Between the Darkness and the Dawn (1985)

A 17-year-old girl lapses into a coma and wakes up 20 years later.

Director:

Peter Levin

Writers:

N. Richard Nash, Dennis Turner

Stars:

Elizabeth Montgomery, James Naughton, Karen Grassle

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Elizabeth Montgomery	...	Abigail Foster
James Naughton	...	Jack Parrish
Karen Grassle	...	Ellen Foster Holland
Michael Goodwin	...	David Holland
Robin Gammell	...	Dr. Langtry
Marcia Rodd	...	Lilly
Tim Maier	...	Matthew Holland / Young David
Dorothy McGuire	...	Beryl Foster
Lori Birdsong	...	Young Abigail
Robert DoQui	...	Principal
Sam Kwasman	...	Arthur
Jennifer Smith	...	Young Ellen
Michael Bacall
Al Berry
Sue Bugden

Storyline

Abigail Foster is a young woman who wakes up from a 20-year coma and discovers that the world has grown up without her and that her high school boyfriend is now married to her younger sister. Abigail now must try to pick up her life that seemingly ended when she was a teenager as well as deal with her mother who has kept a diligent vigil by her bedside who also learns that Abigail's now conscious condition may not be permanent.

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Plot Keywords:

coma

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

23 December 1985 (USA)

Also Known As:

Depois do Amanhecer

Filming Locations:

Monrovia High School - 845 W. Colorado Boulevard, Monrovia, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Doris Quinlan Productions, Entheos Unlimited Productions, Warner Bros. Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

120 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

When Abigail is being interviewed by the television reporter shortly after she comes out of the coma, he tells her it is 1985. It would be 1984 because the interview occurred in the fall and later on the movie Abigail is at the prom of the Class of 1985 at her old high school.

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Connections

Features Risky Business (1983)

User Reviews

As you will note, I'm a big fan of the late Elizabeth Montgomery.

This movie was an excellent showcase for the dramatic acting talents of Elizabeth Montgomery. Break out the Kleenex, because it is a tear jerker, but none the less satisfying in the end. I suppose the only thing I found unrealistic, was the fact that the writers portrayed Elizabeth as someone who was semi-fit, physically, after a 20 year coma. And as we all know, anyone who is lucky enough to survive being in a coma for 20 years, would be severely incapacitated, due to atrophied muscles, etc. But that aside, I felt the intent of the movie, and the problems that she and everyone around her faced, made for a number of fascinating challenges. All in all I thought the movie was well done. And I believe it was one of the last movies that Elizabeth Montgomery herself made before cancer claimed her in real life. A great actress who will be missed.