The Boy in the Plastic Bubble

[Zone Fighter]

The Boy in the Plastic Bubble (1976)

John Travolta - Tod Lubitch
Glynnis O'Connor - Gina Biggs
Robert Reed - Johnny Lubitch
Diana Hyland - Mickey Lubitch
Karen Morrow - Martha Biggs
Howard Platt - Neighbor
Buzz Aldrin - Buzz Aldrin
Ralph Bellamy - Dr. Ernest Gunther
John Friedrich - Roy Slater
Kelly Ward - Tom Shuster
Skip Lowell - Bruce Shuster
John Megna - Smith
Vernee Watson - Gwen
Darryl Zwerling - Mr. Brister
P.J. Soles - Deborah
Timothy Himes - Obnoxious Reporter
Victor Brandt - TV Installer
Hilda Haynes - Nurse Rachel
Jack McLaughlin - Principal
Erna Foxworth - Neighbor
Karri Kirsch - Gina at 3 years old
Kimberly Kirsch - Gina at 3 years old
Seth Wagerman - Tod at 3 years old
Anne Ramsey - Rachel

TV movie about a boy born with out an immune system who has to live inside a plastic bubble to avoid exsposure to diseases that would kill him. The movie is dated. Now he'd probably be treated with drugs similar to those used for AIDS/HIV.

Very loosely based on a true story. The real boy, David Phillip Vetter (1971-1984), received an experimental bone marrow transfer which instead of curing him induced cancer from which he died 45 days after his 12th birday. The movie takes Tod Lubitch into his teens. It shows the boy as a new born, as a four year old and as a sixteen year through seventeen or eighteen. John Travolta plays the teenager. So the film is more of a fantasy than a documentary. Most of the movie deals with Tod's growing fascination with his next door neighbor Gina. In the end Tod makes a decision that may cost him his life, but we'll never know because the movie ends without giving a clear answer.

Interesting little tv movie.

$1 DVD includes biographies (on John Travolta, Robert Reed, P.J. Soles), filmographies (on John Travolta, Robert Reed, P.J. Soles) and a photo gallery.

[Xenorama ™]

this was made at the heighth of Travolta-mania, and i remember watching it. he sings the title song as well, which is just the worst sort of 70s wimp-pop there is.

i doubt he would have keeled over right after he got out of the bubble, since it would take some time for his body to get sick.

i don't think i could watch this again, though.

[Zone Fighter]

There is no opening vocal. The song at the end, "What Woudl They Say" was written and performed by Paul Williams. After the first line it doesn't fit.