Review of The Hospital (1971) by John W — 30 May 2011

The Hospital, quite possibly the best caricature of hospitals at their very, bumbling worst. The Hospital is a 1971 black comedy film directed by Arthur Hiller and starring George C. Scott as Dr. Herbert Bock. The script was written by Paddy Chayefsky, who was awarded the 1972 Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.

Suggest this worthy of watching only if you plan to check in to the nearest hospital any time soon. Chances are, you will run out of the place as soon as possible or never check in at all.

Scott is brillant as an impotent middle aged doctor that lost his life but until meeting actor Riggs, does get his thing up enough to rape her repeatedly in the film (with no regrets by Riggs).

A funny and sarcastic film worth watching more than once.

NOTES about the film, The Hospital:

1 When the film was released, film critic Roger Ebert lauded the film, writing, "The Hospital is a better movie than you may have been led to believe. It has been criticized for switching tone in midstream, but maybe it's only heading for deeper, swifter waters.".

2 The film won the Oscar, the Golden Globe, the WGA, and the BAFTA for Best Screenplay for Chayefsky's script. Despite having rejected the Oscar the previous year for his work in Patton, Scott was nominated for Best Actor, but the gold statuette went instead to Gene Hackman for The French Connection.

3 In 1995, this film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry as being deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".

4 Chayevsky, after winning the Oscar, turned his attention to television news. This interest led ultimately, in an investigation well documented by Chayevsky's voluminous notes, to the 1976 film Network.

Films directed by Arthur Hiller.

1950s The Careless Years (1957).

1960s Miracle of the White Stallions (1963) The Wheeler Dealers (1963) The Americanization of Emily (1964) Promise Her Anything (1965) Penelope (1966) Tobruk (1967) The Tiger Makes Out (1967) Popi (1969).

1970s The Out-of-Towners (1970) Love Story (1970) Plaza Suite (1971) The Hospital (1971) Man of La Mancha (1972) The Crazy World of Julius Vrooder (1974) The Man in the Glass Booth (1975) W.C. Fields and Me (1976) Silver Streak (1976) The In-Laws (1979) Nightwing (1979).

1980s Making Love (1982) Author! Author! (1982) Romantic Comedy (1983) The Lonely Guy (1984) Teachers (1984) Outrageous Fortune (1987) See No Evil, Hear No Evil (1989).

1990s Taking Care of Business (1990) Married to It (1991) The Babe (1992) Carpool (1996) An Alan Smithee Film: Burn Hollywood Burn (1997).

2000s National Lampoon's Pucked (2006).

Cast.

George C. Scott as Dr. Herbert "Herb" Bock.

Diana Rigg as Miss Barbara Drummond.

Robert Walden as Dr. Brubaker.

Barnard Hughes as Edmund Drummond (credited) and Dr. Mallory (uncredited).

Richard A. Dysart as Dr. Welbeck.

Stephen Elliott as Dr. John Sundstrom.

Andrew Duncan as William "Willie" Mead.

Donald Harron as Dr. Milton Mead.

Nancy Marchand as Mrs. Christie, Head of Nurses.

Jordan Charney as Hitchcock, Hospital Administration.

Roberts Blossom as Guernsey.

Lenny Baker as Dr. Howard Schaefer.

Richard Hamilton as Dr. Ronald Casey.

Arthur Junaluska as Mr. Blacktree.

Kate Harrington as Nurse Dunne.

Katherine Helmond as Mrs. Marilyn Mead.

David Hooks as Dr. Joe Einhorn.

Frances Sternhagen as Mrs. Sally Cushing.

Stockard Channing as E.R. Nurse.

Directed by Arthur Hiller.

Produced by Howard Gottfried.

Written by Paddy Chayefsky.

Narrated by Paddy Chayefsky.

Starring.

George C. Scott.

Diana Rigg.

Music by Morris Surdin.

Cinematography Victor J. Kemper.

Editing by Eric Albertson.

Distributed by United Artists.

Release date(s) December 14, 1971 (1971-12-14) (United States).

Running time 103 minutes.

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