Le combat d'Alison

I actually taped this movie 8 years ago and watched it for the first time since I had originally seen it. I loved the movie and thought Molly did a great job doing Alison. Lee and Martin did a good job too. I think that the best line in the whole film is when Alison says that most people think that AIDS is some kind of punishment for either taking drugs and/or sleeping around. That to me could not be a better line. I would not say this is the best movie regarding AIDS but one of the first that really try to deal with it early on......

This is a well-made film about a brave young lady who, like so many others, battled against the most dangerous disease this planet has probably ever known. Alison Gertz, her friends and family tried to educate young people and still do (although Alison is no longer here). Molly Ringwald (obviously unknown in Slovenia judging by the bottom comment) gives a solid performance whilst Landau and Grant do what's required.

It shows how people can struggle to come to terms with disease and how rationality is thrown out of the window and fear takes over when talking to a person who has contracted HIV/AIDS.

It's a TV movie but one that is worth a look

Since having seem Molly Ringwald in MALICIOUS, i've been trying to catch up with her previous work and even though this has been made for TV in 1992,it is easily available on DVD,a comment which surely can't be said for a lot of made for TV movies.

While the film has been described as non jugemental, the viewer is certainly in his right to judge the character.We're not talking about a church going virgin who got married and slept with her husband who gave her aids but about a girl who slept around with 5 guys and got unlucky so no matter what she says in the film,some people will still come to the conclusion that she deserved it.

I wouldn't call this film astounding.I found it highly uneven.After the first 30 minutes,it was almost like the film could have ended there,just like an afternoon after school special.

The movie,however has some interesting elements and may be worth a look if you have 90 minutes to kill. When the film works,we feel the pain and the nightmare that a person struck with aids feels. i also liked what is shown to be happening in her love life,with the current boyfriend and with another potential boyfriend meeting in a bar.

But after everything is said,this only remains another uneven TV movie.

"Alison Gertz-The Role Model to All The AIDS Infectors." is the first and only sentence I speak out by the light of nature after I feelingly watched this great movie. Alison is a great character. She enjoyed everything like other girls in 20s. Having boyfriends and attended various public meetings or parties, she is a active, recognized-charming and little-unbridled lady. On the eve of her marriage, something shocking happened to her. What a shocking thing that can make her marriage waterloo ? The disease-AIDS !! Our character Alison was diagnosed a AIDS infector. Everything changed and she now just can stay in bed for endless time waiting the nurses helping her doing everything. What Alison undergo in the future of combating with AIDS and whether she become stronger are the common remained thoughts that will in watcher's mind. Leading actress Molly did a great job. She showed me how Alison-a infant AIDS Infector-grow with conquering and finally became a mature leader as the mentally successful conquer of AIDS which is a disease that changed her life. I very much appreciate the character Alison and Molly's great performance of this special and hard role. In the movie, the role Alison's Father, Mother and her best friend also very important. Their reflections to Alison's disease and the very moment that realizing she is a AIDS infector somewhat reflect the director's view about how people treat their family members, friends or best friends when they realized they are AIDS infectors. So, this movie is like a mirror where you can see what different people do in face of a AIDS infector who maybe their friend, one of the family members or loved one. Alison have three boy friends at different life periods. However, only one of them, a Israeli boy who give Alison a book called LOVE MEDICINE and HOPE, helped Alison by emotional cares. Other two all leave her away with disloyal excuses which made Alison deeply in sad for a long time. Directed by Mcloughlin, this is a movie with a perfect ending like Lost in Translation (2001). Different from Lost in Translation which is sad love story, the story line of Something to live for : The Alison Gertz Story is dealing with one person's experience towards something that is sad. The Alison Gertz Story is filmed and shown on TV in 1992, 13 years later the issue AIDS is still a serious case throughout the world. In America, in Europe, in Asia and in Africa specially, this monster (AIDS) eats up a great amount of normal people's normal life. Each AIDS Awareness Day, we remember them in heart. As South Africa's worldwide show 46664 held by former South Africa president Nelson Mandela, AIDS has been awared in the most stricken area-Africa. And, to us, REwatch Something to live for : The Alison Gertz Story (1992) TV is a great education that can affect on our ideology deeply towards the AIDS or potentially AIDS infectors. For the forever combat with AIDS, For the people around us, For AIDS infectors, For everyone, it worth rewatching this 1992-made TV movie as a great education !

Ever since I can remember I have had a massive crush on Molly Ringwald who in this film takes on the best role of her career as Alison Gertz a truly inspirational woman who died of aids in 1992. Molly and a great supporting cast show the true devastation that this disease causes on a person with (at the time of infection) no previous sexual experience, no drug taking past and no history of blood transfusion. The best line of the film is when Alison stands up and says "look at me, i am the face of aids" showing that despite some peoples misconceptions people with aids look no different to you and me.

The film makes good use of its lead characters and makes what could have easily been a typically preachy TV-movie into a viewing experience that (whilst sometimes unpleasant) is educating and informative whilst not being boring.

Molly received (quite rightly) an emmy award for her acting in this film and it is easy to see why as when you view this film you feel as if you are living the experience with her and a good performer should make you feel this way during any acting performance. This tele-film has affected me in a way that no other tele-film has done before or since. It has a stellar cast (Lee Grant and Martin Landau as the parents) its doesn't preach and doesn't pretend to be something that it isn't. If this had been a big Hollywood blockbuster then the story would not have been so well told and would have been padded out. This film should be shown in schools to educate young people of the dangers of aids.

What makes the film really magnificent is how it challenges people's beliefs about aids and presents a true story in a well written non-preachy and non-patronising way. Well acted and a true masterpiece thats very rare in TV-movie land.

If you would like to know more about Alison Gertz and pledge your support for aids victims then please visit www.loveheals.org thanks!

For the benifit of those not in the know this movie is called Fatal Love here in the u.k and is available on Odyssey video