COMA (1978, USA, 113m, 15) ***½
Drama, Mystery, Thriller
dist. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (USA), Cinema International Corporation (CIC) (UK); pr co. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM); d. Michael Crichton; w. Michael Crichton (based on the novel by Robin Cook); pr. Martin Erlichman; ph. Victor J. Kemper (Colour | 1.85:1); m. Jerry Goldsmith; ed. David Bretherton; pd. Albert Brenner.
cast: Geneviève Bujold (Dr. Susan Wheeler), Michael Douglas (Dr. Mark Bellows), Elizabeth Ashley (Mrs. Emerson), Rip Torn (Dr. George), Richard Widmark (Dr. George Harris), Lois Chiles (Nancy Greenly), Hari Rhodes (Dr. Morelind), Gary Barton (Computer Technician), Frank Downing (Kelly), Richard Doyle (Jim), Alan Haufrect (Dr. Marcus), Lance LeGault (Vince), Michael MacRae (Chief Resident), Betty McGuire (Nurse), Tom Selleck (Sean Murphy), Charles Siebert (Dr. Goodman), William Wintersole (Lab Technician), Ernest Anderson (First Doctor), Harry Basch (Second Doctor), Maury Cooper (Third Doctor).
Slow build but absorbing, if implausible, conspiracy thriller sees Boston medical resident Susan Wheeler (Bujold) becomes suspicious when her friend (Chiles) is left in an irreversible coma after a routine procedure. Once she uncovers evidence of other patients being left in comas after undergoing procedures in the same operating room, she fears a conspiracy is afoot. When her physician boyfriend, Mark Bellows (Douglas), is sceptical about her findings, Susan must go it alone to uncover the horrible truth. Crichton works efficiently with the source material and is helped by Bujold’s projection of paranoia and Goldsmith’s menacing score. Douglas and Widmark offer solid support. Watch out also for Ed Harris as a pathologist resident.
