Born Innocent (1974) (TV)

Director:

Donald Wrye

Writers:

Creighton Brown Burnham (book)
Gerald Di Pego (written by)

Release Date:

10 September 1974 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

A Young Girl Behind Bars... The Pain. The Abuse. The Revenge.

Plot:

A constant runaway is given over to the care of the state and finds herself in a remand centre for girls...

Plot Keywords:

Runaway | Family Discord | Lie | Piano | Teacher

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Linda Blair	...	Chris Parker
Joanna Miles	...	Counselor Barbara Clark
Kim Hunter	...	Mrs. Parker
Richard Jaeckel	...	Mr. Parker
Allyn Ann McLerie	...	Emma Lasko
Mary Murphy	...	Miss Murphy
Janit Baldwin	...	Denny
Nora Heflin	...	Moco
Tina Andrews	...	Josie
Mitch Vogel	...	Tom Parker
Sandra Ego	...	Janet
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Janice Lorraine Garcia	...	Child at Funeral (uncredited)

Directed by
Donald Wrye

Writing credits
Creighton Brown Burnham		(book "Born Innocent")
Gerald Di Pego		(written by)

Produced by
Robert W. Christiansen	....	executive producer
Bruce Cohn Curtis	....	producer
Rick Rosenberg	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Fred Karlin

Cinematography by
David M. Walsh		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Maury Winetrobe

Casting by
Jack G. Roberts

Set Decoration by
Phil Abramson		(as Philip Abramson)

Makeup Department
Bruce Hutchinson	....	makeup artist
Bruce Lavigna	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Roger Gimbel	....	vice president in charge of production
Ric Rondell	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Henry J. Lange Jr.	....	second assistant director (as Henry Lange Jr.)
Ken Swor	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Tom Fairbanks	....	property master (as Thomas A. Fairbanks)

Sound Department
David M. Ronne	....	sound (as David Ronne)

Camera and Electrical Department
Joseph Edesa	....	gaffer (as Joe Edesa)
George Hill	....	key grip
Roger Shearman	....	camera operator (as Roger Shearman Jr.)

Casting Department
Alan Swain	....	extras casting (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Bruce Walkup	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
William Young	....	assistant film editor (as Bill Young)

Music Department
Erma E. Levin	....	music editor (as Erma Levin)

Other crew
Joan Arnold	....	production secretary
Barbara Carleton	....	secretary to executive producers
Clyde Phillips	....	assistant to executive producers (as Clyde B. Phillips)
Hope Williams	....	script supervisor

Production Companies

• Tomorrow Entertainment

Distributors

• Hen's Tooth Video (2011) (USA) (DVD)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC)
• VCI Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Consolidated Film Industries (CFI)  titles and opticals
• Edit International  sound effects
• Producers' Sound Service  re-recording

Also Known As:

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:15 (cut) | USA:Not Rated | Iceland:12

Filming Locations:

Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA

Company:

Tomorrow Entertainment

Trivia:

'Linda Blair' was 14 when this TV-movie was made and 15 when it was released. However, the other girls at the reform school in the film were much older than the ages they portrayed. Two others who are credited were in their mid-20's when this was filmed, as Nora Heflin and Tina Andrews were 24 and 23 respectively, when this was made, while Janit Baldwin was 18 or 19. All of these girls were older than Mitch Vogel, who was supposedly portraying her 20 year old brother (he was actually 18 at the time).

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Near the beginning of the movie, when turning into the "home" for girls, the sign on the building says Lath and Plastering. It should read Lathe and Plastering or Bath and Plastering, not what is written on the side of the building.

Quotes:

[last lines]
Counselor Barbara Clark:Chris... you lied. I know. You started that riot on purpose.
Chris Parker:[cold tone] Big deal.
Counselor Barbara Clark:Chris... I don't know what I'm going to do with you anymore. At this rate, you'll never get out of here. Keep on this path and you'll never get your freedom.
Chris Parker:[shrugs] What's the difference?
[Chris walks away and up to her group]
Chris Parker:Hey Moco, gimmie a cigarette!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Saturday Night Live: Carrie Fisher/The Blues Brothers (#4.6)" (1978)

"Christine Parker, hardened criminal..."

Disturbing, controversial NBC TV-movie, one of the most popular television-made dramas from the 1970s (regularly shown right into the '80s) has young Linda Blair fresh off "The Exorcist" and well-cast as a teen runaway facing hard time in a girls reform school. Gritty, documentary-like production filmed on a low-budget in New Mexico has (intentionally?) fuzzy sound and photography which may put some viewers off. The performances by the troubled girls, including Blair, are natural and compelling; Joanna Miles (a Carrie Snodgress look-alike) is sympathetic as a well-meaning teacher; Allyn Ann McLerie does a bravura dramatic turn in a clichéd part as a hardened housemother. The film's downbeat theme can be disheartening and difficult as an entertainment, but there are sensitive and moving sequences, and Fred Karlin contributes an evocative score. The sequence with Blair being raped by a group of girls using a toilet-brush handle caused so much controversy after its initial airing that the scene was dropped for the repeat (intact on DVD). Blair followed this up with a handful of other television stunners, and gained confidence as an actress with each one.