CHOICES OF THE HEART
US, 1983, 100 minutes, Colour.
Melissa Gilbert, Martin Sheen, Mike Farrell, Helen Hunt, Peter Horton, Rene Enriquez, Pamela Bellwood.
Directed by Joseph Sargent.
Choices of the Heart is a very well-made telemovie, providing world-wide audiences and the home audience with a glimpse into El Salvador, 1980. It is the story of lay missionary Jean Donovan who, along with three sisters, was murdered by the national guard. Their case became an international scandal, intervention was made by American Ambassador White, and it highlighted the oppression in El Salvador. This was the period of Archbishop Oscar Romero, who earlier in the year was killed by assailants unknown while celebrating the Eucharist in the capital, San Salvador.
Melissa Gilbert, best known for the television serious Little House on the Prairie, portrays Jean Donovan as a lively American girl with a sense of search and dedication. (Melissa Gilbert appeared in such movies as the remakes of The Miracle Worker and Splendor in the Grass.) The supporting cast includes Martin Sheen in a guest role as an Irish priest who had an influence on Jean Donovan, and Mike Farrell as Ambassador White.
The film gives one of the best pictures of lay missionaries and contemporary sisters in American-made films. (Comparison might be made with Judith Ivey in the African-set We Are the Children.)
Of significance is the presentation of Archbishop Romero, especially his final homily and the assassination in the cathedral. This incident was portrayed vigorously in Oliver Stone's Salvador as well as the biographical film Romero produced by Paulist Father Bud Kaiser and directed by Australian John Duigan with Raul Julia as the archbishop.
A documentary film was made on Jean Donovan and the lay missionaries, Roses in December. This is a fine telemovie companion piece.
1.The impact of the film? Lay missionaries, contemporary sisters, working in central America, the dangers, political and economic pressures, violence?
2.The American atmosphere, Jean Donovan's background? Her visits to Ireland? The impact of life in El Salvador, the cities, the villages? Authentic atmosphere?
3.The Catholic background of the film: Jean Donovan's upbringing, her search, her faith, her commitment to lay missionary work, the Maryknoll training, work in Salvador with the other missionaries, the life and dedication of the sisters, the work of the clergy, Archbishop Romero and his preaching against social injustice and oppression, his assassination?
4.The portrait of Jean Donovan: Melissa Gilbert and her screen presence, life at home, affluence, her family, friends, education? Boyfriends? Study, vitality? Questions of faith and doubt? Her friend and their sharing ideas? The visit to Ireland, meeting Patrick, flirting with him, overwhelming him? Father Matt and his friendship? Raising questions for her, the possibility of lay missionary work? Her return to the United States, the decision, reaction of family, her friend? The training at Maryknoll and its impact on her? The meeting with Doug, friendship, attraction, shared time together, falling in love?
5.Her decision to go to El Salvador: meeting the missionaries, work in the city, the visit to Ambassador White and his wife? Her knowledge of the situation? Work in the villages? Living with Dorothy and the other nuns, their discussions about life and values, isolation, loneliness? Dedication? The dangers in the village, the friendships? The young man and his flirting, trying to get into the room, his friends, the assassination in the street and its impact on Jean? Coping with suffering? The visit to Ireland, meeting Father Matt? More serious? The social and the wedding? His getting her to speak to the students - and the expressions of her commitment and conviction? The decision to return to El Salvador? Doug's visit to El Salvador, shared time together, his fears? Time in America - and her decision to return, knowing the dangers? The return, meeting Dorothy and her friends, the airport sequence, the disappearance?
6.The flashback nature of the film - the sequences at the airport, the national guard, the sense of menace? The mystery as to what happened? The investigations by the ambassador? By Colonel Rojas? Piecing together what happened, the evidence of witnesses? Digging up of the graves? The information that the women were raped and murdered? The impact of their deaths?
7.Father Matt, his dedication with the students, influence on Jean, her visit to Ireland, his getting her to give the talk?
8.Jean and her friendships, Patrick, her being too much for him? Doug, shared experiences, love, hope for marriage, his visit? His disappointment at her return?
9.The portrait of the nuns, Dorothy, her background, working in Salvador, friendship with Jean, shared experiences, dangers? The other sisters, their experiences in Nicaragua?
10.Ambassador White, friendship, the difficulties of negotiations, civil war in El Salvador, his pursuit of the questions about the disappearance of the missionaries? The attempts to bring the killers to justice - and the failed attempts?
11.Archbishop Romero, the significance of his own conversion, leadership in El Salvador, his sermon, the assassination, her being venerated as a martyr?
12.The people in the villages, poverty, suffering, attacked by the national guard? Peasants, trying to live their own lives, victimised?
13.Colonel Rojas, negotiations with the Americans, administration of government in El Salvador? The national guard, the recruits, their brutality? Violence and rape? Colonel Rojas and his negotiations?
14.The title of the film? Its relationship to Jean Donovan and her commitment? The screenplay was written by John Pielmeier, author of the play and screenplay of Agnes of God.
