Monday Movies - Sickly Sickos...

Feature Presentation...
MONDAY MOVIE MEME

Here in the Northeast, winter is in full-force. Not only is it quite cold outside, but it's that time of year when colds, viruses, the flu are prevalent. If you're not sick, you know someone who's sick. An unfortunate side-effect of the cold and germs being passed around is people have a tendency to be less neighborly and willing to stop and chat. Films display more sympathy for illness than we do and foster generosity and togetherness. Share on your blog movies that contain a form of illness as its theme or feature a character who is sick or diseased. Link your post back to The Bumbles Blog. If you don't have a blog, list your choices in the comment section of The Bumbles Movie post!

Brian's Song (1971) This was a TV movie about the life of the Chicago Bears professional football player Brian Piccolo (played by James Caan) who is diagnosed with terminal cancer and his friendship with Gale Sayers (played by Billie Dee Williams), Chicago Bears running back and Pro Football Hall of Fame player who helped and supported Piccolo during his struggle with cancer. The TV movie was such a success that it was shown in theaters.

My Left Foot: The Story of Christy Brown (1989) an Irish drama film about Christy Brown (portrayed by Daniel Day Lewis) an Irishman born with cerebral palsy who grows up in a poor, working class family to become a writer and artist despite only being able to control his left foot. Daniel Day Lewis won the Academy Award for Best Actor and Brenda Fricker won for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her portrayal of Bridget Brown.

The Diving Bell and The Butterfly (2007) directed by Julian Schnabel this movie is based on the true story of Jean-Dominique Bauby, (portrayed by Mathieu Amalric) the editor of the French version of Elle magazine. Bauby suffered a massive stroke at the age of 42 and was left in a condition called locked-in syndrome meaning Bauby was completely paralyzed but still mentally alert and intact. Bauby is still able to blink his left eye and comes up with a system of communication by blinking his left eye proceeding to write his memoir!

Philadelphia (1993) Tom Hanks portrays attorney Andrew Beckett who sues the law firm he was employed by for unfair dismissal alleging they fired him because he had HIV/AIDS. The jury finds in Andrew Beckett's favor awarding him punitive damages of $4.5 million. Beckett dies shortly after the jury verdict. This was the first mainstream Hollywood film to acknowledge HIV/AIDS.

Lorenzo's Oil (1992) Nick Nolte and Susan Sarandon portray parents Augusto and Michaela Odone whose young son Lorenzo has a very rare disease, Adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) and for which they are desperately searching for a cure and a doctor willing and able to treat their son. The film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay and Susan Sarandon was nominated for a Best Actress Award.

One True Thing (1998) Ellen Gulden (Renee Zellwegger) is a writer for New York magazine whose father, George (William Hurt) is a college professor and former novelist whom she greatly admires. Ellen is unimpressed and critical of her mother, Kate, who was a stay- at-home mom and doesn't work. Kate has been diagnosed with cancer. George pressures Ellen to come home and care for her mother. Ellen does so reluctantly, worried that it will cause problems with her career and love life. Staying home with and helping her mother becomes a learning experience for Ellen and an opportunity to reassess long held beliefs and ideas. What she discovers surprises her.