Please Note: This is not a Christian movie but we have included it in our resource section because it contains material that you may find helpful for discussion. We recommend reading a review with more information about its moral content before watching this movie or showing it to a group.

A brief summary

It’s based on the true story of Dr. Alfred Blalock, a medical researcher and his very gifted assistant Vivian Thomas. The story starts in the 1930s – Thomas (who is black) starts working for Blalock as a janitor. Blalock soon discovers Thomas is very gifted and trains him to be his assistant. Eventually he surpasses Blalock’s abilities as a medical researcher helping to invent the heart operation which saves "blue babies" – but he did not receive credit for his work because of his color and lack of education.

I think this resource is helpful because…

The story follows the friendship of the 2 men over a lifetime. When it starts out, Blalock is very prejudiced, but over time he overcomes some of that. I think it’s helpful because it is a very realistic portrayal of the power of friendship to overcome racism.

Are there are any parts that some people may find offensive?

not that I remember specifically

Description of this movie from the film’s website:

SOMETHING THE LORD MADE is a moving story of men who defy the rules and start a medical revolution. Their patients are known as the "blue babies" – infants suffering from a congenital heart defect that turns them blue as they slowly suffocate.

Alfred Blalock (Alan Rickman) and Vivien Thomas (Mos Def) make a brilliant team. But even as they race against time to save one particular baby, the two occupy different places in society. Blalock is the white, wealthy head of surgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital. Thomas is black and poor, a skilled carpenter whose dream of going to college and becoming a doctor was ruined by the Great Depression, although he was naturally gifted with the intuition and dexterity of a great surgeon.

Even as they save lives and invent a whole new field of medicine, social pressures threaten to tear them apart. Ultimately, however, Thomas finds his dreams coming true in unexpected ways.

Credits: (Dr. Alfred Blalock), Mos Def (Vivien Thomas), Kyra Sedgwick (Mary Blalock), Gabrielle Union (Clara Thomas), Charles Dutton (William Thomas), Mary Stuart Masterson (Dr. Helen Taussig).

Casting by Lynn Kressel, C.S.A. and Pat Moran, C.S.A. Music Supervisor Evyen J Klean. Music by Christopher Young. Editor Michael Brown, A.C.E. Production Designer Vincent Peranio. Director of Photography Donald M. Morgan, ASC. Co-Producer Irving Sorkin. Produced by Julian Krainin, Mike Drake. Executive Producers Robert W. Cort, David Madden, Eric Hetzel. Based in part on the magazine article "Like Something The Lord Made" by Katie McCabe. Written by Peter Silverman and Robert Caswell. Directed by Joseph Sargent

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(1 votes, average: 9.00 out of 10)

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