Though it may, as films often do, somewhat oversimplify and abbreviate the story of Thomas’ unusual and moving achievements, this film offers the public an important piece of medical history, sensitively told, and thought-provoking. Like Something the Lord Made Vivien Thomas was paid a janitor's wage, never went to college, and still became a legend in the field of heart surgery. A dramatization of the relationship between heart surgery pioneers Alfred Blalock and Vivien Thomas. Katie McCabe • The Washingtonian • Aug 1989. This film showcases extraordinary acting from Dante “Mos Def” Smith and Alan Rickman. This Emmy-winning HBO film based on a true story follows white surgeon Alfred Blalock (Alan Rickman) and his black assistant, Vivien Thomas (Mos Def), who teamed in the 1940s to develop a procedure to save children suffering from a heart defect. Thomas hadn’t gone to college, let alone medical school, but through their pioneering work together, the two men essentially invented cardiac surgery. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Something the Lord Made is a story about the development and incredible miracle of the Blue Baby procedure. With Alan Rickman, Yasiin Bey, Kyra Sedgwick, Gabrielle Union. Start studying Something the Lord Made. Thank you for your support. It is a dramatic documentary. This article originally appeared in The Washingtonian and is reprinted on Longform by permission of the author. The movie is based upon how Vivien Thomas, a young black lab technician, and Dr. Alfred Blalock, a wealthy white physician, are brought together in friendship and medical research of a procedure to save cyanosis, bluish skin, children. LONGFORM REPRINTS. The finest made-for-television film that I have seen in 2009 has to be the HBO production Something the Lord Made (2004).It is the dramatic story of two men—one a wealthy white chief surgeon, the other a poor black lab technician from Tennessee. https://amzn.to/3m3OvqN - Something the Lord MadeAs an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. “Something the Lord Made” is a film that documents the work of Vivian Thomas and Alfred Blalock in an effort to cure blue baby syndrome. Buoyed by excellent lead performances, “Something the Lord Made” is a made-for-HBO trifle that hardly screams out pay TV (think more Hallmark Hall of … The movie is based upon how Vivien Thomas, a young black lab technician, and Dr. Alfred Blalock, a wealthy white physician, are brought together in friendship and medical research of a procedure to save cyanosis, bluish skin, children. “Like Something the Lord Made,” by Katie McCabe, tells of Vivien Thomas, an African American lab assistant to white surgeon Alfred Blalock from the 1930s to the ’60s. Something the Lord Made is a story about the development and incredible miracle of the Blue Baby procedure. Directed by Joseph Sargent.