Coma (1978)
Geneviève Bujold: Dr. Susan Wheeler
Photos
Quotes
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Dr. Susan Wheeler : Jim, I know it sounds silly but, supposing you wanted to put people into a coma, what would you do?
Jim : You mean on purpose?
Pathology Resident #2 : Diethyl para-amino tannadol.
Jim : No, no, leaves a serum trace.
Pathology Resident #2 : Yeah, if you know to look for it.
Jim : But it also peaks alk phos. That's a real giveaway. Besides, who can get tannadol?
Pathology Resident #2 : Well, then you can use paradine.
Jim : No, it has a taste. We'd all make great murderers. I mean, who knows better about murder than a pathologist?
Pathology Resident #2 : It sure keeps my wife in line.
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Jim : First rule of crime: Keep It Simple. What's simple? Carbon Monoxide.
Pathology Resident #2 : Boring.
Dr. Susan Wheeler : Carbon Monoxide?
Jim : Sure, it's perfect. Anesthetist feeds the patient some carbon monoxide instead of oxygen. It's colorless and makes the blood very red so the surgeon doesn't notice anything funny. But the brain dies from lack of oxygen. End of operation - the patient doesn't wake up.
Dr. Susan Wheeler : No other effects?
Pathology Resident #2 : Sure, other effects. Cardiac irritability.
Jim : Which this case had.
Pathology Resident #2 : You know, it'd be much better to block the neuro-muscular junction with succinylcholine. Now that's a nice murder.
Jim : Yeah, who's gonna do it?
Pathology Resident #2 : Well, who's gonna feed you carbon monoxide?
Jim : That's the problem. Been about a dozen of these coma cases here in the last year. They're always different. Different case, different anesthetist, different operation. Hard to imagine it's murder.
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Dr. George A. Harris : Our society faces momentous decisions. Decisions about the right to die. About abortion. About terminal illness, prolonged coma, transplantation. Decisions about life and death. But society isn't deciding. Congress isn't deciding. The courts aren't deciding. Religion isn't deciding. Why? Because society is leaving it up to us, the experts. The doctors.
Dr. Susan Wheeler : You're crazy.
Dr. George A. Harris : Americans spend $125 billion a year on health. More than defense. Because Americans believe in medical care. These great hospital complexes are the cathedrals of our age. Billions of dollars, thousands of beds. A whole nation of sick people turning to us for help.
Dr. Susan Wheeler : You, you ought to see somebody.
Dr. George A. Harris : They're children, Sue. They trust us. We can't tell them everything. Our job is to make things easier for them. I'm sure you agree.
Dr. Susan Wheeler : You're killing people.
Dr. George A. Harris : We must always take the long view. Not of the individual, but of society as a whole. Because medicine is now a great social force. The individual is too small.
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Dr. Susan Wheeler : Your days are always the same. Just politics, that's all. Who said what to whom. Who's rising, who's falling. Who's made a good move, a bad move. Politics!
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Dr. Mark Bellows : You get in the shower faster than any person alive.
Dr. Susan Wheeler : Have a beer. You'll feel better.
Dr. Mark Bellows : [turns around, talks to himself] I know what'd make me feel better. Goddamn doctors. Couldn't have fallen in love with a nurse. Dorothy on the eighth floor. Yeah. She liked me. My own apartment.
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Dr. Susan Wheeler : Look at this. Two hundred and forty names. Ten are young people admitted for minor procedures. Breast biopsy, appendectomy. They all come out in a coma! Aren't you surprised?
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Dr. George A. Harris : You know what happened to Greenly?
Dr. Susan Wheeler : Yes.
Dr. George A. Harris : What happened?
Dr. Susan Wheeler : She died.
Dr. George A. Harris : How do you feel about that?
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Dr. George A. Harris : Sue, right now, I can protect you - because you're good. And frankly, because you're a woman.
Dr. Susan Wheeler : I don't want concessions.
Dr. George A. Harris : Well, at the moment, you'd better take any you can get.
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Dr. Susan Wheeler : It's all happening. It's really happening. Somebody is putting people into comas. They're murdering them.
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Dr. George A. Harris : Well, I could use a drink. How about you? Scotch?
Dr. Susan Wheeler : Whatever you're having, sir.
Dr. George A. Harris : I like a woman who drinks Scotch.
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Dr. Mark Bellows : Listen, Susan, do you want me to heat up the dinner, is that what you want?
Dr. Susan Wheeler : I want some respect.
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Dr. Susan Wheeler : You know what the trouble with you is? All you care about is being chief resident.
Dr. Mark Bellows : You know what your trouble is? You don't really want a relationship. Look at you. You run away from it.
Dr. Susan Wheeler : This is ridiculous.
Dr. Mark Bellows : You don't want a lover, you want a goddamn wife!
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Dr. Mark Bellows : Oh, now, Honey, come on.
Dr. Susan Wheeler : Don't call me Honey.
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Dr. Mark Bellows : Now, why is it, whenever we're about to have a fight, you always manage to be undressed?
Dr. Susan Wheeler : Hey, what's the big deal?
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Dr. Mark Bellows : You on call tonight?
Dr. Susan Wheeler : Mm-hmm.
Dr. Mark Bellows : So am I. Why don't we have a terrific dinner, just the two of us, in the hospital cafeteria?
Dr. Susan Wheeler : Sounds great!
Dr. Mark Bellows : Eleven? Maybe afterwards, we can go to our favorite room on the eighth floor. Nobody will be there after midnight.
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Nancy Greenly : How do you feel about what happened to Nancy?
Dr. Susan Wheeler : Confused, that's all. Just confused. It's very - confusing!
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Dr. Susan Wheeler : Everybody's on my back about this. I mean, there's Mark whining about how I can't make a commitment and I'm cold and I want a wife and I'm afraid of intimacy. And then this thing happens to Nancy and she's my best friend just about. I've known her since boarding school. And then everybody jumps on my back and acts like I'm neurotic or something!
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Dr. Mark Bellows : Honey, I know you're upset.
Dr. Susan Wheeler : I'm not upset. You think because I'm a woman, I'm going to be upset. I'm fine, Mark.
