Films involving Limb & Spinal Conditions

Limb & Spinal Major

TITLE

At The End of the Day, The Sue Rodriguez (1998)

ALT__TITLE

DISABILITY

Limb amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

COUNTRY

Canada

LENGTH

GENRE

True Story

DIRECTOR

Sheldon Larry

CAST

Babara Gordon

Ellen-Ray Hennessy

Clarissa Hurley

NOTES

It's important to note that this film is set in British Columbia,

Canada because the film is about fighting for the right to

physician assisted suicide in the Canadian courts.

The film begins with Rodriguez's husband moving out and

accusing her of being a control freak. At this point one of her

hands starts to tingle and twitch. She has an M.R.I. (scan, I

think) and is diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

(known in the U.S. as Lou Gehrig's disease). She's told it is

incurable and that she has 2 to 4 years to live.

She tells her son "It's like chickenpox but doesn't go away."

By this time her husband has returned to the family home.

She goes to a clinic for people with a.l.s and at least one

appears to be a person genuinely with a.l.s. And having seen

those in the later stages of a.l.s. she doesn't want to become

like them.

She wants "a dignified way to die."

Though she doesn't want to die now while she is reasonably

mobile she does want to die at a time of her choosing. But

realises by then she will be incapable of doing the act herself.

So she plans to find someone who will help her in this. She

contacts someone from The Right to Die Society. He wants

to sue the government on her behalf alleging discrimination

against physician assisted suicide.

On the home front she is soon having to use a wheelchair. A

negative note here is that I didn't like the way in which her

young son is forced to deal with this. There is no easy way to

tell a child that you're dying but the issue does appear to

shoved in his face.

The film though it has the usual longeurs and lack of pace of

so many TV films is watchable because the actor playing the

part is so good. Her performance is understated in a way that

matches her situation. When her case goes to court she is

unsuccessful. A television documentary is made about her.

Her husband meanwhile has found someone else. Then the court of appeal turns down her request for physician assisted suicide. By this time she has lost faith in the way the man running The Right to Die Society is taking over her life, using her as a cause, and she severs the association. From that she is looked after by a carer and friend, Svend Robinson, who gives her the drink which kills her. He is not prosecuted.

Notes