THE SEEDING OF SARAH BURNS

US, 1979, 120 minutes, Colour.
Kay Lenz, Martin Balsam, Cassie Yates, Cliff de Young.
Directed by Sandor Stern.

The Seeding of Sarah Burns is an interesting telemovie focusing on experimentation with fertility and with surrogate motherhood. Since the film was made in the late '70s, the subject became much wore openly discussed. The experimentation and success with in vitro fertilisation made the subject even more topical.

Kay Lenz is attractive in the central role of Sarah Burns who agrees to have the ova implanted in her and to bear another couple's child. Cliff de Young is an engaging hero. Martin Balsam is very good as the doctor.

The film uses the style of American telemovies with the touch of soap opera. However, it does it quite effectively and communicates with the wide television audience.

1. The importance of this kind of telemovie? As dramatising important medical, ethical and moral issues? The emotional response to such dramatisation? As an aid to understanding of the issues?

2. The film and its contemporary tone - thinking itself a bit ahead of time with its focus on experimentation and fertility? The 70s, the 70s style, apartments, music entertainment, art work, hospitals W0

3. The audience understanding of and response to issues of surrogate motherhood? The transplantation into the womb? Moral issues, ethical issues? Developments in science and medicine - corresponding to human capacity for these advances? The possibilities of genetic engineering and fertility? The psychological and emotional realities?

4. The introduction to Sarah, audiences identifying with her? An attractive girl, her style, apartment, friends, relationships, work, the typing pool? Her looking at the information and volunteering for the experiment? Audiences interested in what was to happen to her? Experiencing the pregnancy and its repercussions with her?

5. A strong character, her reading the doctor's report, her interview with him, her offer? His discussion with her and her being accepted? The walk along the beach and the discussion of the issues, the implications? The conditions and the legal repercussions? Her waiting for the wife to become pregnant? The implantation? The joy of pregnancy? The experience of motherhood? Living alone, the encounter with Tim? The outings, the meal, her clash with him, unable to tell him the full truth? The bond between the two, his feeling that he was the father? Her attack on him? Illness and his support? Her wanting to keep the baby? The psychological transformation? Her running away? The hospital clash with the mother of the child? The experience of birth, the love of the child, the realisation that it was not hers? The effect of the pregnancy experience on her? Her future?

6. The doctor and his experiments, his interviewing Sarah, the medical and ethical issues, his discussions with the couple, the wife's medical health and their hope for a child? His care for Sarah? Discussions with Tim? The final clash about whom the baby belonged to? Participation in the birth?

7. The sketch of the couple, their wanting a child, the wife's medical history and inability to carry the child? Their agreement to the surrogate motherhood? Medical and moral issues? Emotional issues? The wife feeling jealous of the pregnant mother? The difficulties? Her final confrontation with Sarah in the hospital?

8. Tim - his girlfriend, the apartment, his work, the girl leaving him, his weeping, supported by Sarah, the outing, the meal, Sarah thinking that he was presuming too much, his love for her, his wanting to be committed? Happiness in the relationship with her, feeling that he was the father? The discussion with her and the doctor telling the truth? His finding Sarah, the severity of his treatment of her and making her face reality? Future prospects?

9. The detail of the experiment, the pregnancy, Sarah's life, Tim's life, the sketch of the married couple and their anticipation of the birth?

10. The role of telemovies to entertain and instruct? Showing scenarios of moral issues? Highlighting the implications? The value of and emotional response to such issues?