Aaron Spelling is best known for producing mediocre prime time television series. In his autobiography, which for some reason I once received as a Christmas present, he discusses the production that he was most proud of. It was the made-for-television film "And the Band Played On".

Matthew Modine stars as Dr. Don Francis, who has spent his life working for the U.S. Government fighting worldwide epidemics. He is sent to the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta to fight the beginnings of what would become the AIDS epidemic. He selflessly works long hours, with substandard equipment, and badgers his boss for more research money and equipment.

Modine and his doctor co-workers are intrigued and puzzled by what they are learning about this yet-unnamed epidemic. They struggle to link it to sexual intercourse, and find it can also be spread through blood transfusions. The American Red Cross does not come off well here, refusing to pay for blood screening of donors, thus helping to cause needless additional AIDS victims.

If you are an ardent Republican, you will not enjoy this movie. Reagan is a villain here, slashing the funding of the CDC and indifferent to the plight of gays, and later hemophiliacs, drug users, and newborn babies, who have contracted AIDS. There is an except of a Reagan speech where he boasts to have cut the budget of every government department except for Defense.

Gays, devastated by the epidemic, are portrayed as persons instead of stereotypes. There's only one character I find annoying: Kiko, who is huffy, effeminate, and indecisive.

Numerous stars, such as Steve Martin, Richard Gere and Lily Tomlin, have cameos, unusual for a humble HBO production. Look for Phil Collins as a cynical bathhouse owner. The man can act.

Dr. Bob Gallo (Alan Alda) is an AIDS researcher who tries to take all the credit for discovering the AIDS virus, which in fact was first isolated by a team of doctors in France. Gallo is portrayed as about the biggest jerk ever, a jealous egomaniac. Alda gives an excellent performance.

The movie ends with several pages of text softening the criticism of Dr. Gallo, and describing new developments in AIDS. This is followed by a series of still pictures of famous people who have died of AIDS, mixed in with photos of people who haven't, with a maudlin Elton John song in the background. Some text could be useful in figuring out who some of these people are. Elizabeth Taylor is shown and someone is sure to think she's died of AIDS. Or they could skip the whole ending altogether, as the movie is already over two hours.

But here I am nitpicking what is a excellent HBO TV-movie, intelligently written, revelatory, and socially aware. (87/100)




Recommended: Yes