EVERYBODY'S BABY, THE RESCUE OF JESSICA McCLURE

US, 1989, 90 minutes, Colour.
Beau Bridges, Roxana Zal, Patty Duke, Pat Hingle.
Directed by Mel Damski.

Everybody's Baby, The Rescue of Jessica Mc Clure is a competent and involving telemovie. It is based on the true story of the little West Texas girl who mysteriously falls down an 8-inch diameter well and is lodged there. It took over 56 hours to rescue her. The local police, fire brigade and other agencies did their best to rescue her. Experts from all over the United States volunteered their help and their equipment. (And the film shows an eccentric group of cranks also offering all kinds of remedies and cures.)

The film was directed by Mel Damski, a competent director of many telemovies. He treats the material as a docudrama. The film sketches the very young parents, played effectively by former child star Roxana Xal (Table for Five, Something About Amelia) and Will Oldham (the excellent young preacher from John Sayles' Matewan). Beau Bridges and Pat Hingle lead the rescue group. Patty Duke is the social worker helping the mother. However, as the screenplay says, many people helped and tended to remain anonymous. In fact, the film is dedicated to the number of volunteers who indicated that generosity is still present amongst. the American people.

The film focuses on the characters, shows the difficulties of the rescue operation, highlights the contribution of the various helpers. It also generates an atmosphere of tension, especially the final rescue. A satisfying drama, a humane film - and optimistic about the possibilities of human kindness.

1. Interesting telemovie? Based on a true story? The incredibility of Jessica falling down the well? Lodging there? The difficulties of the rescue operation? The contributions and generosity?

2. The West Texas locations, the, opening and the ordinary town, backyard? The ordinary people and their way of life? The details of the rescue operation, editing and pace, close-ups, etc? Musical score?

3. The film showing ordinary people, their predicaments, the need for rescue operations, skills and expertise, the human factors, energy and weariness, anxiety, despair, hope?

4. The portrait of the parents: Sissy and her love for her daughter, minding the children, the sudden disappearance, her handling the situation, anxiety, the help from the social worker? Worrying about disturbing her husband? Her anxiety, sharing the wait with her husband? The husband as a decent
young man, painter? His anxiety? The father and his preparation of his speech, rehearsal, his words to the press? His being rejected by, the worker as a crank? The relief of the parents, their taking the baby to hospital?

5. The sketch of the police chief, lack of experience in the town, collaborating with the fire department? The fire department chief, his having to make decisions, interaction with people, personal concern?

6. The presentation of the variety of people helping: the two policemen on patrol, their staying with the baby, talking to her, lowering the microphone? The television personnel, lending the cameras and the microphone? Rodney, his comments, exasperation and tiredness? The fire department people? Questions of power and gas? The cave climber and his contribution? The drilling machine and the drillers? The doctor staying on guard? The heater and the telephone company? The range of cranks - the man volunteering his baby, the machine for attaching clothes? The man wanting to persuade the parents to make a statement? The wealthy man with his 727 and water drill? The final rescuers - thin, going into the tunnel, unable to get the baby, the wider hole, the risk of breaking the baby's limb's, sliding her down and rescuing her? The solidarity of people in the town putting pink ribbons on vehicles? The range of helpers?

7. The social worker, her care for Sissy, trying to be wise and comforting?

8. A picture of a community getting together, the unpredictable nature of the accident, the difficulties in the rescue, human faith and generosity?