WHO'LL SAVE OUR CHILDREN

US, 1978, 96 minutes, Colour.
Shirley Jones, Len Cariou, Cassie Yates, Frances Sternhagen, David Haywood, Conchata Ferrell.
Directed by George Schaefer.

Who’ll Save Our Children is a moving and emotional film. Two young children are abandoned by their irresponsible parents. Fortunately, they find a loving couple who bring them up, give them care and tenderness, help them recover. However, the actual parents turn up – and challenge the adoptive parents and take the issue to court. Both sides of the argument are presented – with the children in the middle. Familiar material, but movingly done.

1. The purpose of this telemovie? entertainment, social comment? critique, both?

2. The effect on the television audience, watching such a social, emotional film at home? The style to communicate with the home audience, the emotional effect, the social themes and audience’s identification, learning? A satisfying message film?

3. The meaning of the title? The reference to "our" children and to Lurene and Bob? To Sarah and Mat? A wider view of saving American children? Neglected children?

4. How authentic did the film seem? Credible situations, people, children? The credibility of the problems -tackling them? Social situations, legal situations?

5. Lurene and her relationship to her children? Marjorie and Tom as neglected children? The details in the introduction to Lurene and the children's plight,. her neglecting them, her carrying on? The contrast with Sarah and Mat and their life, the farm, Sarah's novels, their childlessness? The interweaving of the stories of the two families and their coping with their mutual problem? The rights and the wrongs, sympathies? Audience sympathy as to who should have the children? The jolt when Sarah and Mat were refused? The rights of the natural parents to a second chance and for success?

6. The character of Lurene - how well drawn? Her personality, background, her marriage with Bob and his walking out, her love for her children but her lack of knowledge of how to look after them, her wanting some fun and the way that she had it, the effect on the children and their describing it afterwards? Her work, her lies for
getting off? The things she gave the children to eat? Her decision to leave and the way she walked out on them? Where did sympathies lie at this stage?

7. Lurene's giving the children to Nellie - and the criticisms of the man she was with? Nellie’s ambitious role throughout the film, kindness to the children, giving them to Sarah, telling the truth to Sarah and Mat, lying in the court because of the kin relationship, her wanting to help but fearful of going to San Francisco etc.? A frustrating but credible character in these circumstances?

8. Dody and her employment of Lurene, her decision to help, the sequence with the cakes, as some kind of conscience for Lurene but her ignoring her? Her words and influence to Sarah? Her later willingness to help? Aurlience response to Dody's concern?

9. The Lavers at home, their work, the bonds and love between the two their quality as persons? The sequence of the parade? its humour, Sarah in the bar and hearing Dody's difficulty, her willingness to take the children? Her reaction when offered the children?

10. The portrait of the children themselves - their charm, childishness, their fighting? The effects of neglect physically and emotionally? What they were used to eating? Dody's looking after them? Their being abandoned? Their response to Nellie? Their being given to the Lavers and their initial response, the growing change as they
received affection and love, learning different things, coping? manners? Their love for the Lavers?

11. How well did the film show the change in the children? their initial fears, fighting, roughness? the attention to details in this section of the film e.g. the mistakes, Mat's anger, Marjorie’s apology to him, their working together, the signs of love, signs of praise for achievement?

12. Sarah and the fulfilment she felt, her ability to cope with the children, creative? The clash with Mat and his finding it more difficult? How credible was this? His apologies? The effect of the children on them both?

13. How credible was their petition to opt the children after such a short time? John and his orphan
background, his advice? The building of the extra room? The ominous turn when James gave the warnings about the court case and the threats, the latent violence and its appearance? The problems of kinship and family helping family?

14. Lurene and her being abandoned, staying away, Bob staying away and their lack of concern and, financial help? Their getting together and their wanting the children? Audience response to their request before they saw them? What impression did they make on their visit to Mat - the way that they were dressed, the expectations, their rights? What judgment did the audience make about their fitness to look after the children?

15. Sarah and Mat being confronted by the problem? Mat's realism, Sarah’s distress? The way that they coped? Nellie’s help and lack of help?

16. The treatment of the court case with the glimpses of evidence and discussion adequate cross-examination. the presentation of the varying points of view with their rights and wrongs via the trial evidence? The lawyers and their approach? The various people involved, the welfare lady, Nellie and her answers, both parents and their stories, Lurene and Bob putting things in the most favourable light? Lurene's ex-boy friend? The pleas? The
attitude of the judge, legalities and justice rather than the human elements? The importance of the visit of Bob and Lurene to the children?

17. The dramatics of the visit? the children unwilling and crying, the relationship of the children with each of their parents and their way this was shown, presents? The leaving and the reactions and tantrums of both children? Audience response as to what the judgment ought to be?

18. The communication of the judgraent, the effect on the audience? Lurene and Bob and their taking; the children back and their unwillingness to go, their thanks to Sarah and Mat? The effect on Sarah and Mat and having to let go? Where did audience sympathies lies?

19. Was Sarah right in her pursuit of the children and trying, to find out? Mat’s advice? The discission with Nellie and Dody, her going to San Francisco, her setting up the investigation? Her seeing the children and their seeming to be coping, the investigator saying that Bob and Lurene seemed to be managing? Her advice for Sarah to let go? Did the audience share this view?

20. The theme of the girl arriving with the news of her pregnancy, being influenced by Sarah's looking after the children, offering her baby? The good effect of the charity done earlier and the unexpected fulfilment? The birth of the child and the adoption? Future happiness for Mat and Sarah? Bob and Lurene coping with their children?

21. The final effect on the audience after experiencing these family crises, problems and situations? The judgments of reason, of emotions and the heart?