Patch Adams (film)

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Patch Adams
Patch Adams DVD cover
Directed by	Tom Shadyac
Produced by	Mike Farrell Barry Kemp Marvin Minoff Charles Newirth
Written by	Patch Adams (book) Maureen Mylander (book) Steve Oedekerk
Starring	Philip Seymour Hoffman Monica Potter Robin Williams
Music by	Marc Shaiman
Distributed by	Universal Pictures
Release date(s)	December 25, 1998
Running time	115 min.
Language	English
Budget	$50,000,000 US (est.)
IMDb profile

Patch Adams is a 1998 film directed by Tom Shadyac and based on the life of Hunter "Patch" Adams and the book Gesundheit: Good Health is a Laughing Matter by Adams and Maureen Mylander. The film was generally considered a box-office success, grossing over twice its budget in the United States alone.

The film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Music, Original Musical or Comedy Score for the score by Marc Shaiman.

Contents 1 Plot Synopsis 2 Production notes 3 Poem 4 External links

[edit] Plot Synopsis

The film tells the story of Hunter "Patch" Adams (portrayed by Robin Williams), a medical doctor who became famous for his unconventional approach to medicine. After a suicide attempt, Adams seeks psychiatric help and is institutionalized. During this time he is inspired to become a medical doctor, and discovers that he is able to forget his own problems by helping others. Two years later, he enrolls at Virginia Medical University and is the oldest first year student. He questions the school's approach to medical care, and clashes with the school's Dean Walcott (played by Bob Gunton) because of his belief in the necessity of personal interaction with patients. Because of this and other incidents, including a prank during a medical conference, he is dismissed from the school, although he is later reinstated.

Adams develops a relationship with a fellow student, Corinne Fisher (played by Monica Potter), and develops his idea for a medical clinic built around his philosophy of doctor-patient interaction. With the help of Arthur Mendelson (Harold Gould), whom Patch met while in the mental home, he purchases 105 acres (425,000 m²) in West Virginia to construct the future Gesundheit Institute. Together with Corinne, Truman Ship (another medical student, played by Daniel London), and some old friends, he renovates an old cottage. When they get the clinic running they treat walk-in patients without medical insurance. Corinne is fascinated by Patch's talent and their friendship turns into deep love. More encouraged than ever by Patch and his spirit, Corinne wants to help a psychologically disturbed patient named Larry by visiting him at home. Larry turns out to be far more disturbed than anybody had expected, and he murders her, soon after turning the gun on himself.

Patch is devastated by Corinne's death, and reconsiders his outlook and questions the goodness of humanity. However, he is able to recover and carry on his work.

Dismissed from the school for a second time because he ran a clinic and practiced medicine without a license, he must attend a hearing where it is decided whether he can graduate. Patch is able to convince the jury in a final speech that he did his best to help the people that came to him. In the end the jury accepts Patch's medical methods and does not prevent him from graduating.

Even at graduation, Patch cannot help but be a non-conformist. After handed his diploma, the man responsible for his expulsion states, "Well, I see you've finally decided to conform." Patch responds "more than you know," and bows to the professors, revealing he is nude under his gown. He then turns to the audience and bows to them, to the dismay of the aforementioned professor.

[edit] Production notes

The film was shot in three locations: Treasure Island, California (near San Francisco), Asheville (North Carolina) and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. A diner in Point Richmond, (a district in Richmond, California) served as the University Diner. (This diner was also used in Mel Gibson's movie Forever Young.) Several interior classroom scenes were filmed on the campus of the University of California, Berkeley.

The producers worked very closely with the Make-A-Wish Foundation. For this reason, all but two of the ill children acting in this film actually have cancer.

[edit] Poem

All through the movie Patch is reciting parts of a poem to Corinne and finishes it at her grave. It was written by Pablo Neruda:

I do not love you as if you were salt-rose, or topaz,

or the arrow of carnations the fire shoots off.

I love you as certain dark things are to be loved,

in secret, between the shadow and the soul.

I love you as the plant that never blooms

but carries in itself the light of hidden flowers;

thanks to your love a certain solid fragrance,

risen from the earth, lives darkly in my body.

I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where.

I love you straightforwardly, without complexities or pride;

so I love you because I know no other way

than this: where I does not exist, nor you,

so close that your hand on my chest is my hand,

so close that your eyes close as I fall asleep.

[edit] External links

• Official site
• Patch Adams at the Internet Movie Database