THE KAREN CARPENTER STORY

US, 1989, 100 minutes, Colour.
Cynthia Gibb, Stephanie Griffin, Louise Fletcher, Mitchell Anderson.
Directed by Joseph Sargent.

The Karen Carpenter Story is an above average television biography of the noted singer and her pianist brother.

The film is of interest because Karen Carpenter died in February 1983 as a consequence of her experience of anorexia nervosa. She died at the age of 32. The film uses ber death as a framework for the story, not only of the show business side of things, but also of her family life in California., her talent and career, her singing - but also her illness. Cynthia Gibb brings vitality to the role of Karen (from the age of 13 until her death. Mitchell Anderson is also effective as Richard Carpenter (who acted as the executive producer of the film and director of the music).

Many of the Carpenters’ most popular songs (We've only, Just Begun, Close To You, On Top of the World are included in the film). Louise Fletcher is the Carpenter’s mother - and she has the opportunity once again for an excellent performance as a dominating mother this time loving and sweet, but ultimately with a touch of the monster destroying her children. Peter Michael Goetz is self-effacing as her husband. The film is interesting - and entertaining - with questions about ideal family life, the influence of parents and expectations, show business, success, illness.

1. Show business telemovie? For the wide popular television audience? Thermes of success and talent, illness?

2. The period, 1963-1983? the framework of Karen Carpenter's career? The Californian background, the contrast between the 60s, 70s, 80s? Her home life? In the public eye, media?

3. Richard Carpenter as executive producer, director of the music? The inclusion of songs? Their range, the history of the songs, his arrangements? The songs, her voice? The effects?

4. The Carpenter family: Harold and Agnes, the happy and perfect American household of the 60s? The talent of the children? Singing and playing? The talent competition and their winning, the parents’ applause, loving support? Home life? Banter between the two children? Karen wanting to play the drums, her mother's decision, the trio, their concerts and entertaining, recording, the specification of the contract for Karen? Agnes and her resistance, broken down? Harold and his signing? The parents’ joy and their children's success, seeing them on television? The support, the children returning, from the concerts, the car gift after Japan, Agnes and the kimono, her cool reception, talking about money, taking it off? The new home, rooms for the children? Karen and Richard reacting against the family - and wanting to move out?

5. Karen as a young teenager, her singing talent, girlish behaviour? The emphasis on being thin, what she ate and didn't eat, continually exercising? Sensitive to comments about her appearance and weight? Diet? The psychological effect? Her collapse? The treatment, the doctor (and his faux pas in calling Mrs Carpenter Agnes)? His asking the parents to declare their love – and Agnes’s negative response? Karen and the anorexia, the explanations, the tests? The release for Thanksgiving? At home? Her mother telling her that she loved her? Her collapse and death?

6. Richard, talent, tension, the sleeping pills, not addictive because of prescriptions, given by his mother, denial, his collapse, going into the treatment?

7. The picture of parents, the American. home, bringing up children? Affirmation? Yet perfection, demands? Agnes wanting to allot blame and responsibility for the failings in the children?

8. Karen, youthfulness, playing and singing, her success, concerts, entertaining? The records? The support of Herb Alpert? Singing ‘Close To You’, getting good agents? The range of songs throughout the film, their placement and comment on her life? The bank commercial becoming ‘We've Only Just Begun’? The concerts, tension, rehearsals for concerts, autographs and fame? Her collapse? Her friendship with Lucy, taking her shopping, the children? Peter and the dating? Meeting Bob, his introduction, proposal, the wedding? The busyness and her neglecting her husband? The divorce and its consequences?

9. Richard, his talent, place in the family, arrangements for Karen and himself? business sense and ear for songs? Lack of sleep, the pills, the effect, collapse? going in for treatment? The introduction to Randy, living with her - and Karen's angry reactions, feeling Randy interfered in her life?

10. The background of agents and managers, recording studios? The skills of the Carpenters in not making mistakes?

11. Performance, the gift, overwhelming response, personal fears and nervousness, autographs and fans?

12. The world of show business and its pressures? The relationship with family? joy and destruction?

13. The background of anorexia nervosa, as an illness, psychological causes, consequences, cure? The pathos of Karen Carpenter's early death?