SINS OF THE MOTHER
US, 1991, 96 minutes, Colour.
Elizabeth Montgomery, Dale Midkiff, Richard Roat, Talia Balsam.
Directed by John K. Patterson.
Sins of the Mother is a popular telemovie. However, it is quite disturbing. It shows a portrait of a wealthy "typical" American family and then takes us beneath the surface. The mother is a tyrant, possessive, utterly regardless of her son's feelings. She is ambitious, has a successful but weak husband and dominates her life with her whims. Dale Midkiff is effective as the spoilt son, pampered by his mother and yet frequently humiliated by her. It soon emerges that he is a serial rapist, seeking power vengeance on women who he sees resembling his mother. Yet, on the surface, though an underachiever, he is smooth talking and takes his place in society. The film shows his deterioration, the impact of his mother on his life (and. his gentile but withdrawn father), his relationship with women, a girlfriend who might have been able to transform him but whom he alienates, his best friend who must testify against him. The film also shows the police and their investigations, the victims of rape and the brutality that they experience, the hesitation of male police to take the issues seriously. While the film is presented in melodramatic style, it is quite arresting, and quite relevant to the expose of the amount of sexual abuse that goes on under the veneer of society. Elizabeth Montgomery gives a powerhouse performance as the mother which is worth seeing, repellant.
1. Impact of the telemovie? The role of popular telemovies and social issues for the wide audience? The film based on a true story?
2. The Spokane settings, the city and wealth, houses, courts, jails? Musical Score?
3. The title, and the focus on the mother and, her being blamed former sons physical, mental, psychological and moral collapse.
4. The structure of the Film, the presentation of the family, mother and son and their bonds, her whims, his secrecy? The ineffectual father? The background of rapes in Spokane? The police and their investigations? Journalists? The gradual realisation of the truth that Kevin was the rapist? The gradual revelation of his relationship with his mother, his self-image, work, his relationship with Jenny, with his friend, asking them to lie for him, his immaturity, unwillingness to take responsibility?
5. Elizabeth Montgomery's performance as the mother, fierce and intense, the background of her marriage, her bossing her husband and relying on him for status in Spokane? Her wealth? The desire to move to Los Angeles with her son, with Kevin, the work place at the dancing the date? Peoples reaction to her? Her appearance and glamour, wanting to seem young? Her reaction to Kevin's going out? Her rejecting him? Her continually interfering in his life, turning up to his apartment, inviting him to meals, humiliating him? Her tongue and her being and cutting? Her reaction to his girlfriends, barging in? Her place in society and insinuating that her family was better than Any body else in Spokane?
6. The contrast with Kevin, seemingly nice, devoted to his mother, the dance, too close a relationship? At home, going out, his girlfriend and his lies about her, her rejection? At work, his being all talk - and achieving nothing? His being let go? His anger? His relationship with Jenny, courting her, moving in with her? Nice, but erratic? The lies and concealment? The shoplifting and his reaction to the’ authorities, the court, getting Jenny to perjure her self? The new firm, his relationship with his friend? His hopes and yet the underlying secrecy?
7. The portrait of the police, the policewoman and her anger, the authorities and their carelessness towards rape and victims? The brutality, the psychological portrait developed of the rapist? Their interactions with Kevin's mother, with him? The pursuit, the leads, the number plate of the car, the line-ups and the witnesses, taking him to court? Being vindicated?
8. The picture of the victims - And the evidence of the physical and psychological brutality?
9. Jenny, her background, her relationship with Kevin, her reaction to his mother, the meals, the humiliation? Her love for him? The perjury? The realisation of the truth, the visit of the police? Her angers? Her reaction against his mother? The courtroom, her evidence, her evidence about sexual relationships - clinching his behaviour with the rape victims?
10. His best friend, not believing that Kevin could be the rapist, realising the truth, unwilling to perjure himself?
11. Kevin and his behaviour in the court, his plea, his emotional reaction, prison, the phone calls, his mother?
12. He being found guilty, the appeal, the re-trials? His being found guilty and imprisoned?
13. His mother, her lies in the court, trying to protect her son? Her arrogance, snobbish towards the people in Spokane? The guilty verdict, the reaction of Kevin's father (and not willing to believe the best friend)? The mother and her hiring the killer - and the irony of her not realising that she was being set-up? The arrest?
14. Her talking, the guard listening, her justifying herself - and her life in prison?
15. The overall impact of the film, the characterisations, the themes? The nastiness - but the relationship to so much of behaviour in dysfunctional families in America?
