BLACK MARKET BABY (DON'T STEAL MY BABY)

US, 1977, 96 minutes, Colour.
Linda Purl, Desi Arnaz Jr, Jessica Walter.
Directed by Robert Day.

In recent years many telemovies have taken on very serious social themes and presented them emotionally to reach the home audience. This very interesting and affecting film is in this vein, exposing an adoption racket where childless San Francisco society couples can get a baby whose birth has been planned by choice of an unwitting, unmarried mother, paid father and in-the-know lawyers and doctors. The film makes us identify with a most attractive girl and her plight, as well as her determination to keep her child. The experience is designed for emotional response and a felt examination of the social and moral issues and, as such, is recommended.

1. The emotional impact of this film? Interest, entertainment? Reflection? The moralising tone of the film and its impact?

2. How authentic a story, situation, people? The background of San Francisco and the way that it was presented? The people of San Francisco,, life styles, social situations, differences of class, the wealthy society, the background of rackets? How credible?

3. The importance of the credit sequences? The introduction to Antonia, the photos and the variety of places where Antonia went? The fact that she was being pursued? Audience response to this kind of invasion of privacy and surveillance? What kind of person did she seem to be, type, behaviour, religious? An attractive and good girl? Audience puzzle over the reason for the surveillance? The transition to the background of rackets, the use of the photos, the selection of her as victim? The later photo portrait in the how? The build-up to the dramatics of the situation?

4. How well did the film draw the character of Antonia? Her presence, style, study, religious? Her family background? Her response to Steve? Her reaction to his proposals? Her moral judgments and background? Her family and the introductions, their reaction to Steve? Her reaction to them and the sexual culmination with its pregnancy repercussions and her falling victim to the racket? An ordinary attractive girl who was victimised?

5. The establishing of the racket and its background: the lawyer and his position, suave manner, deals? The couple in themselves, their anxiety, ability to pay so much money, 'to commission a baby', their psychological reaction to the situation? Having Ann's portrait? Their later taking her at the time of her need with the conspiracy of the doctor? Their hovering over her in her pregnancy, in her giving birth to the baby? The possessiveness of the mother? Her ability to face the facts when confronted by Ann after giving birth? Audience response to this kind of conspiratorial racket? Amounts of money involved? The commissioning of human life? The original title of Black Market Baby?

6. The personality of the doctor, his place in the conspiracy, his benign approach to Ann, his presence at the birth, the giving of the baby away? His watching at the end when the baby was surrendered?

7. Steve and his personality, our knowing his involvement in the racket, the motivation, the contract with the lawyer, his decision to go through with the plan? What kind of young man could actually do this kind of thing? Personality, charm, study ambitions, the need for money? His encounter with Ann, his attraction towards her and her response to him, the outings and the experiences shared? His visit to her parents and the reaction? The irony of the accuracy of their assessment - for the wrong reasons? The pressures on him? His decision to impregnate her?

8. When did he change? Falling in love with her? His arranging for her to go to the apartment during her pregnancy? The importance of the contract and her signing away the baby - the various devices he used to pressurise her? Seeing him at work, away from Ann? Her discovery about the money and going to him? The confrontation? His decision to ring about the birth of the baby? His going to her at the end and her rejection of him? Would it have been possible for them to love each other and marry?

9. The lawyer and his manner, the interviews, the plausibility of signing the contract? The background of adoptions and departments, investigations? The illegal racket in adoptions? The importance of Ann's finding the letter with the cheque?

10. The film's addition of human touches to make the situation more credible - the pregnant girlfriend and the talks of the two girls together, sharing experiences, discussing pregnancy? The background of the place where girls in such a racket would go?

11. Ann's finding the letter, her disillusionment and pain, her sense of feeling alone, her going to the doctor and her being betrayed by him, the couple and their looking after her, her portrait and the puzzle?

12. The graphic sequences of the birth of the baby, the would-be parents watching, the doctor and his sinister attitudes? Ann and her feeling of being trapped and having to have the baby in the house? The confrontation with the mother and her wanting the baby, neurotic reaction, her giving it up?

13. The response of the would-be parents in actually giving up the baby? Would It solve the crisis of their not having a child? How well was this prepared for by the discussions of the husband and wife, their talking about themselves and their family and the death of their child to Ann?

14. Steve and his final decision, the visit to the hospital? The feeling with which Ann rejected him?

15. Credible and plausible characters and events? Valuable social themes to explore? The didactic tone of the film and its moralising - how effective on an intellectual level, emotionally?