The Burning Bed

Last updated

The Burning Bed
The Burning Bed (DVD cover).jpg
GenreCrime
Drama
Based onThe Burning Bed
by Faith McNulty
Written by Rose Leiman Goldemberg
Directed by Robert Greenwald
Starring Farrah Fawcett
Paul Le Mat
Richard Masur
Theme music composer Charles Gross
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
Production
Executive producers Jon Avnet
Steve Tisch
ProducerCarol Schreder
Cinematography Isidore Mankofsky
EditorsRichard W. Fetterman
Michael A. Stevenson
Running time95 minutes
Production companyTisch/Avnet Productions Inc.
Original release
Network NBC
ReleaseOctober 8, 1984 (1984-10-08)

The Burning Bed is a 1984 television drama film starring Farrah Fawcett, Paul Le Mat, and Richard Masur. Based on the 1980 non-fiction novel of the same name by Faith McNulty, it follows battered housewife Francine Hughes and her trial for the murder of her husband, James Berlin "Mickey" Hughes. Hughes set fire to the bed her husband was sleeping in at their Dansville, Michigan home on March 9, 1977 after thirteen years of physical domestic abuse at his hands.

Contents

The film was written by Rose Leiman Goldemberg and directed by Robert Greenwald. It aired on NBC on October 8, 1984. The movie premiered with a household share of 36.2, ranking it the seventeenth highest rated movie to air on network television and NBC's highest rated television movie. [1]

Plot

On March 9, 1977, Francine Hughes and her three children arrive at the Dansville, MI, police station, where she turns herself in, after setting her husband, James Berlin “Mickey” Hughes, on fire in their home. Public defender Aryon Greydanus is appointed as Francine’s attorney and tries to gain insight into her motive. Initially reluctant, Francine recounts her life and the events leading up to the murder.

In 1964, sixteen-year-old Francine meets Mickey Hughes, and the two marry shortly after. Mickey begins displaying signs of jealousy and anger and physically abuses Francine, often in the presence of his parents. The abuse escalates over the years, and circumstances worsen with Mickey’s alcoholism. Francine divorces Mickey and takes their three young children. Mickey tries to convince Francine to get back together with him, promising he has changed his ways, but Francine refuses. After learning Mickey has been involved in a serious car accident, rendering him severely injured, Francine agrees to care for him temporarily in his parents’ home; however, the situation eventually traps Francine into a domestic partnership with him. As the children get older, Francine takes business courses at a community college, much to Mickey’s disapproval. Mickey’s abuse becomes relentless, and Francine tries to leave numerous times, only for Mickey to follow her and threaten her into returning. She also seeks help from the police, family courts, and Mickey’s family, but to no avail.

As the case goes to trial, Francine testifies about the horrifying instances of abuse she suffered from Mickey over the years and what happened the day of the murder:

Francine returns home late from school, after giving a classmate a ride home, enraging a drunken Mickey. He refuses to allow her to cook TV dinners for the family and beats her. He then orders her to quit school, and when Francine refuses, he destroys her school books and forces her to burn them. Later that night, at dinner, Mickey beats her again and knocks the food on the floor. He rubs Francine’s face in the mess and orders her to quit school again. A defeated Francine agrees. Afterward, Mickey rapes her and falls asleep in a drunken stupor. Francine goes to the garage and obtains a can of gasoline, which she pours over Mickey’s body. She takes her children to the car and drives away as the house becomes engulfed in flames. As the jury returns from deliberation, Francine is found not guilty by reason of temporary insanity, and Francine is embraced by her children.

Cast

Critical response

In his 2016 book co-written with Alan Sepinwall titled TV (The Book), television critic Matt Zoller Seitz named The Burning Bed as the 7th greatest American TV movie of all time, writing, "The film was a landmark in terms of content, depicting domestic violence as an unambiguous horror and a human rights violation". Seitz also praised the performance of Fawcett as "one of the finest in the history of TV-movies". [2]

Accolades

The film was nominated for several Primetime Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or a Special for Farrah Fawcett, Outstanding Writing in a Limited Series or a Special, and Outstanding Drama/Comedy Special. [3] Paul Le Mat won a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Performance in a Television Film. [4] The film won a Television Critics Association Award for Outstanding Achievement in Specials [5] and a Writers Guild of America Award for Adapted Drama Anthology for Rose Leiman Goldemberg. [6]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ryan O'Neal</span> American actor (1941–2023)

Charles Patrick Ryan O'Neal was an American actor. Born in Los Angeles, he trained as an amateur boxer before beginning a career in acting in 1960.

<i>Charlies Angels</i> American crime drama television series (1976–1981)

Charlie's Angels is an American crime drama television series that aired on ABC from September 22, 1976, to June 24, 1981, producing five seasons and 115 episodes. The series was created by Ivan Goff and Ben Roberts and was produced by Aaron Spelling. It follows the crime-fighting adventures of three women working at a private detective agency in Los Angeles, California, and originally starred Kate Jackson, Farrah Fawcett, and Jaclyn Smith in the leading roles and John Forsythe providing the voice of their boss, the unseen Charlie Townsend, who directed the crime-fighting operations of the "Angels" over a speakerphone. There were a few casting changes: after the departure of Fawcett, Cheryl Ladd joined; after Jackson departed, Shelley Hack joined, and she was subsequently replaced by Tanya Roberts.

Paul Le Mat is an American actor. He first came to prominence with his role in American Graffiti (1973); his performance was met with critical acclaim and earned him the Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year - Actor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Farrah Fawcett</span> American actress (1947–2009)

Farrah Leni Fawcett was an American actress. A four-time Primetime Emmy Award nominee and six-time Golden Globe Award nominee, Fawcett rose to international fame when she played a starring role in the first season of the television series Charlie's Angels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cheryl Ladd</span> American actress

Cheryl Ladd is an American actress, singer, and author best known for her role as Kris Munroe in the ABC television series Charlie's Angels, whose cast she joined in its second season in 1977 to replace Farrah Fawcett-Majors. Ladd remained on the show until its cancellation in 1981. Her film roles include Purple Hearts (1984), Millennium (1989), Poison Ivy (1992), Permanent Midnight (1998), and Unforgettable (2017).

<i>The Execution of Private Slovik</i> 1974 television film directed by Lamont Johnson

The Execution of Private Slovik is a nonfiction book by William Bradford Huie, published in 1954, and an American television movie that aired on NBC on March 13, 1974. The film was written for the screen by Richard Levinson, William Link, and director Lamont Johnson; the film stars Martin Sheen, and also features Charlie Sheen in his second film in a small role.

<i>Stone Pillow</i> 1985 television film directed by George Schaefer

Stone Pillow is a 1985 American made-for-television drama film directed by George Schaefer and written by Rose Leiman Goldemberg. It starred Lucille Ball, in an attempt to make a dramatic "breakout" from her years in comedy, portraying an older homeless woman with few resources and even fewer options.

<i>Small Sacrifices</i> 1989 television film directed by David Greene

Small Sacrifices is a 1989 American made-for-television crime drama film written by Joyce Eliason and based on the best-selling true crime book by Ann Rule of the same name. The film is about Diane Downs and the murder and attempted murder of her three children. It stars Farrah Fawcett, Ryan O'Neal, Gordon Clapp, John Shea, and Emily Perkins. The film premiered in two parts on ABC on November 12 and 14, 1989.

Penelope Dale Milford is an American stage and screen actress. She is best known for her role as Vi Munson in Coming Home (1978) for which she was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. She also originated the role of Jenny Anderson in the Broadway musical Shenandoah, for which she was nominated for a Drama Desk Award in 1975.

Jane Anderson is an American actress, playwright, screenwriter and director. She wrote and directed the feature film The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio (2005), and wrote the film It Could Happen to You (1994), starring Nicolas Cage. She won an Emmy Award for writing the screenplay for the miniseries Olive Kitteridge (2014).

Justin Gocke was an American actor.

<i>Poor Little Rich Girl: The Barbara Hutton Story</i> 1987 film by Charles Jarrott

Poor Little Rich Girl: The Barbara Hutton Story is a 1987 television biographical drama starring Farrah Fawcett. The film chronicles the life of Barbara Hutton, a wealthy but troubled American socialite. Released as both a television film and a miniseries, the film won a Golden Globe Award for Best Miniseries or Television Film. Fawcett earned her fifth Golden Globe Award nomination, for Best Actress in a Miniseries of Television Film. Poor Little Rich Girl: The Barbara Hutton Story was based on C. David Heymann's Poor Little Rich Girl: The Life and Legend of Barbara Hutton.

Chasing Farrah is an American reality television series starring Farrah Fawcett, which aired on TV Land in early 2005.

<i>Fallen Angel</i> (1981 film) 1981 television film by Robert Michael Lewis

Fallen Angel is a 1981 American made-for-television drama film that explores pedophilia. It was directed by Robert Lewis, written by Lew Hunter, and stars Melinda Dillon, Richard Masur, Dana Hill, and Ronny Cox. It is a Green/Epstein Production in association with Columbia Pictures Television. The film received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Drama Special, and won a Young Artist Award for star Hill in the category of Best Young Actress.

Francine Moran Hughes was an American woman who, after thirteen years of domestic abuse, set fire to the bed in which her live-in ex-husband Mickey Hughes was sleeping, on March 9, 1977, in Dansville, Michigan. Mickey was killed and the house destroyed in the resulting fire. At trial, Hughes was found not guilty by reason of temporary insanity in one of the first cases involving "battered-woman syndrome" as a defense.

<i>Somebody Killed Her Husband</i> 1978 film by Lamont Johnson

Somebody Killed Her Husband is a 1978 American comedy–mystery film directed by Lamont Johnson and written by Reginald Rose. It starred Farrah Fawcett and Jeff Bridges. Also in the cast were John Wood, Tammy Grimes and John Glover.

<i>The Substitute Wife</i> (1994 film)

The Substitute Wife is a 1994 television film written by Stan Daniels, directed by Peter Werner and starring Farrah Fawcett, along with Lea Thompson and Peter Weller.

<i>Between Two Women</i> (1986 film) 1986 American TV series or program

Between Two Women is a 1986 Emmy Award-winning television film starring Farrah Fawcett and Colleen Dewhurst in an story about a relationship between a married woman and her mother-in-law. The film was directed and executive produced by Jon Avnet, and written by Avnet and Larry Grusin.

Matt Zoller Seitz is an American film and television critic, author and filmmaker.

Rose Leiman Goldemberg is an American playwright, screenwriter, poet, and author of fiction and non-fiction books and stories.

References

  1. ↑ The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946-Present. Ballantine Books. 2003. p. 805. ISBN   0-345-45542-8.
  2. ↑ Sepinwall, Alan; Seitz, Matt Zoller (September 2016). TV (The Book): Two Experts Pick the Greatest American Shows of All Time (1st ed.). New York, NY: Grand Central Publishing. p. 372. ISBN   9781455588190.
  3. ↑ "The Burning Bed". Television Academy. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
  4. ↑ "Burning Bed, The". Golden Globes. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
  5. ↑ Saunders, Walter (June 12, 1985). "TV Critics Association Gives Awards". The Lewiston Journal. p. 24. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
  6. ↑ "'Witness' and 'Prizzi's win awards for scripts". Reading Eagle . Associated Press. March 22, 1986. p. 14. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.