THE ORDEAL OF BILL CARNEY

US, 1981, 100 minutes, Colour.
Richard Crenna, Ray Sharkey, Betty Buckley, Jeremy Licht, Robert Prosky.
Directed by Jerry London.

The Ordeal of Bill Carney is a television film, with themes popular in the 1980s, social issues, health issues, legal issues. Ray Sharkey, nominated for a Golden Globe for his performance, is Bill Carney, paralysed from the neck down. He has been looking after his two sons. However, when his condition reaches his ex-wife, she wants to take the sons away from him, thinking that he is incapable of caring for them. Carney employs a lawyer, played by Richard Crenna, who is also incapacitated. The law seems to be against Bill Carney, the film offering the plea for people with disabilities to live as full and human a life as possible. The film offers a variety of reasons in favour of Bill Carney as well as against him, rational motivations as well as emotional arguments.

1. The impact of the film, the issue of disability, recovery, relationships? The role of the law? Spouses? Children?

2. The film made for the Year of the Disabled, its contribution, its message? For Americans? Worldwide?

3. The focus on Bill Carney, his family, relationship with Lisa, the shop, the army, the accident, the extent of his injury? His hospital experience? Meeting his family? Jack and his training? The tensions, emotions? His deliberate striving? Moving, going home? Lisa and the children? sexual issues?

4. The role of the law, Mason Rose and his life, his help and advice, taking the case, arguing the case, his reasoning? The appeal? Issues of money? The end?

5. Divorce, the wife and the interrogation? The case and its issues? The judge, issues of prejudice? Loss, sadness? The appeal? Lisa and her leaving? The victory, the end?

6. Lisa and her expectations, the children? The wife and her role, emotion?

7. The law, the judges, listening to the case, the legal arguments, the decisions?

8. The humanity of the film? Considering people as persons rather than as issues? The law, the issue of precedents?

9. The effect of this kind of television film? For the public? For understanding of issues? For empathy?