Nicholas' Gift

1998 television film directed by Robert Markowitz
  • Jamie Lee Curtis
  • Alan Bates
ComposerCarlo SiliottoCountry of origin
  • Italy
  • United States
Original languageEnglishProductionExecutive producers
  • Lorenzo Minoli
  • Judd Parkin
ProducerRussell KaganCinematographyRaffaele MertesEditorDavid BeattyRunning time90 minutesProduction companies
Original releaseNetwork
  • Canale 5 (Italy)
  • CBS (United States)
ReleaseApril 21, 1998 (1998-04-21)

Nicholas' Gift is a 1998 drama television film directed by Robert Markowitz and written by Christine Berardo. A co-production between Italy and the United States, it stars Jamie Lee Curtis and Alan Bates as an American couple who, after their son was mortally wounded during a family vacation in Italy, decide to donate the child's organs. The film received positive reviews and earned Curtis a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for her performance.

Plot

Nicholas' Gift is a fact based drama about an American couple on vacation in Italy in 1994 with their two children who are attacked and shot by highway bandits. Shortly they discover that their son (named and based on Nicholas Green) is brain dead. The parents are then faced with the hard decision to donate the boy's organs which ultimately led to saving the lives of seven seriously ill Italian patients.

Cast

  • Jamie Lee Curtis as Maggie Green
  • Alan Bates as Reg Green
  • Gene Wexler as Nicholas Green
  • Hallie Eisenberg as Eleanor Green
  • Isabella Ferrari as Alessandra Grascia
  • Anita Zagaria as Anna Bianchi
  • Roberto Bisacco as Dr. Cipriano
  • Ennio Coltorti as Dr. Santucci
  • Nazzareno Costantini as Angelo Bianchi
  • Manrico Gammarota as Paolo Bianchi
  • Daniele Pio as Stefano Bianchi
  • Carlo Cartier as Inspector Tramontana
  • Jeremy Zimmermann as Richard Brown

Reception

Critical response

Tom Jicha of the Sun-Sentinel was very positive about the film, describing it as "a wonderfully poignant movie that conveys an important message worthy of the widest possible circulation."[2] In his review for The New York Times, Rick Lyman wrote that "a veteran cast pushing a commendable message is not quite enough to elevate Nicholas' Gift above being a by-the-numbers tear-jerker."[3] The Deseret News praised the film for "superb performances by Jamie Lee Curtis and Alan Bates, tight steering by an award-winning director, an Italian crew schooled in feature film making, an intelligent script based on a riveting real-life story, and an almost religious commitment from everyone involved in the project to make a film worthy of its subjects."[4]

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Recipient(s) Result Ref.
1998 50th Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie Jamie Lee Curtis Nominated [5]
1999 20th Youth in Film Awards Best Family TV Movie / Pilot / Mini-Series Nicholas' Gift Nominated [6]
50th Christopher Awards Television Specials Robert Markowitz
Christine Berardo
Russell Kagan
Lorenzo Minoli
Judd Parkin
Paolo Piria 		Won

References

  1. ^ "Nicholas' Gift". Lux Vide. Retrieved October 19, 2022.
  2. ^ Jicha, Tom (April 24, 1998). "'NICHOLAS' GIFT' IS SURE TO TOUCH YOUR HEART". Sun-Sentinel. Retrieved October 20, 2022.
  3. ^ Lyman, Rick (April 25, 1998). "TELEVISION REVIEW; A Boy Is Slain, and Gives Life to Others". The New York Times. Retrieved October 20, 2022.
  4. ^ "'Nicholas' Gift' is a superb true-life movie". Deseret News. April 25, 1998. Retrieved October 20, 2022.
  5. ^ "Nicholas' Gift - Emmy Awards, Nominations and Wins". Television Academy. Retrieved October 20, 2022.
  6. ^ "The 20th Annual Youth in Film Awards". Young Artist Awards. Archived from the original on November 28, 2016. Retrieved October 20, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)

External links

  • Nicholas' Gift at IMDb Edit this at Wikidata
  • v
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  • e
Films directed by Robert Markowitz