DVD | Something The Lord Made

Made for TV movies have a bad name for themselves. They are often badly written, poorly acted, and very, very cheesy. But that was before HBO.

HBO continues to raise the bar for what can be done on TV. Sometimes they offend, sometimes they appease, and sometimes they make little gems that never get the attention they disserve.

Something The Lord Has Made is one such gem.

Based on the true story of Dr Alfred Blalock and Dr Vivien Thomas, it follows two routes. For one, it covers the impressive medical breakthrough that the doctors pioneered. On the other hand it shows a 1940’s America still coming to grips with equality.

Dr Alfred Blalock is a rich, white Doctor who has a passion to make something of his life through medicine. Vivien is a poor black worker who comes on as Blalock’s janitor. But as Blalock has an eye for medicine, he also has an eye for talent, and sees in Vivien the same passion for medicine.

An unlikely partnership forms, and the two of them become an effective team, breaking many medical and cultural boundaries along the way. Without Vivien, Blalock would have achieved nothing, without Blalock, Vivian would just be a janitor. But their road is rocky.

Blalock keeps forgetting Vivian when put in the spotlight, and takes all the credit. Vivien feels resentment and everything comes to a head.

An interesting, well-acted drama, that educates as well as entertains.

Spiritual Connections
The movie not only shows medical breakthrough, but also pours light on racism. It shows that we should never judge a person by outward appearances or by what society tells us. It also shows that pride will destroy us and the only way back is through humility.