The Burning Bed (1984) (TV)

Director:

Robert Greenwald

Writers:

Rose Leiman Goldemberg (teleplay)
Faith McNulty (book)

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:

Teenage Girl | Husband Wife Relationship | Fear Of One's Husband | Marital Abuse | Burning Bed

Awards:

Won Golden Globe. Another 2 wins & 13 nominations

Cast

Farrah Fawcett	...	Francine Hughes
Paul Le Mat	...	Mickey Hughes (as Paul LeMat)
Richard Masur	...	Aryon Greydanus
Grace Zabriskie	...	Flossie Hughes
Penelope Milford	...	Gaby
Christa Denton	...	Christy age 12
James T. Callahan	...	Berlin Hughes (as James Callahan)
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
Elizabeth Lyn Fraser	...	Nicole
Ben Fuhrman	...	Henry Eckworth
Kimberley Dashiell	...	Ann
Fred D. Scott	...	Mr. Barlow
Patricia George	...	Female Deputy
Hoolihand Burke	...	Matron (as Hoolihan Burke)
Sherry McFarland	...	Ellen
Gilmer McCormick	...	Salesperson
Anna Pagan	...	Clair (as Anna L. Pagan)
Sonny Carl Davis	...	Assistant Prosecutor (as Sonny Davis)
Delana Michaels	...	Miss Connor
Greg Norberg	...	Ernest
Jeremy Ross	...	Judge Hotchkiss
Freddie Dawson
Jeffrey Lampert
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Wayne Knight	...	Juror (uncredited)

Directed by
Robert Greenwald

Writing credits
Rose Leiman Goldemberg		(teleplay)
Faith McNulty		(book)

Produced by
Jon Avnet	....	executive producer
Rose Leiman Goldemberg	....	co-producer
Carol Schreder	....	producer
Steve Tisch	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Charles Gross

Cinematography by
Isidore Mankofsky		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Richard Fetterman		(as Richard W. Fetterman)
Michael A. Stevenson

Casting by
Ross Brown
Mary West

Art Direction by
Herman F. Zimmerman		(as Herman Zimmerman)

Set Decoration by
Mary Ann Good

Makeup Department
Fred C. Blau Jr.	....	makeup artist
Michael Hancock	....	makeup artist (as Michael A. Hancock)
Stephen Robinette	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Jack Clements	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Michael Daves	....	first assistant director
Robert J. Doherty	....	second assistant director (as Robert Doherty)

Art Department
Lavar Emert	....	property master

Sound Department
Alan Bernard	....	production sound mixer
David E. Campbell	....	sound re-recording mixer
John T. Reitz	....	sound re-recording mixer
Gregg Rudloff	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Gregg C. Rudloff)

Special Effects by
Richard E. Johnson	....	special effects

Stunts
Chris Howell	....	stunt double
Karen McLarty	....	stunt double

Camera and Electrical Department
Malcolm Brown	....	first assistant camera
Richard J. Edesa	....	camera operator (as Richard Edesa)
Jake Jarrell	....	gaffer
Tom Kessenich	....	key grip (as Tommy Kessenich)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Bob E. Horn	....	wardrobe
James Lapidus	....	costumer: men (as Jim Lapidus)
Linda Matthews	....	costumer: women

Editorial Department
Christopher Cooke	....	assistant editor
Barry Mark Gordon	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Gary Anderson	....	orchestrator
Lou Marini	....	soloist: saxophone

Transportation Department
Diane Morgan	....	transportation captain (as Dianne Morgan)
Ken Peterson	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Rick Ardrey	....	assistant accountant
Carol Chacamaty	....	office manager
Susan Gallegly	....	production coordinator
Bernie Goldmann	....	assistant: Mr. Tisch (as Bernhard Goldmann)
Roz Harris	....	script supervisor (as Roslyn Harris)
Gabrielle Mandelik	....	assistant: director
Gail Martin-Sheridan	....	production accountant (as Gail Martin)
Kelly Marx	....	assistant: Mr. Avnet
David Lee Walton	....	stand-in: Paul Lemat (uncredited)

Thanks
Jack Brown	....	special thanks
Darlene Duncan	....	special thanks
Joel Fischman	....	special thanks
Dorothy Hudson	....	special thanks
Carrie Lowbell	....	special thanks
Betty Jo Tilley	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Tisch/Avnet Productions Inc.

Distributors

• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1984) (USA) (TV)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (1995) (USA) (VHS)
• Califórnia Home Video (Brazil) (video)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Holloway's Eagle Scouts  locations
• Horta Editorial & Sound  sound editing (as Horta Editorial)
• Atmosphere Agency  extras casting
• Modern Film Effects  titles and opticals

Also Known As:

Runtime:

Brazil:100 min | USA:95 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:16 | USA:Not Rated | Canada:PG (video rating)

Company:

Tisch/Avnet Productions Inc.

Trivia:

Based on the true story of Francine Hughes, who was accused of murdering her husband on March 9, 1977 in Dansville, Michigan. She was found not guilty by reason of temporary insanity, and her case created a legal precedent for how domestic violence cases were to be handled in the future.

Goofs:

Factual errors: The real Francine Hughes had four children, not three as depicted in the movie.

Quotes:

Hazel Moran:If you make a hard bed, you have to lay in it.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "I Love the '80s Strikes Back: 1984 (#1.5)" (2003)

Fantastic but horrific representation of domestic violence

You know, most people who have not lived through domestic violence may see this film as yet another "man beating his wife" story but I grew up with domestic violence. It is a painful and scary way to develop into a young woman. So I took this story very personally. I believed it to be very realistic and and shocking. A mother who condones the abuse is all too common on both sides of each character. It happens more often then most people think. Women have been taught for years to put up with their husbands demands and you will find that it is usually the mothers in these situations that ask their daughter or daughter in laws to be quiet about the beatings. Police officers, twenty years ago barely arrested the perpetrators. They let most men go back to their wives to punish them further. It was a vicious cycle until the late 80's when women officers became more common. Psychology classes on DV became mandatory for officers so they could understand the victim/perpretator situation and learn how to get the wife out.

I have read many comments about this film and yes, it is old, a little outdated and stark but the message is clear. The way they handled the situation with the children was amazing. All of that is all too common. Children witnessing violence. I would ask every viewer of this film to be more sensitive to this true story. Imagine being humiliated in front of your children, uneducated and trying to be the wife that society tells you be. Both men and woman should absorb this film and really think about how far we've come since the days of the "rule of thumb." Don't just say this is a chick flick and write it off as many have done. Even if you don't enjoy the wonderful performances, the truth of this film should rock you into some sort of reality.