Death Be Not Proud

A private memoir about a father who was a public figure is the origin of Death Be Not Proud. John Gunther noted author and war correspondent wrote this at first to be distributed privately among relatives and friends. Someone persuaded him to let it go public. The various biographies and geographical treatises he's done have never had the enduring value that this tale of his terminally ill son, namesake, and only child.

It's the roughest thing in the world to lose a child my mother lost one of my siblings so I have first hand knowledge. How much rougher was it for John and Frances Gunther to lose their only son and a kid of such promise.

Young Johnny Gunther a brilliant student has had limited contact with his dad who has been reporting World War II from over in Europe. Their reunion in 1946 is joyous but then marked with tragedy as this 16 year old is diagnosed with a brain tumor. The film is about the struggle the parents witness over the next two years hoping against hope that young Johnny will lick this thing.

Arthur Hill, Jane Alexander, and Robby Benson play parents and child and it's a trio that is absolutely flawless in their performances. This should have been released to the big screen, it is one of the best made for TV films ever done.

I wonder if John Gunther got the idea for the private memoir from the Kennedy family when young JFK wrote the memoir about the older brother who was killed in World War II. Maybe we'll see that one go public.

Death Be Not Proud was part of the high school curriculum when I was there. I understand it still is, hopefully accompanied by a DVD of this fine film.

A beautiful moving TV movie adaptation of famous writer John Gunther's book "Death Be Not Proud" chronicling the sad but brave story of the death of his 17 year old son John Jr to a brain tumor in 1947.

There is no holding back from issues such as the guilt of a glamorous, famous, world travel author of sending his only son to elite boarding schools and rarely visiting only to have his and his ex-wife's life upended trying to do everything they could through numerous surgeries and treatments to save their boy's life. The final scenes are particularly moving.

Central to the power of this movie is the sensitive and poignant performance of Robby Benson as John Jr. By the late 70's Benson's dazzling blue eyes and model quality looks brought him teen idol status where he starred in a number of movies of a strongly athletic flavor (One on One, Ice Castles and Running Brave) but his fame was ironically built on a string of emotional, intense adolescent drama roles when he was still in his teens (Jory, Jeremy and Ode to Billy Joe). His performance in Death Be Not Proud helped cement his reputation for such roles whereas later roles seemed calculated to exploit his good looks and athleticism.

Anyone who has watched a loved one die from cancer (as I have) will be moved by this wonderful movie.

Based on the book, Death Be Not Proud, John Gunther, Sr. wrote on the true account of his son's death, this is a television experience not to be missed. You can tell the minute a film opens with its first image, the first spoken word, if it's going to be good. I knew instantly this was going to be a great film. Robby Benson as the young Johnny Gunther was truly moving. His performance embodied vitality and strength, along with naiveté and sensitiveness of that college age. After his father, who's a noted writer among other things and underplayed wonderfully by Arthur Hill, had decided to try and be more present for his son, as young Johnny would come to need him more and more as he matured, it is discovered that Johnny has a brain tumor. Through all the operations and hope and strong will and resolve, we see young Johnny slowly deteriorate, but he never lost his love of life. If you've never seen this, I ask you to Youtube this, so you can witness one of the few essential television movies to see in your lifetime.

I saw this movie on TV in 1975 and was so taken by it (I went thru a box of Kleenex watching it) that I have been looking for it for 30 yrs.! I couldn't remember the title but my memory was correct that Arthur Hill and Robbie Bensen were in it. Also that it was based on a true story. It seemed to fortify the old adage "only the good die young". I have looked thru all kinds of movie sites and only found it here! Thanks, IMDb for listing this excellent movie, which should have won some awards but never did! Does anyone know if it is available on VHS or DVD? I sure would like to have it! . . sincerely, Sharong in Illinois

I saw this movie when I was 14. I was extremely touched, even at that age, by the film. I was even more so knowing that the film was based on a true story about a boy that accidentally hit his head on a banister and then developed cancer in his head years later. It shows the courage and determination of this young man to survive. The impression of the film is that it is merely telling his story so others know. It was an extremely moving film that was very well acted and directed. Definitely belongs on the top 250.