The Good Doctor Bodkin-Adams (1986) (TV)

User Rating:

(awaiting 5 votes)

Director:

Richard Stroud

Writer:

Richard Gordon (writer)

Genre:

Crime

Plot:

The true story of an English doctor in the 1950s who was accused of murdering many of his elderly patients. |

Plot Keywords:

1950s | Doctor | Murder | Based On True Story | Character Name In Title

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Jean Anderson
Nigel Davenport
James Villiers
Timothy West	...	John Bodkin-Adams

Also Known As:

Death by Prescription (USA) (video title)

Runtime:

USA:75 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:12

Filming Locations:

Eastbourne, East Sussex, England, UK

a murderer, a euthanist, or just a bad doctor? disappointing, and a bit confusing

Based on a true story, in 1957 in the UK, Dr. John Bodkin Adams treats primarily elderly female patients. He accepts lower pay if his patients remember him in their wills. Many of them do, and he gets a sports car among other things. In most cases, he's administering large doses of morphine. He's sloppy when it comes to records

About halfway through the movie, he's put on trial for murder, and it does seem he's guilty. However, the nurses' recollections contradict some record books that have been found, and surprisingly things seem to sway in the Doctor's favor. Something that really surprised me was that after the defense rested, the judge gave rather lengthy comments to the jury giving his take on many aspects of the case. I would think in the US those sorts of comments made to the jury by a judge would be illegal, perhaps it's different in the UK.

I found this movie a bit disappointing particularly since I didn't understand how things changed around in the trial so much. But evidently the truth of the true story isn't certain either, and the movie perhaps just reflects that?