Medicine Man (1992)

Director:

John McTiernan

Writers (WGA):

Tom Schulman (story)
Tom Schulman (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

7 February 1992 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Romance

Tagline:

On the trail of an amazing discovery he finds an explosive adventure!

Plot:

An eccentric scientist working for a large drug company is working on a research project in the Amazon jungle...

Plot Keywords:

Cancer | Gas Chromatograph | Jungle | Rain Forest | Monkey

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Sean Connery	...	Dr. Robert Campbell
Lorraine Bracco	...	Dr. Rae Crane
José Wilker	...	Dr. Miguel Ornega
Rodolfo De Alexandre	...	Tanaki
Francisco Tsiren Tsere Rereme	...	Jahausa
Elias Monteiro Da Silva	...	Palala
Edinei Maria Serrio Dos Santos	...	Kalana
Bec-Kana-Re Dos Santos Kaiapo	...	Imana
Angelo Barra Moreira	...	Medicine Man
José Lavat	...	Government Man

Also Known As:

The Last Days of Eden

Runtime:

106 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:L | South Korea:12 | Australia:PG | Finland:S | Germany:12 | Spain:T | Sweden:11 | UK:PG (cut) | USA:PG-13 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Catemaco, Veracruz, Mexico

Company:

Cinergi Pictures Entertainment

Trivia:

Sean Connery's salary for this film was $10 million.

Goofs:

Continuity: Dr. Bronx goes to sleep in her hammock wearing underwear but wakes up wearing a belt and jeans.

Quotes:

Dr. Robert Campbell: [referring to the blue tattoo on Dr. Crane's forehead that the Rain Forest Medicine Man gave her while she was sleeping] Oh come on Bronx. Do you really think that Tommy Fallon is going to want to walk down the aisle with a woman who's 'something blue' is a tattoo on her forehead?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Animaniacs: Video Review/When Mice Ruled the Earth (#1.47)" (????)

Soundtrack:

That Old Black Magic

McTiernan excellently weaves science, ethics and humor in this story about the search for a cancer cure in the jungle

A fine movie, not to be judged on the basis of Hollywood's usual recipe for storytelling. The eccentric scientist Robert Campbell (Connery) who has found a cure for cancer out in the jungle is not able to reproduce its exact composition. Biologist Rae Crane (Bracco) biologist has dropped in from academia to be his judge and jury and decide on Campbell's continued funding.

The film pays a fair amount of attention to scientific detail (such as "running baselines" and using "experimental controls") interspersing it throughout with lively and shrewd exchanges between Campbell and Crane. To that they add mildly sarcastic observations on field work and fund-raising committees. Whilst this scientific sub-story line runs along, we are shown glimpses of life in a sympathetic tribe for which Campbell has become a sort of sugar daddy. Ethics and personal choice confront both scientists as they struggle with the decision to reserve the last bit of serum either for the good of humanity or the life of one of the tribe's children.

McTiernan has weaved all these elements excellently and Connery and Bracco play their roles so convincingly that you could be excused for thinking they may have scientific backgrounds in real life.

The film is a feast for educated people - which is probably the reason why many of the critics have missed the fine points and proceeded to rattle off some vitriolic commentary more aimed, in my view, at self-aggrandizement than constructive film criticism. One even complained that Medicine Man didn't quite match up to Die Hard. Now there is a proper comparison for you.