A CHILD LOST FOREVER

US, 1992, 100 minutes, Colour.
Beverley d'Angelo, Dana Ivey, Max Gale, Will Patton, Mackenzie Astin.
Directed by Claudia Weill.

A Child Lost Forever is a telemovie which was very topical in the early '90s and continues to reveal the extraordinary changes in western culture consciousness about child abuse.

The film opens in the early '70s in Minneapolis with a 17 year old having to give up her child for adoption. There is complete pressure from the Welfare Department for her to sign the documents as well as for the father to sign. It was said that when the child turned 18 it was free to search for its birth mother. She finds that she is able to send a letter to her son and if he wishes, he can reply. However, she is told that the boy has been dead for 16 years.

With the help of her three children, she makes contact with the adoptive mother and a story of violent abuse by the adoptive mother appears. There is an investigation and a court case.

The screenplay highlights that doctors and social workers in the mid '70s were not aware of the extent of violent abuse of children and did not have the medical and legal knowledge. Things had changed by the early '90s and continued to do so throughout the '90s.

Beverley d'Angelo portrays the mother from the age of 17 to her forties and grows in authority as the film progresses. Will Patton is the journalist who helps. Dana Ivey, always a rather strong personality in her films, seems even more sharp and vindictive as the abusive mother. Direction is by Claudia Weill, who made a number of feature films in the '70s including It's My Turn, with Michael Douglas and Jill Clayburgh, but has continued to work in television.

1. A television movie for home viewing? The characters, the plot, the themes of parenting, physical abuse of children? The powerful impact for the home audience?

2. The Minnesota settings, towns and cities, homes, cemeteries, courts? From the '70s to the '90s? The musical score?

3. The title and its evocativeness in relationship to Dennis? To Gerry? To the adoptive parents? To the world and society?

4. The portrait of Gerry and her irresponsibility, wild, her father making her a ward of the state? In the institution, trying to escape? Pregnant, the response of Dennis? The birth of the child, the pressure on her to sign the child for adoption? Dennis signing the papers? Her being deprived of her child? The possibility of the child searching for its mother when it turned 18?

5. Three years passing: Gerry and her work as a stripper, marrying Dennis, having the baby? The anniversary of giving up the baby?

6. The years passing, Gerry making something of herself, real estate agent? Her three children and the home life? Still enjoying a good time but also her sense of responsibility? Her concern about her son? The children urging her to do something about it, her finding out that she could write to her son? The devastation when she learned that he was dead?

7. The phone call to Lois Jurgen? Her promises, her fears? Her not following up the phone call and changing her number?

8. The portrait of Lois Jurgen and her husband, upright citizens, religious? Lois disciplining Dennis in the yard with Robert? Robert always doing the right thing? Dennis being wild, refusing to come in, to eat his food? The pressure put on him by Lois? The revelation of his death, the report, the bruises (Lois calling them blotches), peritonitis? The incomplete coroner's form? The revelation of the truth, especially Robert's flashbacks, the cruelty to Dennis, Lois's niece in the court telling about the force feeding of the vomit? His being thrown down the stairs, punched and kicked? Lois responsible for his death?

9. Lois and her husband? A strong minded religious and vindictive woman? Terrorising the rest of the family? The witnesses at the time of the investigation? Her threats? Her ineffectual husband, avoiding the issues, supporting his wife, seeing Robert in the cafe, hurt by his son's investigations, in the court and his bewilderment? Lois and her sitting in the court, staring at her son, indicating his answers? The sentence and her being led away to prison?

10. Gerry and her investigations in the papers, going to the police, their inability to help, the growing interest, their supporting her case, discussions with Robert, in the courts? Her looking at the papers with her son? Going to the doctors, to the lawyers? Melissa and her antagonism? Clayton and his support? The pressure on Melissa from the law firm to move quickly with the case?

11. Frank Maxwell as the newspaper reporter, listening to the story, starting his investigation, the neighbours, writing the article? Leading to the opening of the case, charging Lois Jurgen? His presence in the court and support of Gerry?

12. The investigation, the files, the doctors' opinions? Robert and the discussions with the police, his having been in the home for five years, his relationship with his parents, his own marriage and child and entrusting the child to his mother, his worry about not having been told about Dennis's death? His changing attitudes towards testifying? Giving evidence, his memories, his being asked whether his mother had killed Dennis? His reply that she had? The visit to the cemetery, a reconciliation with Gerry and the family?

13. The trial, the witnesses, the evidence? The verdict and the judge's harsh comment on Lois and on the hardship experienced by Gerry as well as her bringing up of her family well? Her former husband coming to support her at the court case?

14. The final scene at the grave and the bringing to conclusion and closure this experience of their lives?

15. The importance of physical abuse of children, the reticence of the '70s, the transition to the '90s and the court cases, charges and sentences?