The subject is anesthesiology. Professor MacDowell (Deighton) is a chemist but with a thyroid problem that's worsening and also affecting her voice quality. Thus an operation is called for that will be somewhat risky. The role of the anesthesiologist (Cutting) is crucial in maintaining a proper level of consciousness throughout the procedure and its aftermath.
There's a lot of voice-over from Dr. Styner (Boone) while the operation is taking place, which even shows the incision and probing of the affected area. I can't help but think a few people tuned out at that point. But there is little cosmetic compromise from the gutsy production. On the story side, there's an effort to flesh out the professor's personal life by glimpsing her mentoring relationship with the youthful Collins (Anderson). That way we have a more personal involvement with the operation's success. All in all, the 30-minutes amounts to a more esoteric entry that challenges the viewer.
There's a lot of voice-over from Dr. Styner (Boone) while the operation is taking place, which even shows the incision and probing of the affected area. I can't help but think a few people tuned out at that point. But there is little cosmetic compromise from the gutsy production. On the story side, there's an effort to flesh out the professor's personal life by glimpsing her mentoring relationship with the youthful Collins (Anderson). That way we have a more personal involvement with the operation's success. All in all, the 30-minutes amounts to a more esoteric entry that challenges the viewer.