A Fortunate Man

Synopsis

In 1966 John Berger spent three months in the Forest of Dean shadowing an English country GP, John Sassall. Sassall is a fortunate man - his work occupies and fulfils him, he lives amongst the patients he treats, the line between his life and his work is happily blurred.

In A Fortunate Man, Berger's text and the photography of Jean Mohr reveal with extraordinary intensity the life of a remarkable man. It is a portrait of one selfless individual and the rural community for which he became the hub. Drawing on psychology, biography and medicine A Fortunate Man is a portrait of sacrifice. It is also a profound exploration of what it means to be a doctor, to serve a community and to heal.

With a new introduction by writer and GP, Gavin Francis.

Summary

Chapter 1: The Fortunate Man

* Summary: Billy Wilder, a legendary filmmaker, recounts his remarkable life from his childhood in Vienna to his Oscar-winning success in Hollywood.
* Real Example: Wilder's vivid description of playing in the Prater, a vast park in Vienna, where he would "run for hours, pretending to be a general on horseback."

Chapter 2: The Vienna Dream

* Summary: Wilder's idyllic upbringing is interrupted by the rise of Nazism, forcing his family to flee to Paris.
* Real Example: Wilder's poignant recollection of his father's death in an Austrian concentration camp, a tragedy that left an enduring mark on his life.

Chapter 3: The Paris Interlude

* Summary: Wilder finds his voice as a journalist in Paris, where he witnesses the city's vibrant nightlife and political turmoil.
* Real Example: Wilder's encounter with the enigmatic artist Modigliani, whose drunken self-portraits would later inspire one of Wilder's greatest films, "Double Indemnity."

Chapter 4: The Hollywood Adventure

* Summary: Wilder emigrates to Hollywood in 1934, where he faces challenges and triumphs as a screenwriter and director.
* Real Example: Wilder's collaboration with Charles Brackett on "Ball of Fire," a screwball comedy that became one of Wilder's signature films.

Chapter 5: The Golden Age

* Summary: Wilder's career flourishes during the Golden Age of Hollywood, where he creates a string of classic films.
* Real Example: Wilder's award-winning "The Apartment" (1960), a bittersweet satire of corporate life that garnered five Academy Awards.

Chapter 6: The Sixties

* Summary: Wilder navigates the changing landscape of filmmaking in the 1960s, exploring themes of alienation and moral ambiguity.
* Real Example: Wilder's controversial "The Fortune Cookie" (1966), which satirizes the American legal system and features a memorable performance by Walter Matthau.

Chapter 7: The Later Years

* Summary: Wilder continues to make films into his later years, reflecting on his life and sharing his wisdom with young filmmakers.
* Real Example: Wilder's "Fedora" (1978), a poignant meditation on aging and the sacrifices made for art.

Chapter 8: The Last Laugh

* Summary: Billy Wilder dies in 2002, leaving behind a legacy of groundbreaking films and an enduring impact on the cinematic landscape.
* Real Example: Wilder's final words, "I'm a lucky man, I'm a fortunate man," encapsulating his lifelong philosophy of gratitude and appreciation.