The Boy in the Plastic Bubble

TV Movie
1976
Not Rated
1h 36m

IMDb RATING

YOUR RATING

John Travolta and Glynnis O'Connor in The Boy in the Plastic Bubble (1976)

The girl next door makes a teen born with immune deficiencies want to leave his germ-free bubble.The girl next door makes a teen born with immune deficiencies want to leave his germ-free bubble.The girl next door makes a teen born with immune deficiencies want to leave his germ-free bubble.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

5.8/10

5.7K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Won 1 Primetime Emmy
- 1 win & 3 nominations total

Trivia
During filming, 22-year-old John Travolta and 40-year-old Diana Hyland began dating and eventually fell in love, despite the fact that Hyland was nearly 18 years older than Travolta. She was still in the process of getting divorced from her husband, writer and producer Joseph Goodson when she passed away on Sunday, March 27, 1977, four months after their TV movie's broadcast, and while Travolta was filming Saturday Night Fever (1977).

Goofs
John Travolta's character would not have been able to walk back into his bubble wearing his special suit after walking around outside in it. The suit would have contaminated the sterile environment.

Quotes
Johnny Lubitch: My son is not a freak!

Connections
Edited into Ninja the Mission Force: Ninja Virus (2012)

Soundtracks
What Would They Say
(uncredited)
Composed by Paul Williams
Sung by Paul Williams
[Played over the closing credits]

User reviews40

Review

Featured review

6/10

It's okay...but the end is a bit of a cliffhanger

"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.