1 / 8
MONEY
Did you know
Earned back only 53% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
MoodPlayr · trivia#01
Whose Life Is It Anyway?
"The ultimate drama in the human comedy."
1981 1h 59m EN
👍
7.0
SOLID
★7.0TMDB · 52
Drama
Synopsis
Spoiler shield
Ken Harrison is an artist that lives to make sculptures. One day he is involved in a car accident, and is paralyzed from his neck down. All he can do is talk and move his head, and he wants to die. Whilst he is in hospital he makes friends with some of the staff, and they support him when he goes to trial to be allowed to die.
“The ultimate drama in the human comedy.”
Cast
Richard Dreyfuss
Ken Harrison
John Cassavetes
Dr. Michael Emerson
Christine Lahti
Dr. Clare Scott
Bob Balaban
Carter Hill
Kenneth McMillan
Judge Wyler
Kaki Hunter
Mary Jo Sadler
Thomas Carter
Orderly John
Alba Oms
Nurse Rodriguez
Credits
Behind the camera
- Director
- John Badham
- Writers
- Brian Clark, Reginald Rose
- Languages
- Spanish, English
- Countries
- United States of America
Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.
Did you know?
Fun facts 🍿
2 / 8
ERA
Did you know
45 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
MoodPlayr · trivia#02
3 / 8
WORLD
Did you know
Dialogue crosses 2 languages: Spanish, English.
MoodPlayr · trivia#03
4 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Directed by John Badham, shot by Mario Tosi. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
MoodPlayr · trivia#04
5 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Original score by Arthur B. Rubinstein. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
MoodPlayr · trivia#05
6 / 8
CAST
Did you know
Richard Dreyfuss and John Cassavetes and Christine Lahti carry the top of the cast.
MoodPlayr · trivia#06
7 / 8
FACT
Did you know
Marketing tagline: "The ultimate drama in the human comedy.".
MoodPlayr · trivia#07
8 / 8
WILD
Did you know
IMDB entry: tt0083326 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
MoodPlayr · trivia#08
Cinephile deep dive
The take
John Badham directs. Mario Tosi behind the camera. Arthur B. Rubinstein scores. A commercial under-performer on release. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in Spanish, English.
Trivia
Things worth knowing
- 1Earned back only 53% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
- 245 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
- 3Dialogue crosses 2 languages: Spanish, English.
- 4Directed by John Badham, shot by Mario Tosi. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
- 5Original score by Arthur B. Rubinstein. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
- 6Richard Dreyfuss and John Cassavetes and Christine Lahti carry the top of the cast.
- 7Marketing tagline: "The ultimate drama in the human comedy.".
- 8IMDB entry: tt0083326 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
- 9Only 52 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.
The technical file
- Cinematography
- Mario Tosi
- Original score
- Arthur B. Rubinstein
- Stunt coordinator
- Conrad E. Palmisano
- Runtime
- 119 min · 1h 59m
- Status
- Released
- Budget
- $11,500,000
- Box office
- $6,100,000
- Return
- 53% of budget
- Original language
- EN
- Certification (US)
- R
Also by
John Badham
Trailers & featurettes
Watch the pieces
Production companies
Who made it
SLM Production Group
US
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
US
- CO
Cooney/Schute Productions
Key crew
- Stunt CoordinatorConrad E. Palmisano
Themes & keywords
What it's about, really
- paraplegic
- artist
- paralysis
- car accident
- suicide thoughts
- legal battle
Release history · US
When it landed
- Theatrical1981-12-02R
Also known as
International titles
- Wie Z'n Leven Is Het Nou Eigenlijk?NL
