The Hospital • The Next Reel

May 9, 2013

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For his original script "The Hospital," Paddy Chayefsky won his second Oscar and created an enemy for himself — the US's medical institution which he was satirizing. But his script, while genius in many ways, veers off course into several strange directions that take the sting out of the satire. And that's, perhaps, why the film isn't talked about much these days. But it's still worth watching and talking about! Join us — Pete Wright and Andy Nelson — as we happily talk about this wild Chayefsky ride and continue our series on this great American writer. We talk about the brilliance of Chayefsky's satire in the script and how it works so well, and contrast that with several elements that don't seem to fit the film completely and make for a less satisfying experience. We discuss the great performances of George C. Scott, Diana Rigg, Barnard Hughes, Richard Dysart and others, and how those wonderful Chayefsky monologues really give these great actors something to chew on. And we talk about the reason Chayefsky wrote this film and how the reaction to this film may have been a partial cause of his death. It's a fascinating film to watch that has moments of brilliance paired with moments of absurdity, resulting in a film that's great to look back at and study, if not one to watch on a regular basis. We certainly have a great time discussing this film. Tune in!
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