, and Thomas rapidly becomes indispensable as a research partner to Blalock in his forays into heart surgery. It looks like we don't have a Synopsis for this title yet. This film showcases extraordinary acting from Dante “Mos Def” Smith and Alan Rickman. Blalock interprets it as the fact that their sewing technique didn't work because the sutures didn't grow with the heart, and worked on a new version that would work. From there, he listens to Blalock give credit to the other doctors who assisted in the work but make no mention of Thomas or his contributions. Like Something the Lord Made Vivien Thomas was paid a janitor's wage, never went to college, and still became a legend in the field of heart surgery. In 1964, one day before Blalock dies, he sees Thomas, now a professional surgeon and trainer in the open heart surgery wing. In 1930, the skilled carpenter Vivien Thomas loses his job and is hired by the arrogant Dr. Alfred Blalock as a janitor in Vanderbilt. Summary This film tells the remarkable story of Vivien Thomas (played by Mos Def), an African-American fine carpenter, who found his way into medicine through the back door and changed medical history. Synopsis 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. It is the dramatic story of two men—one a wealthy white chief surgeon, the other a poor black lab technician from Tennessee. She needs a new ductus for them to oxygenate their blood. The redeeming factor is that it … But Thomas' remarkable manual dexterity and intellectual acumen confound Blalock's expectations, and Thomas rapidly becomes indispensable as a research partner to Blalock in his forays into heart surgery. | Although Vivien Theodore Thomas, a black man in the 1930s, is originally hired as a janitor, he proves himself adept at assisting the "Blue Baby doctor," Alfred Blalock, with his medical research. After Blalock's death, Thomas continued his work at Johns Hopkins training surgeons. The film traces the groundbreaking work the two men undertake when they move in 1941 from Vanderbilt to Johns Hopkins, an institution where the only black employees are janitors and where Thomas must enter by the back door. Start studying Something the Lord Made. … Katie McCabe • The Washingtonian • Aug 1989. Sales Form. "[6], "Dentist Had Hankering for Show Business", "Irving Sorkin, 88; dentist saw Hollywood dream come true as award-winning producer", Black Reel Award for Outstanding Television Movie or Limited Series, The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story, Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Television Movie, Eleanor and Franklin: The White House Years, NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special, When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts, For Love or Country: The Arturo Sandoval Story, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Something_the_Lord_Made&oldid=996130879, Films based on newspaper and magazine articles, Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Made for Television Movie winners, Pages using infobox television with editor parameter, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 24 December 2020, at 18:37. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Based on the National Magazine Award-winning Washingtonian magazine article "Like Something the Lord Made" by Katie McCabe,[1] the film was directed by Joseph Sargent and written by Peter Silverman and Robert Caswell. Tells the story of the extraordinary 34-year partnership which begins in Depression Era Nashville in 1930, when Blalock hires Thomas as an assistant in his Vanderbilt University lab, expecting him merely to perform janitorial work. Thomas, an African-American without a college degree, is a gifted mechanic and tool-maker with hands splendidly adept at surgery. Alert on more product reviews. Synopsis Although Vivien Thomas (Mos Def), a black man in the 1930s, is originally hired as a janitor, he proves himself adept at assisting the "Blue Baby doctor," … 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). Find trailers, reviews, synopsis, awards and cast information for Something the Lord Made (2004) - Joseph Sargent on AllMovie - The true story of two medical pioneers -- one… The film, Something the Lord Made, depicts the medical research of Dr. Alfred Blalock and his lab assistant, Vivien … Racing in comparison to chariot racing in ancient rome essay, buy custom ancient rome had many forms of entertainment that have been replicated in. Will time correct this omission? Showing: 1 - 18 of 18 Questions on Something the Lord Made Movie. The movie is about a white surgeon Alfred Blalock 's partnership with his African American assistant, Vivien Thomas, in developing Blalock-Taussig shunt, a surgical procedure that saved the lives of babies who had blue baby syndrome. It also received two Golden Globe nominations, Black Reel Awards for Best Film and Best Supporting Actor (Clayton LeBouef, in the role of Thomas' activist brother Harold), an NAACP Image Award, a Peabody Award,[5] a Directors Guild of America Award for Sargent, and a Writers Guild of America Award for Silverman and Caswell. He was very intelligent and skilled in the field of medicine and was an asset to the scientists and doctors trying to find a cure for the “blue baby” syndrome. It is a dramatic documentary. But I think we should not remember what we lost, but what we've done. 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. A portrait of Thomas was placed on the walls of Johns Hopkins next to Blalock's portrait, which had been hung there years earlier. 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