L'enfant bulle

I'm not sure why this movie is disliked among some, maybe because it's loosely based on a true story? A 5.6 rating certainly isn't bad, but it's way too low for a quality film like this one. Sure. It's corny at times, but that doesn't make it any less moving. I have to be honest. I was one of those people that thought I was gonna dislike it after the groan inducing opening, but it proved me wrong. It was one of John Travolta's first starring features and it shows why he went onto super stardom. I don't think I've seen someone with a handicapped be this cool to be honest. What I liked about it is it managed to balance all the sentimentality with sharp humor. When I first went into this one, I thought it was gonna be full of sap, but I was pleasantly surprised at all the sharp humor. It also helps that Tod (Travolta) is very likable and sympathetic. If the lead was unsympathetic, then it probably wouldn't have been as entertaining as it was. I also dug the cute little love story between Tod & Gina. It is somewhat forbidden due to Tod's condition, but I loved watching it unfold the way it did. I also dug how Tod's parents were written. They felt and acted like natural, caring parents should. You do have some clichés like the typical bully fodder, and the ending was rather artificial, but other than that, I really don't have much to complain about. John Travolta is excellent as Tod. His charm is undeniable, and he gives a really sympathetic show. He was perfect for the part. Glynnis O'Connor is a total cutie. She has her wooden moments, but overall I dug her for the most part. Her chemistry with Travolta is good. Robert Reed & Diana Hyland are very effective and natural as the parents of Tod.

Note: Interestingly enough… Thanks to some IMDb Trivia. I found out Diana Hyland & John Travolta fell in love off screen before she sadly passed away.

Final Thoughts: Everyone has a right to their opinion, but this is a good film. I really don't understand the average rating for this film. Travolta proves why he was meant for super stardom here. It's on You Tube, so I'd definitely go and watch it if I were you. Give it a chance!

7.5/10

"The Boy in the Plastic Bubble" was a made for TV movie which gave John Travolta a chance to do something beyond his lunk-head character on "Welcome Back Kotter"...and just before he shot to super-stardom with "Saturday Night Fever". He plays a young man who was born without an immune system and the show details his difficulties dealing with having a plastic wall always between himself and the outside world. The problem becomes MUCH worse when he falls in love with the girl next door and he realizes he probably will never be able to touch her.

The story is based very broadly on a real case. Travolta is decent in the role and the film is a decent family movie, though the ending is a bit bizarre as it leaves you on such a cliffhanger. I liked it as lot as a kid--seen now, it just seems okay. Generally enjoyable and well written but the ending is a letdown...at least for me.

Remenbering my teenagers years when this movie aired for first time in Brazil by Globo TV in 1978, based in real facts about the boy who was born without immune system, so the doctor developed a bubble added with device to supply sterile air to secure him against bacteria, so he lives inside the bubble since then, the movie made a huge success at this time even though it a low budge and lousy work, also catapulted John Travolta's career before Staying Alive, unfortunately the DVD released here has a poor image needing a complete restoration, it's a crying shame that so important movie didn't has it before to sell, but even so brings me good memories from this time!!!

Resume:

First watch: 1978 / How many: 2 / Source: TV-DVD / Rating: 6

During one of my frequent raids of the $1 DVD bins, I found this 1976 made for TV movie. When reading the synopsis on the package I saw that it was "based on a true story" of a boy named Tod Lubitch (played by John Travolta) who was born without an immune system and had to live in a sterile environment. That brought to my mind a Houston boy named David Joseph Vetter III who was in the news a lot when I was growing up. David had the same problem, lived in the same environment and died at the age of 12.

Upon my research I discovered that this movie is fictional. There was no Tod Lubitch. "The Boy in the Plastic Bubble" was inspired by the aforementioned David but isn't about him. $1 DVDs have a bad habit of providing false information and the "true story" claim is yet another example, as is the cover photo of Travolta, which appears to be only a few years old. He was actually in his early 20s when this movie originally aired.

Now for the movie. After spending a few minutes each showing Tod's life as an infant and a four year old - when he begins spending some time at home, where a sterile room is set up for him - the remainder of the movie shows him around the age of 17.

Despite the way he's forced live, Tod is a happy kid who has a close relationship with his parents. But he holds out hope that someday his body will build up enough immunities for him to leave his sterile environment.

Gradually, Tod is able to live a more normal life. He is sometimes wheeled outside in a protective cart. He participates in high school through televisions and cameras set up in his room and the classroom. And later he begins attending school in person by wearing a protective suit much like one an astronaut wears. Tod actually blends in fairly well with the other students. He is a victim of some insensitivity but not a lot and he ends up graduating.

As the movie progresses, Tod falls in love with classmate and next door neighbor Gina Biggs (Glynnis O'Connor). In one scene about midway through the movie, she pretends to express romantic interest in him but then he realizes she was just trying to win a bet with two of her male friends, which devastates Tod. But she later has a change of heart and falls for Tod, too.

This leaves Tod with a monumental decision - continue to remain in his sterile environment, in which is only human contact is gloved hands, or risk his life to be with Gina.

For the most part, I like this movie. It tells a bittersweet story in a very moving way. Travolta's performance is convincing and he shows great signs of things to come. I found myself feeling really sorry for Tod. The supporting cast is also strong and includes the late Robert Reed ("The Brady Bunch") as Tod's father, Johnny Lubitch. I think this is the only role I've ever seen Reed play other than Mike Brady. He displays good serious acting skill.

But the movie is marred by its unclear ending. And I noticed one other significant flaw - in a scene in which Tod's protective suit runs out of oxygen, he rushes into the sterile section of his classroom, aided by classmates, and takes the suit off inside. It seems to me that the outside of the suit would be carrying germs, which would contaminate the sterile section and open Tod to germs that very well might kill him.

The technical quality of the DVD that I have isn't great and looks like it might have been a direct transfer from a master tape that had been sitting on a shelf for years. But the quality is decent enough to watch comfortably.

Overall, this is a very good movie that is well worth the dollar. 7/10.

RELEASED TO TV IN 1976 and directed by Randal Kleiser, "The Boy in the Plastic Bubble" is a youth drama inspired by the true-life stories of David Vetter and Ted DeVita, both of whom lacked effective immune systems. John Travolta plays Tod Lubitch, a teen born with immune deficiencies in Southern Cal while Glynnis O'Connor is the girl next door with whom he slowly develops a relationship and inspires him to crave freedom from his germ-free 'prison.' Robert Reed & Diana Hyland are on hand as his parents.

The opening act is relatively dull, but it's necessary because it establishes Tod's situation. Thankfully, the story perks up with the star power of Travolta and O'Connor. The former was 21 during shooting and is quite good as the protagonist while O'Connor is winsome as ever. She was almost 20 during filming and has a bikini sequence for those interested.

At its heart, this is a coming-of-age movie but with a unique twist (the bubble boy). There are several well-done high school sequences, like the football field scene where the kids sneak away to smoke pot. Unrealistic? Not at all.

The best part is the ending where we share in Tod's joy and sense of wonder at the most simplest things that normal people take for granted. I can relate because when I was his age I fell off a cliff and ended up in traction and a body cast for four months. While in the cast, I was laid-up at home on a lake, just like in the movie. When the cast was removed I walked with crutches to the woods & lake with sheer delight.

The real-life bubble boys David Vetter and Ted DeVita were still alive when the movie was released. The former died in 1984 at the age of 12 & a half while the latter died in 1980 at the age of 18.

THE FILM RUNS 1 hour, 36 minutes and was shot in Malibu Lake and Century City, California. WRITERS: Douglas Day Stewart and Joe Morgenstern.

GRADE: B