I watched the movie "Something the Lord Made" yesterday on HBO. It was a wonderful movie. The whole process of researching, struggling and then finally getting success is perhaps the only reason why we all are living.
In brief the story revolved around a black man, Vivien T. Thomas and a white surgeon, Alfred Blalock. The story depicts their coming together, starting to research on dogs for the blue baby cure for their hearts. The operation is a bit too complex for me to understand and explain but I can imagine that it saved millions of lives. Vivien had to leave college because of financial crunches and starts working as an assistant for Alfred. The movie also deals with the racial discrimination issues. In spite of doing top class work Vivien is not given proper treatment and pay. But Alfred helps him in this. Ultimately they are together able to find a way to do the surgery. It was a joint effort where without any one it could not have been possible. Everyone is against the operation. The church says that this operation is trying to do something against god's will. Alfred's friends tell him that he is risking his reputation and he should not do that.
On the day of the surgery, Alfred, 2 other surgeons and an always supportive doctor Helen Taussig are in the operation theater. Alfred realizes that he cannot do the operation without Vivian's guidance and makes an emergency call for him. Vivian can't operate since he does not have a college degree. The operation is a huge success and is claimed as a break through in medical science. Dr Alfred and all other doctors even remotely connected with this operation are considered godly. However because of racial discrimination no credit was given to Vivian. Vivian confronts Alfred regarding this and then leaves the lab. Alfred tries to stop him but it is shown that he has too become a little arrogant now. Vivian tries to go to college again but he is 35 years old and it does not seem worth it. He returns back to Alfred's lab and Alfred mocks him a little and at that point Vivian says "It is not about you doctor, its about the work. I like the work."
Many years later, after Vietnam and many other important events happen in US, in 1964 Alfred is on a wheelchair and Vivian is escorting him around John Hopkins and a room where many famous people have their portraits. At this point Alfred admits his mistake and tells Vivian that "Vivian, they say in order to live a full life you need to have regrets. I have many regrets Vivian, I have many regrets" while looking at his portrait. After some time Alfred dies. In 1976 Vivian was awarded the honorary degree Doctor of Laws by the John Hopkins University.
This story is indeed provoking. It gives you both a feeling of happiness over the triumph of science and the failure of human society. A society where people are not even given credit for their work because of social biases and discrimination and I don't think I am wrong in saying that these biases still exist. People even today do not get what the deserve and here lies the failure of our society.
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