And the Band Played On

In a village on the Ebola River in Zaire, Don Francis arrives and confronts a mysterious and deadly hemorrhagic fever. He witnesses the dying residents and helps cremate the bodies, realizing the scale and fear of such an outbreak. This early exposure haunts him as he later shifts to HIV/AIDS research.

Back in Atlanta, Francis is asked by the CDC to begin an in-depth investigation of a new immune-deficiency syndrome. He faces severe budget constraints, limited lab space, and outdated equipment characteristic of Reagan-era cutbacks. He sets up the initial epidemiological work that will define years of study.

Francis clashes with many in the medical community who resist his approach and data due to competing agendas. He pushes for public health measures that threaten personal freedoms, including closing local bathhouses. The friction mirrors broader political and cultural battles over how to handle the emerging epidemic.

As evidence accumulates that the disease spreads through sex, Francis engages directly with the gay community to understand behaviors and risks. Activists like Bill Kraus support his investigations even as others fear stigma or political backlash. Kraus’s activism and Govantes’s presence illustrate the human costs of the epidemic.

Representatives of the blood industry push back against measures to curb transmission, citing potential financial losses. The opposition complicates public health efforts and frames the epidemic as an economic issue as well as a medical one. The tension foreshadows the slow pace of policy responses.

French scientists from the Pasteur Institute and American researchers, notably Robert Gallo, compete for recognition in identifying the virus and developing a blood test. The dispute strains collaboration and fuels rivalries within the scientific community. Francis is caught in the crossfire as credits and discoveries become political.

While exercising, Bill Kraus notices a spot on his ankle that worries him for Kaposi’s sarcoma. Medical evaluation confirms that he has AIDS, bringing the epidemic home to a prominent activist. The diagnosis personalizes the crisis for many viewers and underscores the reach of the disease.

Francis submits a comprehensive plan for prevention and eventual cure, but Curran tells him it will never be approved due to cost concerns. The CDC declines funding, and Francis is transferred to San Francisco to continue his work in a new setting. The move signals a shift in strategy while the epidemic accelerates.

During the San Francisco candlelight parade, Kraus suddenly coughs and grows too weak to stand. He experiences visual and speech difficulties, but the symptoms pass briefly after Francis arrives. The moment emphasizes how quickly the virus can progress and the feeling that more could have been done to stop it.

Kraus dies in January 1986, leaving a void in the activist community and intensifying the urgency of Francis’s work. His death personalizes the tragedy of AIDS and motivates continued research and public health action. The loss underscores the human toll of the epidemic.

Francis remains at the CDC through the late 1980s, navigating bureaucratic obstacles while pushing for prevention and research. In 1992 he leaves the agency to work on the development of an AIDS vaccine, signaling a shift from epidemiology to vaccine science. The arc traces a long arc of commitment despite institutional challenges.

The film closes with Elton John’s The Last Song, paired with a photo and video montage of HIV/AIDS victims and public figures. The montage honors those lost and underscores the ongoing fight against the disease. It leaves the audience with a sense of progress yet ongoing urgency.