Bethune: The Making of a Hero

Back in 1977, Donald Sutherland starred as Dr. Norman Bethune in a made for TV movie. Because it was a made for TV film, it has a cheaper look and felt rather episodic. Later, in 1990, Sutherland reprised his role in a much more expensive and better looking production, "Bethune: The Making of a Hero". Of the two, I prefer this 1990 movie.

The story follows the career of Dr. Bethune from his early days to a socialist to, eventually, a dedicated communist working as a surgeon during the Spanish Civil War as well as with Mao's revolutionary army.

Unlike the earlier film, this version shows Bethune in a more human light. While dedicated and caring, he's also abrasive and egotistical....and I preferred this warts and all story more because of this.

Unfortunately, like the earlier version, the film also leaves the viewer with the notion that Mao was some sort of wonderful man (and Stalin to a lesser extent). It even ends with a long quote from Mao talking about what a great humanitarian Bethune was. While this is true, Mao was responsible for the deaths of many millions...making such a quote a bit disingenuous. Why show a warts and all version of Bethune without doing the same for this revolution?

Still, despite my concern about the missing context of the revolution, it is very well made and well acted. I recommend you see the film but also understand that Bethune (as well as most of the rest of the world) did not know about the horrors which were to come.