Release CalendarTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV News
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb SpotlightFamily Entertainment GuideIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsCannes Film FestivalStar WarsAsian Pacific American Heritage MonthSummer Watch GuideSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

The Operation

  • TV Movie
  • 1990
  • TV-MA
  • 1h 40m
IMDb RATING
6.1/10
203
YOUR RATING
Lisa Hartman and Joe Penny in The Operation (1990)
CrimeDramaThriller

Duplicity reigns supreme as a doctor in a messy, emotional divorce from his wife who is also his partner in a medical clinic is suddenly slapped with a $7 million malpractice suit by a patie... Read allDuplicity reigns supreme as a doctor in a messy, emotional divorce from his wife who is also his partner in a medical clinic is suddenly slapped with a $7 million malpractice suit by a patient who claims he performed an unnecessary hysterectomy on her.Duplicity reigns supreme as a doctor in a messy, emotional divorce from his wife who is also his partner in a medical clinic is suddenly slapped with a $7 million malpractice suit by a patient who claims he performed an unnecessary hysterectomy on her.

  • Director
    • Thomas J. Wright
  • Writer
    • Douglas Stefen Borghi
  • Stars
    • Joe Penny
    • Lisa Hartman
    • Jason Beghe
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.1/10
    203
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Thomas J. Wright
    • Writer
      • Douglas Stefen Borghi
    • Stars
      • Joe Penny
      • Lisa Hartman
      • Jason Beghe
    • 6User reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 1 Primetime Emmy
      • 1 nomination total

    Photos1

    View Poster

    Top cast33

    Edit
    Joe Penny
    Joe Penny
    • Dr. Ed Betters
    Lisa Hartman
    Lisa Hartman
    • Laura Parks
    Jason Beghe
    Jason Beghe
    • John Kopiak
    Kathleen Quinlan
    Kathleen Quinlan
    • Ginnie
    Dori Brenner
    • Amy Roberts
    Googy Gress
    Googy Gress
    • Oscar
    Aaron Lustig
    Aaron Lustig
    • Anesthesiologist
    Ron Perkins
    Ron Perkins
    • Harold Block
    Ray Reinhardt
    • Dr. Mark Wolf
    Peter Zapp
    Peter Zapp
    • Roger Hernandez
    John Santucci
    John Santucci
    • Lt. Gold
    Joy Arron
    • Young Mother
    Kara Benser
    • Nurse - Operating Room
    Paul Collins
    • Dr. Raymond Adams
    Wendy Cutler
    • Wife
    Rick Giolito
    • Doctor #2
    Thomas Hoyt Godfrey
    • Doctor #1
    Andy Goldberg
    • Husband
    • Director
      • Thomas J. Wright
    • Writer
      • Douglas Stefen Borghi
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews6

    6.1203
    1
    2
    3
    4
    5
    6
    7
    8
    9
    10

    Featured reviews

    8blanche-2

    A sense of deja vu

    I saw this movie before I saw "Malice". As far as I'm concerned, the plots are very similar except in the most minor of details. Whichever film I saw first I would have loved - it's my kind of thing -- and because I saw this first, I found it a wonderful movie, thoroughly interesting and enjoyable. I am a huge fan of Kathleen Quinlan, Joe Penny and Lisa Hartman and they all were shown to their best advantage.
    10iluvjoepenny

    I love this movie with Joe Penny!! should be out on DVD...

    I love this movie with Joe Penny! It's one of those movies IMO that you could watch over and over again. Very well Acted! Joe Penny and Lisa Hartman Black have such great chemistry together. Also just watching Joe Penny in this role is awesome! He has such charisma on screen. Joe Penny is a talented actor and played this role of Dr. Betters very well. This story line keeps you interested throughout the whole movie plus Joe Penny in the pool scene whoa!! Joe Penny is HOT!!! I really wish this would come out on DVD or would be aired more often on the Cable Networks. It's a movie that shouldn't be missed and because Joe Penny is in it!
    bond fan

    Is this Malice?

    I watched this film when it aired in 1990. Little did I know three years later in New York, I would be watching virtually the same film. This time, however, the film's title was "Malice". I was with a friend of mine, and each plot twist I told him what was going to happen. He thought I was a psychic,... or a copycat writer? Sort of makes you think,huh?
    king-35

    well acted well crafted film

    the three leads in this film rocked.the plot twist and turns keep you interested until the end.lisa hartman gives her best performance in this film. sexy yet vulnerable she more than proves her talent and shows what a major talent she is ms.quinlen as always turns in a fine performance. well worth seeing

    More like this

    Malice
    6.5
    Malice
    Blood Vows: The Story of a Mafia Wife
    6.5
    Blood Vows: The Story of a Mafia Wife
    Full Exposure: The Sex Tapes Scandal
    4.8
    Full Exposure: The Sex Tapes Scandal
    Bare Essentials
    4.7
    Bare Essentials
    Trapped
    6.2
    Trapped
    Terror in the Night
    4.8
    Terror in the Night
    Perfect Alibi
    5.3
    Perfect Alibi
    Stranger in My Home
    5.7
    Stranger in My Home
    She's in the Army Now
    4.6
    She's in the Army Now
    Nightmare in Blood
    4.6
    Nightmare in Blood
    Flirting
    7.1
    Flirting
    She Woke Up Pregnant
    5.8
    She Woke Up Pregnant

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      A TV movie made for the CBS network.
    • Connections
      Remade as Malice (1993)

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • January 21, 1990 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Die Operation
    • Production companies
      • Grazka Taylor Productions
      • Moress, Nanas, Golden Entertainment
      • Viacom Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 40 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Lisa Hartman and Joe Penny in The Operation (1990)
    Top Gap
    By what name was The Operation (1990) officially released in Canada in English?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb app
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    Follow IMDb on social
    Get the IMDb app
    For Android and iOS
    Get the IMDb app
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • License IMDb Data
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2025 by IMDb.com, Inc.