Miss Evers Boys Opinion - Movie Review Example

R.Preeti 7/5/2007 Miss Evers' Boys' Opinion The film, 'Miss Evers' Boys' Opinion' is a documentaryfilm and can also be classified under a Medical Drama. It is set between 1930 to 1970, when the medical cure for syphilis was yet to be discovered. It deals with the Tuskegee Medical studies on this disease and also delves into a more profound social evil prevalent in the United States of America. This is the racial discrimination against the African-Americans or the 'blacks'.

My opinion on the 'Content' of the movieThe storyline runs on the infamous occurrences at the Tuskegee Study of Syphilis, wherein the blacks were not treated for the disease and their needs were catered to. These blacks had put their blind trust in the hands of the medical practitioners, doctors and medical professionals, besides the United Stated Government. However, they were meted out with discriminatory practices. The victims were used as 'study cases' and were experimented upon, depriving them of proper medical care.

From the 1930s to the 1970s, the United Stated Public Health Service used about six hundred of the syphilis affected blacks as 'case studies' to conduct experiments. They did not make use of the already discovered wonder drug, penicillin and carried on with their insensitive experimentation. This leads to the death of nearly two hundred victims, which the doctors hide under the garb of lack of treatment. Alfre Woodard plays the young nurse, Eunice Evers who works for Dr.

Brodus, played by Joe Morton. The two, in combination with a white doctor, played by Craig Sheffer are appointed to open a treatment centre for the blacks with syphilis. They could not be allowed to be treated at the city hospitals, since there was fear of the disease which ahs already spread to a large extent of the blacks, catching up with the rest of the population. Evers tries and succeeds in persuading the blacks community to come forward and take treatment for the disease; and eventually they are treated with the best medicines of those times.

However, the government changes its stance and stops funding the treatment. This forces them to withdraw from giving treatment. However, things change soon but not for the better! The government decides to 'utilise' these syphilis affected blacks as case studies for the disease, without offering them treatment for the disease. The doctors, including nurse Evers have to play on and act as if they have been genuinely treating their patients for the disease.

The patients believe so, and arouse our pity. Slowly, many of them wither away and die. Evers is the only one with a pricky conscience, she breaks down, succumbs to this mental torture, tries her best to treat the patients and also attempts to keep them all cheerful and optimistic in her own way. This true account of this great real-life incident in a documentary version is for the world to know the levels of racial discrimination that have existed.

I personally feel that the documentary film exposes the theme of racial discrimination through a real-life story that is extremely moving. However, the motive behind Evers' playing along even though she had an extremely pricky conscience is not known. May be, being a black, it was good enough for her to succumb to this whole delusion, rather than leading a one-woman army march against authority. Her state is again, the personification of racial discrimination, when she is forced by circumstances to allow her fellow-humans to die in the tightening claws of the disease.

As a final word, the content of the story is extremely revealing and is a sarcastic take on the Government's insensitive policies, being forced upon innocent and beguiled citizens, especially those that have already been classified as the 'blacks'! My opinion on the 'Making' of the movieThe movie comprises some extremely fine performances from the lead actors. Anfre Woodard lives as Eunice Evers, as a caring, nurturing nurse who had to put on a strong shield of brave display of her acting talents, under which she suffered terribly with guilt, helplessness and trauma.

This extraordinary portrayal won her an Emmy Award. Joe Morton and Craig Sheffer play the doctors, who succumb to the government's instructions and work towards that great breakthrough in the history of genetic medical sciences, forgoing their foremost human instinct and professional vows of aiding the diseased. The scene which involves the performance of the singing and dancing troupe highlights the spectacular choreography and adherence.

In addition to this, the effective lighting done in accordance with the mood of the movie, dark as the storyline portrays torture and atrocities and brighter when the nurse cheers up, sings and dances with her patients contributes immensely to the overall impact of the movie. The sound effects, too, bring the sad and happy news right to the audiences. As an aftermath of watching the movie, one is touched beyond measure, angry with the government and extremely sympathetic to the victims of this whole treatment farce.

One also comes back with a heavy heart, feeling the same helplessness that was portrayed by the nurse, Evers, which increases our empathy towards her! Thus, the film succeeds in enlightening and reigning over the hearts and minds of the viewers. References'Miss Evers' Boys Opinion', the film.