Abc Monday Night Movie for Their Own Good

 Posted on May 24, 2024  |  5 minutes  |  1024 words  |  Jenniffer Sheldon

When toxicity of materials used by a Texas manufacturer prove dangerous to unborn offspring of workers, company comes up with bizarre solution to potential lawsuits: Female laborers must decide between sterilization and unemployment. Adapted from a true story, gritty meller "For Their Own Good" stars Elizabeth Perkins as a woman who defies the system with moderate success.

When toxicity of materials used by a Texas manufacturer prove dangerous to unborn offspring of workers, company comes up with bizarre solution to potential lawsuits: Female laborers must decide between sterilization and unemployment. Adapted from a true story, gritty meller “For Their Own Good” stars Elizabeth Perkins as a woman who defies the system with moderate success.

Writers lay on the adversity with a shovel: Not only is Perkins’ character fighting sexual discrimination, but poverty, an abusive husband and a messy divorce.

Sally Thompson (Perkins) toils in the factory, where her duties include moving what appear to be ingots of metal from one location to another and standing on a ladder while blue gook spurts over her.

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Male employees of the plant resent female incursion into their turf, but amuse themselves by peeking into the ladies’ room, even though the women regularly poke a stick through the hole and into the peepers’ peepers.

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In the meantime, Thompson’s marriage is falling apart. Hubby Clark not above thrashing her and threatening to kill Sally and young son Jody if they leave him.

The plant issues an ultimatum ordering sterilization of women only (hence the sexual discrimination angle); the male-dominated union drags its heels.

Everything’s wrapped up at the end, but the settlement is minor and a footnote informs that it wasn’t this case that ultimately led Supreme Court to rule against fetal protection policies dramatized in film.

Perkins is solid, with Laura San Giacomo, also making her telefilm debut, so-so in unchallenging role of attorney who flies all the way from New York City — local mouthpiece won’t help, and ACLU evidently doesn’t have a Texas chapter.

For that matter, why was it necessary for Thompson to fly to Gotham to state her case, and how was she able to afford the trip? Or, why didn’t producers film the story that actually did lead to the Supreme Court decision instead of this fabrication, which ends with an anticlimactic and minimal out-of-court settlement?

Standout supporting perfs are by Michael O’Neill as Sally’s scary husband; Charles Haid as a plant foreman; CCH Pounder and Kelli Williams as co-workers; William G. Schilling as a local attorney; Peggy Doyle and an uncredited Dana Elcar as Sally’s parents; Gary Basaraba as Roy, a good ol’ boy with bassett-hound eyes and a longin’ for Sally; and David Graf as Miles, who also has the hots for Sally.

Much of film has an other-worldly look, with plant interiors inexplicably bathed in pastel light. Exteriors turn Southern California locations into reasonable facsimile of arid, hot west Texas.

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Abc Monday Night Movie for Their Own Good

(Mon. (5), 9-11 p.m., ABC)

  • Production: Filmed in Southern California by the Avnet/Kerner Co. Executive producers, Jordan Kerner, Jon Avnet; producers, D. Tad Devlin, Martin R. Huberty, Phyllis Rossheim, Ruthe Benton; director, script, Ed Kaplan.
  • Crew: Camera, William Wages; editor, Sabrina Plisco-Morris; production designer, Stephen Storer; art director , Robin Peyton; sound, Ed Novick; music, J.A.C. Redford.
  • Cast: Cast: Elizabeth Perkins, Laura San Giacomo, Charles Haid, CCH Pounder, Gary Basaraba, Kelli Williams, Coleen Camp, Michael O'Neill, David Graf, Glenn Morshower, David Purdham, Hannah Eckstein, Jana Arnold, Trey Ames, Tom Kopache, Garette Ratliff Henson, Richard Riehle, William G. Schilling, Jessie Jones, Matthew Glave, Lorna Scott, John Lehne, Peggy Doyle, Hansford Rowe, Lawrence Gamble, Marian Green.

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