Films involving Cancer

Cancer Major

TITLE

Lightning Over Water (1980)

ALT__TITLE

Nick's Movie - Lightning Over Water

DISABILITY

Cancer Lung Alcoholism Drug addiction

COUNTRY

USA

LENGTH

90?

GENRE

Documentary

DIRECTOR

Wim Wenders

CAST

NOTES

This is about Nicholas Ray (1911-79), known mainly as a

director (Johnny Guitar, Rebel with a Cause, 55 Days at

Peking) though towards the end of his life as an actor (The

American Friend, Hair).

His life went up, as a successful director, and down, as an

alcoholic and amphetamine addict. It was on the way up

again when he was diagnosed with lung cancer.

Wim Wenders who directed Ray in The American Friend set

out to make a film with Ray but the film became about the

man and his death.

This isn't pleasant viewing. Ray had already had surgery and

gone through chemotherapy. Had this been made in the late

90s we might even have seen his actual death.

Notes