The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

There are moments that feel comical, some horrific, and some downright inspiring but the tonal shifts hardly matter as the end results come to a film that's perfect for this time.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

Schizophrenic film that can't decide whether it's Playhouse 90 or Airplane!. In one corner are Scott and Chayevsky making with the intense psychological realism and some really powerful moments; in the other is chaotic urban hospital laboring at zany gallows humor with a few scattered laughs. In between is director Hiller hoping for single workable whole. Result is awkward pastiche that doesn't live up to super-rich potential. Film is object lesson in how miscasting of even top-notch talent can produce disappointment. I keep wishing gifted amateurs like Zucker Bros. & Jim Abrams had gotten hold of idea first. Sure, Scott is great actor, but he's so authentic he overwhelms ambient efforts at satire; yes, Chayevsky gets off some good lines, but keeps piling on the prose long after it's peaked out. What the movie really needs are more sight gags and a lot less talky angst. In short, let the visuals carry the message -- something word master Chayevsky could never allow. My advice: once hippie chick Rigg starts bragging about Scott's restored virility, switch off, because it's a downhill ride from there.

This a fantastic movie, although I can't figure out why it's labeled as a "horror/something" story. There is absolutely nothing of a horror movie in "The Hospital"....Yes, some patients die, as mentioned in the storyline, and it has many elements of drama, but overall this is a dark, satirical comedy that is never scary but might have you rolling on the floor laughing your head off; in fact some scenes and dialogs I would describe as the funniest ever put in a movie (assuming you appreciate dark humor).The acting, vital in such a movie, is top notch, and the all-star cast does justice to one of the best, most intelligent Hollywood scripts ever written. It's quirky, darkly funny, thought-provoking, and it questions the very basis of our society, and our life, without ever being cheesy or preachy. All the characters, for better or for worse, feel extremely real, and yet they tread the edges of surreal, tragicomic events that, in turn, can take them (and us, the audience) to emotional places as diverse as hilarity, despair, and even optimism.I saw it for the first time many years ago, just bumped into it while channel-surfing, and couldn't turn it off until the end credits came up on the screen. I watched it again recently and found it just as powerful, funny and mesmerizing as that first viewing. If you love great cinema, and a drama with ideas instead of a transparent agenda, don't miss out on "The Hospital", it's a masterpiece.

An okay film that is mostly served as a podium for a phenomenal performance to be delivered to the masses. Paddy Chayefsky's script is loaded with hilarity and some strong monologues for the actors to devour (which they gladly do), but there's a lot going on and director Arthur Hiller doesn't quite know what to do with the tone, but George C. Scott's performance is one for the ages. He plays a suicidal doctor in the world's worst hospital, which is surrounded by lawsuits, protesters and utter incompetence. There's tons of stuff happening and it doesn't all come together fluidly, but it mixes in plenty of hilarious moments without ever straining too far into broad comedy territory.Scott is definitely the primary thing going for it though, a towering force of expert comedy and drama that does what I wish the entire film had done. He's a great straight man for all of the madcap disasters happening throughout the hospital, and his suicidal rampages walk that fine line of being comedic and darkly intimidating at the same time. There's a scene between him and Diana Rigg where she tries to seduce him and he ends up going into a very dark reservoir of his mind that is haunting and terrifying. He devours everything around him, a wrecking ball of frustration with the world and he shines strong when delivering the impressive Chayefsky dialogue. The film itself doesn't quite hit the mark it's going for, but it's certainly still a worthwhile experience, elevated by the superb performance from Scott and Chayefsky's writing.

The Hospital is somewhat of a cult classic for reasons that are obvious but shows unfortunate signs of age and ends up being a mixed bag. The story centers on Dr. Bock (George C. Scott) as well as the rest of the staff and the patients of a Manhattan hospital marred by bureaucratic nightmares while mysterious deaths occur. STORY:Penned by Paddy Chayefsky, this is a rather dark comedy that tackles a lot of issues which, almost 40 years later, are still very relevant. Throughout the story, the apparent flawless nature of science clashes with the failings of the nature of men. The main character Dr. Bock most brilliantly depicts this conflict. Bock is a man with intense desires and a drive to achieve yet is a broken soul. His vocation is to heal and save lives but he suffers himself from illnesses and contemplates suicide. The main character is amazing but the peripheral characters in The Hospital rarely cut it and most seem like caricatures, lessening the global impact and social commentary of the film. Furthermore, the most interesting parts of the film deal entirely with the bureaucratic aspects and the staff. The mysterious deaths take more and more importance as the story progresses and actually detract from this movie. The last half hour makes the whole almost seem pointless.CAST:On one hand, George C. Scott delivers another performance that demonstrates why he can still be considered one of the greatest actors who ever lived. His character, Dr. Bock, is complex and Scott uses all his range. This is magnificent acting. Unfortunately, the rest of the cast is so-so, due to bad casting choices, weak acting and also uninspiring characters.CINEMATOGRAPHY:Rather bland and unremarkable but still serviceable. We do get a sense of the hospital building but very few shots really grabbed me.Overall, this is a fine script by Paddy Chayefsky and George C. Scott is amazing, but some of the dialog is badly dated and a better director would have crafted a better overall film. Director Arthur Hiller is mostly renowned for getting great performances out of lead actors but a Kubrick he isn't when it comes to crafting a cinematic masterpiece.