CF Film/TV Review – Alex: The Life of a Child

Alex: The Life of a Child

Book Cover

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090602/

Unrated, 100 min.
Directed by: Robert Markowitz
Released: April 23, 1986

”When a child has cystic fibrosis, she doesn’t simply live, she has to be kept alive.”

Alex: The Life of a Child is A book based on a true story written by Frank Deford in 1983 which was later made into a Television movie in 1986.  I will be reviewing the Film not the book.

The film is based on the true events of  Alexandra Miller Deford, who was born Oct. 30, 1971, and died Jan. 19, 1980.

The Story follows the life of Sports illustrated writer Frank Deford and his wife Carole who have a happy all American family, which has its foundations rocked when their new born baby daughter Alex is Diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis in a time when Cystic Fibrosis suffers were not expected to live past early childhood..

The film picks up when Alex has already past away and Frank and his wife Carol are struggling to cope with their loss, all whilst their family unit is continuing to crumble.

We are told the Story of Alex through a series of Flashbacks as Frank writes his book. Frank Initially describes himself as the luckiest man alive who had everything….a Great wife, a son, a great job writing for Sports illustrated which was topped off by the Birth of their new baby Daughter Alex.

Alex playing with her toys

However this false sense of reality doesn’t last for long when Alex is diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis and doctors explain Alex might only survive a few days, and at best if she does survive long enough to be taken home, she will be in for a constant and arduous battle to stay alive. .
During the Flash Backs Frank admits hoping for the worse to happen sooner rather than later ”because if we get to know her and she dies, how are we going to Survive it?”
However the family unit while stretched to breaking points with the constant hospital admissions and rigorous treatments that Alex must undergo pools around each and as the years pass the family discovers that Alex is an amazingly smart and gifted child her has an imaginations one could only dream of.

Franks and Carol soon realise that the rewards quickly outweigh the formidable demands, however this attachment will make the inevitable loss that much harder for the family.

Original Book Cover

My View:

I haven’t read the book, but have seen the film numerous times. Unfortunately it has never been released to my knowledge on DVD and my old VHS version is feeling the test of time….However unlike the VHS this film does stand the test time of time and has evolved to take on a whole new meaning…Its horrifically superb and brutal all in one…The grain of a made for TV movie from the 80’s brings a real rawness and true to life look at Cystic fibrosis which at the time the producers wouldn’t of known about but looking at it 20 years on the harshness really hits you…The film is so heart breaking…..It really hits you hard how we today think dying at 25 is harsh but back in the 70‘s….a CF‘er at 25 did not exist and if you made it to 10 you had out done yourself…..it’s a film you have to see….It will depress you…But it has its inspiring moments…I can name films that have made me ball like a baby on one hand and this is one of them….not just for certain scenes but for the story….the story is this film. The film also stays very true to the book from what I have read in other reviews mainly to the fact that Alex’s father Frank was a producer on the film.

Before CF got to Alex

I’m going to refrain from a giving this film a rating as it’s beyond that and giving a true story a rating just wouldn’t be right…..But I will say this, get your hands on this film and watch it when you have the time and sit uninterrupted….I wouldn’t advise this film for anyone under the age of 15 who has CF as its Brutal. Maybe parents should pre-watch this film as its not a Hollywood Film where you walk away feeling happy….you will though walk away with a changed outlook on life no matter what your connection to Cystic Fibrosis is.….

Alex: Life of a Child on IMDB

Frank Deford Speaks on youtube

Amazon

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