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)

Farrah Fawcett at her best playing a woman savagely battered by her husband for 13 years

I have seen this film dozens of times and consider it a remarkable powerful film. Farrah Fawcett is so easy to look at for hours on end, especially in these 70's housewife clothes. She is at her peak in this film and others of a similar nature, Small Sacrifices and Extremities. This is the best of the three, however. I am stunned each time I watch it at the truth of the story. There really are women and children who must endure this kind of brutality and abuse. Farrah is so good at showing Francine's slowly crumbling self-esteem and sanity. The other performances are top- notch. In particular, Grace Zabriskie seems to me as authentic as possible as a fiercely stubborn, family-centered overbearing mother in denial. The scene where the wife-beater's parents throw their bodies between those of their son and the arresting officers while moments earlier allowing the same son to attempt to kill his wife is mind-boggling. Well done. It makes me want to read the book now that I realize there is one!