The Burning Bed (1984) (TV)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

Robert Greenwald

Writers:

Faith McNulty (book) and
Rose Leiman Goldemberg (writer)

Release Date:

8 October 1984 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

An abused battered wife has had enough of husband beating up on her. Everywhere she turns for help, there's not much anyone will do. After he rapes her one night, she sets the bed on fire with him in it asleep.

Plot Keywords:

Conjugal Rape | House | Fear Of One's Husband | Marital Abuse | Junior High School

Awards:

Won Golden Globe. Another 2 wins & 13 nominations

Cast

Farrah Fawcett	...	Francine Hughes
Paul Le Mat	...	Mickey Hughes
Richard Masur	...	Aryon Greydanus
Grace Zabriskie	...	Flossie Hughes
Penelope Milford	...	Gaby
Christa Denton	...	Christy age 12
James T. Callahan	...	Berlin Hughes
Gary Grubbs	...	District Attorney
David Friedman	...	Jimmy age 10
David Andrews	...	Wimpy Hughes
James Hampton	...	Police Witness
Virgil Frye	...	Virg
Dixie K. Wade	...	Hazel Moran
Heather Rich	...	Christy age 6
Justin Gocke	...	Jimmy age 4

Runtime:

Brazil:100 min | USA:95 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:16

Company:

Tisch/Avnet Productions Inc.

Trivia:

The role of Francine was originally offered to Cheryl Ladd, but she declined the part.

Quotes:

Hazel Moran: If you make a hard bed, you have to lay in it.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Feast 3: The Happy Finish (2009) (V)

Staggering study of domestic abuse.

Farrah Fawcett plays an abused mother who kills her husband by setting his bed on fire. She is then arrested for murder, pleads insanity, and sets to convince the jury by recounting her story describing exactly what she endured.

A staggering study of domestic abuse, brings the emotional crises of abused women to heart-aching life.

***1/2 out of ****. One of the greatest TV movies ever.