The Maneuver

The documentary film The Maneuver examines the life of a man who was once arguably America's most famous physician, Dr. Henry Heimlich. Known for the choking maneuver that bears his name, Dr. Heimlich was a pioneering medical innovator throughout his long career. His advocates claim he has saved more lives than any other person alive today.

Yet, his critics argue that Dr. Heimlich is far from an American hero. They claim he is a publicity-seeker with unconventional ideas whose medical research failed basic scientific standards. He has been called dangerous and unethical for his controversial experiments, especially those which injected ill patients with malaria.

Meanwhile, Dr. Heimlich remains embroiled with the medical establishment in a decades-long feud over the application of his famous maneuver. Plus, his biggest critic, who turned out to be a member of his own family, argues that Dr. Heimlich is a total fraud. The Maneuver is the story of an ambitious doctor whose creativity and self-promotion landed his name in the dictionary but now struggles to maintain and define his own legacy.