About 'And the Band Played On'

'And the Band Played On' is a 1993 American television film docudrama adapted from the 1987 non-fiction book of the same name by Randy Shilts. This film takes us to the earliest years of the AIDS epidemic, the search for the cause of this modern plague, and the political infighting that hampered the scientific research process.

Making / Production

The movie was directed by Roger Spottiswoode and produced by HBO Films. Spottiswoode managed to bring in an ensemble cast and movingly portrayed the fear, confusion, and amazing acts of courage that marked the early phase of the AIDS epidemic.

Actors

• Matthew Modine as Dr. Don Francis, a CDC scientist who played a key role in the identification and understanding of HIV. His intense performance shows the passion and frustration of the time.
• Alan Alda as Dr. Robert Gallo, as the scientist poised and eager to win the Nobel Prize. Alda illustrates a scientist's obsession with fame in the face of a global crisis.
• Ian McKellen as Bill Kraus, a San Francisco activist who fought for recognition and understanding. McKellen's performance provides a human face for a disease that was too often dismissed.
• Glenn Close as Dr. Mary Guinan, a doctor at the frontline of the crisis. Close offered a calming, yet determined presence within the chaotic atmosphere.

Trivia / Interesting facts

• The film is based on a best-selling non-fiction book by reporter Randy Shilts.
• Although it was made for television, it was premiered at the Montreal World Film Festival.
• The title of the film comes from a sentence in the song "Do You Hear the People Sing?" from Les Misérables.

Awards

The film won three Primetime Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Television Movie. It was also nominated for two Golden Globe Awards.

Quotes

• Dr. Don Francis: "This may be the first epidemic in history of which no one officially approves."
• Bill Kraus: "All I know is this disease has a death rate of a hundred percent."

Music / Soundtrack

• Carter Burwell is the music composer of this film. The soundtrack reflects the urgency and passion of the struggle to understand and fight the disease.
• Peabo Bryson lent his powerful voice to the film's emotive ending with "Show and Tell".