Movies about terminal illnesses mirror a very vital part of life that humans love to shy away from. It reveals to us a scary reality that awaits some of us. Though most people don’t want to look into this mirror, death, after all, is something that we all are going to face sometime in the future. What these kinds of movies do is reveal to us our end and how best to manage it, on the off chance that we, our friends, and family are stricken with a terminal illness. In other cases, these movies reflect the efficacy of love and care showered on people who are almost at the taillights of their journey. It is a kind of love that doesn't go back, which makes it real. Though the love doesn't heal the person, it creates a conducive passage to the afterlife. I believe that movies on terminal illness are blockbusters. They're not fictional and do not promote hate or racial discrimination, but they are real-life experiences of many people out there. I think the movie industry should pay more attention to these movies that look into at life and what it holds for all of us.
The first example of a movie about terminal illnesses is ‘Love Story’ (1970). The movie talks about a wealthy young lad named Oliver Barret (Ryan Oneal), who, according to the movie, comes from a rich and affluent family. He met the love of his life Jenny (Ali Mc Graw) at Harvard College. They fell in love despite the huge social difference between them. Oliver loves to play hockey, Jenny, on the other hand, is a mentally keen person. Jenny has the motive to go to study in Paris, but this did not go down well with Oliver, so he quickly proposed to her and she accepted. The knowledge of their affairs got to their parent, and they were judgmental about it. However, Oliver had gone too far to quit; he cannot give up his love for anything, even his inheritance. They got married, but Jenny could not conceive due to her terminal illness. Oliver kept this away from her for a while, but she later found out the truth. In the strive to save her, Oliver sought financial assistance tirelessly, but without success. However, things turned around when his father showed up to support them. But it was too late. She died smiling, knowing she was truly loved and cared for by the people around her.
The second example is the movie ‘Brian’s Song’ (1971). The movie is about the friendship that is well-knitted between Gale Sayers (Billy Dee Williams) and Brian Piccolo (James Caan). Their friendship flourishes in almost everything leading to a flow of bonds that extended to their wives. Professionally, Piccolo struggles like one traveling on a boulevard full of spikes, while his friend Sayers shines like the sun in its full glory. Later Piccolo started losing weight and stamina, which worsen his already deflated performance. He was later hospitalized and diagnosed with cancer. Sayers was eventually awarded, becoming Halas's most courageous player due to his unwavering ability to prove himself, but he dedicates this award to Piccolo, telling the crowd that he was the wrong pick. He narrated how much he loves his friend and urge them to ask God to love him. Piccolo died with his wife by his side.
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Another example of a movie about terminal illnesses is ‘My Life’ (1993). The movie is about a boy called Bob (Michael Keaton). One night, he prayed for a circus to be in his backyard, and the next day after school he came running home with his friends, but to their disappointment, there was no circus. His heart sank into his stomach in bitterness, and he went to hide in the closet. Growing up, Bob did not like his parents' immigrant ways, so he moved away to Detroit for a better life. 30 years later, Bob is happily married to his wife pregnant, but his joy was deterred after he was diagnosed with kidney cancer: he will not live to see his first child. With this sad truth, Bob begins to make home videos teaching his unborn child some basics about cooking, driving, and other chores. Later, his condition worsened. This inspires him to give a final call to his family so they can know what is going on. They arrived as quickly as they can. Bob makes peace with them and they all help make his childhood wish come true by building a circus in his backyard. The chariot of death took him away, but his loved one stayed with him till the end.
‘Still Alice’ (2014) is another example. The story unfolded with a woman named Alice Howland (Julianne Moore) who is a linguistics professor at Columbia University, and her husband, John (Alec Baldwin), a physician. After she couldn't find her way back during a jog on campus, which seems strange, her doctor diagnosed her with early-onset familial Alzheimer’s disease. Eventually, Alice’s memory fades out like an inscription in the sand. Giving a proper lecture became difficult and she ends up losing her job. Next, she starts displacing personal items like her phone, which were later found in the freezer, she tends to forget faces and occasionally gets lost inside her home. Seeing that she's losing herself and hating it, she attempted suicide but was suddenly interrupted by the arrival of her caregiver. She drops the pill and instantly forgets what she was doing. Her daughter, Lydia, moved back home to take proper care of her and she reads her the play ‘Angel in America’. She, then, asked what Alice thinks about the book, and in a distant voice, she answered love.
And the last movie that I will consider in this essay is ‘The Bucket List’ (2007). The movie is basically about two men from different worlds. One is a blue-collar mechanic, and the other is a heavily rich billionaire that owns a healthcare institution. They met each other and got acquainted after being confirmed to be suffering from terminal lung cancer. Cole (Jack Nicholson), a billionaire, preferred to have a room to himself but his public statement about his hospital being dual occupancy institution got in the way. Carter (Morgan Freeman) keeps a bucket list containing all he wishes to do and where he would love to visit, but on hearing that he won’t be staying long enough to experience the items on his list, he discarded the list. The day after, Cole finds the list and encourages him to carry on with the agenda, promising to sponsor his traveling expenses as they will be going together. They visited the Taj Mahal in India, motorcycled on the Great Wall of China, and also attended a lion safari in Tanzania. Of course, they didn’t leave out Mount Everest in Nepal. Now found of each other, they shared a secret about their life and family. Carter made it known to his friend that he has since been falling out of love with his wife, even as he tries not to. Cole, on the other hand, narrates how he is deeply hurt by his daughter disowning him. As they return home, Carter attempted to bring back Cole and his daughter together, but it didn’t go as planned. Cole left in anger, leaving Carter behind. Amidst the reunion with his family, Carter collapsed and was rushed down to the hospital. The cancer was spreading and it had got to his brain. His friend came around and Carter beseeches him to finish the list even without him. Carter during the surgery gave up the ghost, and Cole reconcile with his daughter.
Summing up, from the movies listed above one can clearly see how they all circle around friendship, love, family, and the effectiveness of being for one another. These movies preach reality at the highest peak and coined it into the entertainment industry. Real movie buffs can get entertained and enlightened all at a time, getting value for their money.
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