WHO WILL LOVE MY CHILDREN?

US, 1983, 100 minutes, Colour.
Ann Margret, Frederic Forrest, Donald Moffat, Cathryn Damon.
Directed by John Erman.

Who Will Love My Children is a sad and moving human drama. The screenplay is based on a true story, of a woman dying of cancer who wants to place her ten children in foster homes before she dies. Ann- Margret, minus make-up, is quite believable in this central role. (One might compare her performances in The Return of the Soldier, I Ought To Be In Pictures, Magic.) She is well-supported by Frederic Forrest as the father incapable of looking after his children. The children themselves are also well-portrayed.

The film is continually sad - but has something to say about the resilience of human nature.

1. The impact of the film? A humane film? Sadness for the situation and the characters? Admiration for Lucille?

2. The film based on a true story: real, realistic, credible? Audience identification with the characters and situation? With the emotions? The feel for the characters? For Lucille and her decisions? Her death? A blend of emotion and insight?

3. The period re-creation of the '50s: location, the open territory, the isolated house. the situation. the town? The poor family? The background of work in the foundry, in the abattoirs? Scenes at home? Authentic? Musical score and emotional response?

4. The title and the theme. the focus on Lucille, on the children, on the sense of family and bonds, the emphasis on love and providing? The repercussions of family, death?

5. The strong performance of Ann-Margret? Her presence, appearance, strength? Her portraying a mother and the detail of her care for all of her children? Her impatience with Ivan and yet her tolerance of him, love for him, reliance on his support? Her bearing a hard life? Her forgiving nature? Her positive outlook on life? The discovery of the lumps, the visit to the doctor, apprehension about illness? The impact of her illness and her growing worse, preparing for death? Her not wanting to take medication? Her treating each of the children personally - telling them about her impending death, using religious language and going to Heaven to explain it to them? Her telling Ivan and his unwillingness to listen? Hazel and her offer of help. Lucille's accepting it? The importance of the first interview - the values of the family, the children able to visit one another, financial background, religious background, the possibilities of education? Her list of questions? The possibilities of success and failure in placing the children? Re-examining situations? Ivan and his continued drinking, loss of his job? The final pain of Frank's not being able to find a home. taking him to the institution? Her nightmare and dream, seeing the children, visiting them for the last time?

6. The detail of Lucille's life: the opening and the two men coming back drunk, needing the car to go to the hospital for the birth. Lucille's anger and love, her feeding Stephen. the discovery of the lump, the biopsy and the reality of her cancer. the prescriptions? The birthday party and the gifts. the cakes? Scenes of washing, coping with Frank's spells? Trying to make Ivan believe? Joanna and her anger with her father, wanting Joanna to forgive her father? The love for each child? The dream. the vision of the children, Ivan taking her to the bus, the final visit to Joanna and the completion of her work?

7. The reality of cancer, talking about cancer, facing the reality of death, planning, illness and strength, dying?
8. Ivan and his irresponsibility? Drinking with Clay, the driving, his being used to the birth of his children? His jobs and his arthritis, drinking? Noise? The kids laughing at him? Joanna and her anger? Seeing him at work, dropping the metal, getting the sack, pleading, going to the abattoirs? His anger? The visit of Mr. Thomas and the discussion about taking the children? His inability to face the reality of Lucille's death? A loving man,' tenderness, sweet-talking his wife, yet unable to cope, alcoholic? Finally alone and at the funeral? His children joining him?

9. Joanna and her poise, having to cope with the children, seconding her mother? Her politeness - as noticed by the Thomases? Her treatment of the girls, the boys, especially Warren and Frank? Looking after the baby? The various visits? Her visit to the Thomases, the effect, the sadness of saying goodbye? Her reaction against her father? The various children and their talking together, playing together, studying? The boys and the bond between Warren and Frank? Lucille taking them wading in the water?

10. Hazel and her concern, her help, her relations? The final adoption of Frank?

11. The portrayal of the various families? The family that came to get Stephen? The farms, the milking of the cows? The Thomases and their wealth? Warren and Frank going out with the couple? Moving to California?

12. Frank and his spells, no family able to take him, the doctor trying to get another doctor interested, the visit to the institution?

13. Lucille's doctor and his bluntness, directness? Trying to find a family for Frank?

14. A film of detail of family? Audiences responding to this? Emotionally? With insight? An American story? Universal and true?