Circulatory system

Production and year: Poland, 1977–1978 Genre: Medical, psychological, and social drama Cast: Edward Lubaszenko, Cezary Morawski, Joanna Sobieska, Roman Kosierkiewicz Description: A very interesting and unconventional medical drama that highlights the injustices prevalent in the medical profession during the People’s Republic of Poland. The main character, Dr. Roman Bognar (Lubaszenko), is a surgeon at one of Warsaw’s hospitals. He is unyielding, uncompromising, a stickler for rules, and a formalist. He shows no leniency toward his colleagues at work. In his private life, he is known for his numerous romantic conquests and many broken women’s hearts. His son also wants to become a doctor, but after failing his college entrance exams, he tries his hand at them once again, counting on his father’s support. The situation becomes increasingly complicated when Anna Lipczyc, the wife of an influential director of a large factory, becomes Bognar’s patient. Later, the doctor is accused of euthanasia for administering a dose of morphine four times higher than the guidelines allow and loses his license to practice medicine.  Stripped of his reputation and honor, he begins a private investigation while working as a nurse at the hospital. The goal of his independent inquiry is to determine who administered the remaining vials of morphine to the patient, leading to his death.