Counseling helps family deal with the discovery that their child was sexually abused by the closest relative. The title of the movie is "Something About Amelia." That something, is the case that a father has been forcing his daughter, Amelia, to have sexual intercourse with him for almost two years. Copyright 2023 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. More than 20 years later I happened to catch it on a rebroadcast and I was astonished how awful it was in every way. - something about amelia stock videos & royalty-free footage At one point, he says, "I can't believe I didn't know anything about you going to a dance with another boy." 1984. I caught this made-for-TV movie one afternoon many years ago, and I was stunned by its delicacy and intelligence of an extremely candid subject matter: incest. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of serviceapply. Amelia goes into therapy at the facility with the therapist telling her she did nothing wrong. First in disbelief then anger. It has just 363 user votes at imdb.com, presumably since only that many viewers could finish the icky tearjerker. This aired during my prime TV-watching years as a kid and I think, maybe, I remember the cover of the TV Guide, but otherwise have absolutely no memory of this at all. Allegations that rock the heart of the family to its very core. Nope. There are 2 scenes to note in the film: When Gail confronts her husband about what he has done to the family and her, it is so full of emotion that you can feel the pain from every word that Gail spits at him. Her motives are both common and appallingly selfish: "She didn't wish to marry him, but she wished to keep him. It was a tough watch. That's a serial pedophile, not some troubled soul. Counseling helps family deal with the discovery that their child was sexually abused by the closest relative. Muhammad Noman. The plot opens with pretty, smart thirteen year old Amelia growing up in upper middle class suburbia with her parents and younger sister. Randa Haines ("Children of a Lesser God," "Wrestling Ernest Hemingway") sensitively directs a television movie of very high caliber. I hope it helped many incest survivors, and their families, to face the past and move on to a better future. You have credit to Danson for taking on this role. Ted Danson learns the best meal is home cooked with his very own hot piece of tail a couple doors down the hall, thirteen year-old daughter Amelia, played by Roxana Zal. I watched this film back in the late eighties when someone had recorded it on tape (remember tape?). They underscore some important points, most notably that the phenomenon cuts across all social and economic levels. Ted Danson Glenn Close Olivia Cole Roxana Zal Lane Smith Jane Kaczmarek Melissa Francis Kevin Conway Matthew Faison James Carrington Mark Withers Michael Bond Ed Call Robert Hitt Keri Montgomery Patrick O'Brien, Leonard Goldberg Deborah Stoff Michele Rappaport, 100mins Something About Amelia is a 1984 American television drama film directed by Randa Haines which aired on January 9, 1984 on the ABC network. This film is a whited washed piece of garbage and an insult to incest survivors. She's a bit shy but, except for a sudden moment of panic, she handles her first date rather well, enough for the boy to want to take her to the movies the following week. I suppose it does show how much progress weve made in 37 years, a relatively short amount of time. 1984 She's not the bouncy and attractive cheerleader type, but she has her own quietly appealing assets. I saw this movie as a young teenager myself in the mid-80s. A spiritual movement ensues, changing the course of American history forever. According to executive producer Leonard Goldberg in an article with People magazine: "ABC stipulated that father and daughter were not to be shown in bed together and further that there be no scenes showing the father going into the girls bedroom and closing the door behind him, which would be even worse.". The film follows 13-year-old Amelia Bennett, who breaks her silence about being sexually abused by her father after fearing that her younger sister might be harmed by him too. The acting is fine, the cinematography and editing is handled compotently, and the film speeds along at a decent pace. She ended up on a crazy ward and had a shoe lace. "Something About Amelia" revolves around a typical, middle-class family named the Bennetts. When the mom finally starts to realize her daughter is likely telling the truth, does she kick her husband out and press charges? Just because you forgive doesn't mean that you forget, and for the troubled Roxana Zal, dealing with the issue of molestation by father Ted Danson doesn't mean that she'll want anything to do with him unless he can prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that he desperately wants to atone. The film follows 13-year-old Amelia Bennett, who breaks her silence about being sexually abused by her father after fearing that her younger sister might be harmed by him too. Menu. Letterboxd is an independent service created by a small team, and we rely mostly on the support of our members to maintain our site and apps. Set in rural Ireland in 1981, the story follows Cait (Catherine Clinch), the quiet and shy nine-year-old daughter of abusive and impoverished parents who have many children. The mom keeps trying to find ways to stay married and get custody of Amelia back (again, why is she desperate to stay in a marriage with a man who spent years raping their child and planned to do the same with their other one?). The Streamable uses the TMDb API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDb. How did this win nominations and awards? Her husband finally confesses and counters that when she had a health scare years earlier he was lonely and felt like he got no attention, so he decided why not force his 11 year old into sex actsand it continued because she (the wife) later got a higher paying job than his and made him feel immasculated. TV Shows. Michael Landon was the first choice to play Steven Bennett. Anticipating a flood of telephone calls, the ABC network had its affiliates line up local social service agencies; they flashed their phone numbers onscreen at the end of the film for children or parents who were personally concerned about incest. Michele Rappaport is the producer. They recruit a working-class white man to front their ambitious real estate and banking operations. Ruth Walters: Amelia, You haven't committed any crime, try to remember that. Uma Thurman stars as an assassin who seeks bloody revenge on those who left her for dead on her wedding day. R36 Awww that's Audrey Griswald from European Vacation. The only one who would appreciate the approach of this film is the offenders. Sothats why, I guess? Ted Danson cast against type as the molesting father. Drama, Family. Painful subject is sensitively and realistically handled, Brave attempt at a controversial subject, but an impenetrable glaze of phoniness remains, When BIG pain hits get some counseling. What does her mother do when Amelia and the counselor inform her? 80s TV movies are a lot better than the crap that comes out on Hallmark. More at It's an insult to child victims of abuse everywhere. I remember this but didn't want to watch Sam Malone molesting his kid. 1 hr 40 mins. Some piece of dialog? She talks nauseatingly about how she's so jealous her husband "cheated" with their underage daughter. Something About Amelia was notorious in its day, but its eight Emmy nominations (three wins) and four Golden Globe nods (two wins) have long since been forgotten, as has the film itself. The interchange upsets Amelia to the point she starts spacing out in class and flunking tests. In Fallen Angel you can watch her seduce Richard "Hold me , David" Masur. The counselor calls the police, who remove Amelia to a foster facility as an emergency measure, yet tell the dad they won't arrest him. Filmpedia, the Films Wiki is a FANDOM Movies Community. But as new details emerge, the family is shaken to its core. Randa Haines directed. 'Something About Amelia,' the tastefully told story of what happens to a middle class family when the elder daughter reveals she has had an incestuous relationship with her father, was the No. The A.C. Nielsen prime time ratings for the week ending Jan. 15, gave ABC an 18.1 rating with a 28 percent share of the viewing audience; CBS a 16.9 rating with a 26 shareand NBC a 15.4 rating . Director Randa Haines Writer William Hanley Stars Ted Danson Glenn Close Olivia Cole See production, box office & company info Add to Watchlist 2023 TV GUIDE, A FANDOM COMPANY. The Emmy-winning teleplay by William Hanley fails, really, to give us a strong, sound foundation in which to build the central drama, while the young heroine (Emmy-winner Roxana Zal) internalizes her pain, becoming a somewhat somnambulant victim. It had to be written by a pedophile or something it's totally disturbing how they casually blame the mother for the father sleeping with a 13-year-old daughter . How did the TV movie starring Ted Danson and Glenn Close that basically said incest could be fixed with family therapy be made and win so many awards? This is the kind of movie where the wife counts the number of weeks her husband hasn't made love to her, leading to her feeling like a scorned woman after digesting her daughter's story. Ted Danson, Glenn Close. Amelia blames herself and worries that Steven will start molesting her younger sister Beth (Melissa Francis). She hung herself because she could not protect her little sister. Something About Amelia: Directed by Randa Haines. The Bennett's, from all appearances, look like the typical American family. Some features on this site require a subscription. SOMETHING ABOUT AMELIA (1984)"Counseling helps a family deal with the discovery that their child was sexually abused by the closest relative. The mom rails against her daughter for lying, her father plays dumb and her little sister, who hasn't yet become her father's victim, is baffled. TMDb Something About Amelia is a 1984 television film about psychological trauma caused in a family by a father's molestation of his daughter. One of the shittiest things you can experience as a teen is to hear someone who is being abused, report it to your folks, get some bullshit status report, have everyone grow silent, and thennothing. By law Mrs. Hall must notify the police. The film is very well handled for such a sensitive subject. Something About Amelia. The role ultimately went to Ted Danson. I saw that as a kid some Saturday afternoon and it was fucked up. I saw this when it aired originally in 1984. Jump on his desk and swear him out and throw a fit because you should. amelia gade corson, holding flowers, comes down steps of city hall, nyc mayor jimmy walker on her left, her husband clemington holding one of their. He smokes too much, and she might occasionally drink more white wine than she should. The family at the center of this story, as written, isn't very believable, even with Emmy-nominated Glenn Close and Ted Danson cast as the parents; their stilted-bickering interactions both before and after Amelia's revelation aren't convincing. Take a look at The person who commits incest, it is noted, could be anyone. This movie is so disrespectful to incest survivors and the way they try to victimize the molester is absolutely disgusting. Again, what?? Lauded with award nominations. NEW YORK -- 'Something About Amelia,' the made-for-TV movie about incest, carried ABC to the top of the prime time network ratings last week, followed consecutively by season frontrunner CBS and NBC. Some features on this site require registration. Did You Hear the One About the Traveling Saleslady? Adaptation of EL James's erotic bestseller. Something about Amelia. It was a revelation to me. Please click here to get full access and no ads for $1.99 or less per month. Everything is revealed through school counselor Jane Kaczmarek who is given the heave ho by Close and decides to report it to the authorities. Glenn Close as his wife reacts realistically. A film dealing with incest that is perpetrated by a most trusted and authoritative member of the family. However, things are not what is seems: Amelia (A strong performance by Roxanne Zal) has been sexually abused by her father, Steven(Ted Danson) for a long time. It felt incredibly dated (like all TV movies, I suppose). It's blunt, serious and unfolds organically. Nothing happens. Forgiveness is for the victim, not the perpetrator. Shame and fear have kept Amelia Bennett silent about the sexual molestation she's been suffering at the hands of her father, Steven. 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