Special Olympics (TV 1978)

A single father with three teenaged children struggles to keep his family together. One of them is mentally retarded. The father enrolls him in a special state-run school, where the boy develops a love for sports.

Director:

Lee Philips

Writer:

John Sacret Young

Stars:

Irene Tedrow, Mare Winningham, Philip Brown

1 win.

Cast

Credited cast:
Irene Tedrow	...	Elmira Gallitzin
Mare Winningham	...	Janice Gallitzin
Philip Brown	...	Michael Gallitzin
George Parry	...	Matthew 'Matt' Gallitzin
Herb Edelman	...	Doug Ransom
Debra Winger	...	Sherrie Hensley
Constance McCashin	...	Trina Cunningham
James Calvin Nelson	...	Dr. Brennaman
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Bruce Bliven	...	Bruce
Rachel Chavez	...	Rachel
Kevin Condit	...	Kevin
Lisa Ann Cordova	...	Lisa
Charles Dowdy	...	Tanana
Charles Durning	...	Carl Gallitzin
Kelly B. Goon	...	Kelly

Storyline

A single father with three teenaged children struggles to keep his family together. One of them is mentally retarded. The father enrolls him in a special state-run school, where the boy develops a love for sports.

---

Plot Keywords:

mental retardation | widower

---

Genres:

Drama | Sport

---

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

22 February 1978 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Special Kind of Love

Filming Locations:

Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

EMI Films, Roger Gimbel Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

User Reviews

Watch out Coppola, the Special Olympics are on its way.

There is only one way to describe this movie, and that is magic and purple. Not the kind of magic, where people wearing suits pull out rabbits out of their hats, or wait in line to purchase sixteen items in a fifteen-item-only express lane at a local grocery store, no sir. Nor the kind of purple that reminds you of the fruits: both grape and raisins at the same time. That requires skill. Yes skill, a noun that can never be used to describe this made for TV movie. But anyway, with the magic, this movie will make you want to buy tickets to the next local Special Olympics event and a gallon of 2% reduced fat milk for your neighborhood cats. It is that powerful, I kid you not!!! Yes I am telling you the truth so much, that it is necessary to use those three exclamation points. The only thing that this film lacks is descent acting, a music score, a plot, a barber shop quartet singing "Old Man River", a gerbil playing a banjo, and a reference to the Civil War. In conclusion this films reminds you, "That is not polite to stare." :)