Customer Reviews
"Where others see risk, I see opportunities..." 
2008-03-16
This 2004 made for television film details the lives of Drs Vivien Thomas (Mos Def) and Alfred Blalock (Alan Rickman), who are pioneers in the field of cardiac surgery.
Prior to the 1940's, it was theorized that touching the human heart would result in instant death. These two doctors' work in conjunction with Dr. Helen Taussig in as well as emergency surgeries begun in World War II gave rise to the discipline of cardiology.
Vivien Thomas began working for Dr. Alfred Blalock in 1929 at Vanderbilt Medical Center in Nashville, TN. At the time, Blalock was studying trauma. Blalock and Thomas together developed the procedure to transfuse blood to restore life to trauma patients.
That work took the pair of them to Johns Hopkins where the Dr. Blalock was challenged by Dr. Taussig to help 'blue babies.' The two pioneered both the instruments and techniques including sutures that 'grow' that enabled blue babies to live.
It's no surprise this film won an Emmy in 2004. "Something the Lord Made" is a fascinating historical depiction of a pioneering time in our history both scientifically and racially. Both Mos Def and Alan Rickman did an excellent job in their roles, literally losing their own persona in their acting.
A must see 2008-03-11
For young people who take todays equalities for granted, this is a must see Movie. This true story reminds us all how far we have come as a Nation....and how hard previous generations fought for civil rights...issues that are too often not appreciated by young people.
A Gift For Christmas 2008-03-09
I bought this for my grandparents for Christmas and they said it was one of the best movies they have ever seen. They were telling people about it, and when they do that then I KNOW it is good!
Saving Heart 2008-03-08
As a writer and editor in health care, I am always curious to learn about the workings, indeed, the miracles, that happen everyday in hospital operating rooms. "Something the Lord Made" is based on the true events that led to cardiac surgery as we know it today.
But there are two great stories here. One story is the fascinating process of discovery in medicine born of the partnership between the brilliant Dr. Alfred Blalock (played by Alan Rickman) and his no less brilliant laboratory technician, Vivien Thomas (played by Mos Def). The other story, no less fascinating, is of a white man and a black man in a partnership to bring oxygen to the heart ... metaphorically speaking. Their partnership takes place in the time when civil rights were still just a twinkle in Martin Luther King's eye, in the 1930's and 40's. Blalock is a risk-taking surgeon who runs a laboratory where he conducts his research, and he hires an African-American janitor with an interest in medicine. He promotes him to lab technician, but where there are moments when Blalock rises above bigotry and does what is right, there are also those moments when he conforms to the racism of the day. When he achieves success in developing the technique for a bypass on a "blue baby," he publicly expresses his gratitude to every white man in the operating room, yet leaves Vivien Thomas unacknowledged. Blalock is in great measure a hero, defying the day, but not without his moments of failing the quiet man working beside him, bringing life to his heart in more ways than one. Much of the movie's intrigue is the movement of the two men toward and away from each other, in and apart from medicine.
It is disappointing that this movie has not received greater acclaim. First shown as an HBO movie, it deserves the bigger screen. It shines an important light on innovation, the risk and determination needed to realize a great discovery, the taking of a higher road when the lower road would seem so much easier. We see a man rise above when he is forced to take the back entrance to John Hopkins, live on the pay of a janitor while perfecting operating techniques he can literally perform with his eyes closed, perform under surgical lights in a hospital where black men cannot be called on a PA system... because they are black. We see here a man do the work he loves, in spite of the lack of recognition, in spite of being ignored again and again, year upon year, brushed aside without credit. This is the greatness that happens when, and only when, a passion is followed through first and foremost because the work is worthy - not the applause.
It is only when great work is done without considering applause, after all, that it deserves it. The ending, so long in coming, is deeply satisfying. It brings new oxygen to all human hearts.
Something the Lord Made 2008-03-01
This moving was very inspiring. We shared it with our children for Black History Month, it was an attention getter! Mind stimulating!
Something The Lord Made 2008-06-13
I very much enjoyed this DVD. The writer wrote it- based on a true story experience of a young african american man- who is named as one of our overcoming professional hero's and also a role model.... This DVD is "a keeper."
Something the Lord Made 2008-05-19
I have not received my two copies of this film that I ordered a few weeks ago
Human true-life hitorical drama 
2008-04-20
The story of two men - an ambitious white surgeon and a gifted black carpenter turned lab technician - who together pioneered the field of heart surgery. Great movie. Really well done drama. There's a little bit of swearing and don't watch it if you don't like watching surgery because there is a little bit.
Great film 2008-04-09
I truly enjoyed this film especially knowing it was based on a true story. I bought it because Alan Rickman was in is but I have to say the Mos Def did an amazing job.
High School Students Loved the Movie 2008-04-08
I showed this film to my 9th grade careers research class. They loved it. I had them write an essay as to what they thought of the film. The most common theme I read was that they learned to never give up on their dreams. The film, coupled with their responses, helped me learn more about the students and myself that day. Excellent film, excellent acting, and an excellent subject.
