Roe vs. Wade (film)
| Roe vs. Wade | |
|---|---|
 VHS release promotion | |
| Written by | Alison Cross |
| Directed by | Gregory Hoblit |
| Starring |
Holly Hunter Amy Madigan |
| Theme music composer | W.G. Snuffy Walden |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language(s) | English |
| Production | |
| Producer(s) |
Gregory Hoblit Alison Cross Michael Manheim |
| Cinematography | Newton Thomas Sigel |
| Editor(s) |
Joe Ann Fogle Elodie Keene |
| Running time |
100 minutes (US) 91 minutes (German TV broadcast) |
| Production company(s) |
NBC Productions The Mannheim Company |
| Distributor | National Broadcasting Company |
| Release | |
| Original release | May 15, 1989 |
Roe vs. Wade is a 1989 television film written by Alison Cross about the landmark 1973 United States Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade. It was directed by Gregory Hoblit and stars Holly Hunter.
Plot
Holly Hunter plays a lonely, single, poorly educated Texan who finds herself pregnant with no means to support a child. To avoid giving up the child, she seeks an abortion. Denied an abortion in Texas the young woman hires a novice lawyer to plead her case in the U.S. Supreme Court.[1]
Cast
- Holly Hunter as Ellen Russell
- Amy Madigan as Sarah Weddington
- Chris Mulkey as Ron Weddington
- Dion Anderson as Flowers
- Terry O'Quinn as Jay Floyd
- Stephen Tobolowsky as Darryl Horwath
- Alycia Grant as Sherry Roe
- James Avery
- Maggie Baird
- Kathy Bates
- Daniel Benzali
- Kevin Cooney
Production
Roe vs. Wade was filmed on 35 mm film with an aspect ratio of 1.33 : 1 and mixed in stereo.[2]
The script was rewritten seventeen times because network censors did not want the end result appearing as overly prochoice. Scriptwriter Alison Cross in particular was forced to mollify the prochoice lawyer’s image and portray a better case for those opposing abortion. NBC also deleted a scene showing some of the blood and filth of an illegal abortion mill.[3]
Release
The film first aired on NBC on May 15, 1989.[4] It was the 10th most viewed primetime television show for the week, with a 17.0 Nielsen rating, and seen in an estimated 15.3 million homes.[5]
The German TV broadcast was edited down from 100 to 91 minutes.[6]
Awards
41st Primetime Emmy Awards
| Year | Category | Nominee(s) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Outstanding Drama/Comedy Special | Michael Manheim, Gregory Hoblit, Alison Cross | Won |
| Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Special | Holly Hunter | Won | |
| Amy Madigan | Nominated | ||
| Outstanding Directing in a Miniseries or Special | Gregory Hoblit | Nominated | |
| Outstanding Editing in a Miniseries or Special | Elodie Keane, Joe Ann Foegle | Nominated | |
| Outstanding Writing in a Miniseries or Special | Alison Cross | Nominated |
47th Golden Globe Awards
| Year | Category | Nominee(s) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Best Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television | Michael Manheim, Gregory Hoblit, Alison Cross | Nominated |
| Best Performance by an Actress - Miniseries or Television Movie | Holly Hunter | Nominated | |
| Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role - Miniseries or Television Movie | Amy Madigan | Won |
References
- ↑ "Roe vs. Wade (1989 TV Movie) : Plot Summary". IMDb.com. Retrieved 2015-05-21.
- ↑ "Roe vs. Wade (1989 TV Movie) : Technical Specifications". IMDb.com. Retrieved 2015-05-21.
- ↑ Rapping, Elayne (May 17, 1989). "Prime Time for Prochoice Film". Guardian.
- ↑ "Roe vs. Wade (1989 TV Movie) : Release Info". IMDb.com. Retrieved 2015-05-21.
- ↑ Buck, Jerry (28 May 1989). Jessica's rescue highest rated show for past week, News-Telegram (Sulphur Springs, Texas) (Associated Press story)
- ↑ "Roe vs. Wade (1989 TV Movie) : Technical Specifications". IMDb.com. Retrieved 2015-05-21.
External links
- Roe vs. Wade on IMDb