Small Sacrifices (TV 1989)

On the 19th of May 1983 Diane Downs stops at the McKenzie-Williamette-Hospital and cries for help. She is wounded on her arm and her three children are also wounded seriously. She says that... See full summary »

Director:

David Greene

Writers:

Ann Rule (book), Joyce Eliason (teleplay)

Stars:

Farrah Fawcett, Gordon Clapp, Ryan O'Neal

Nominated for 2 Golden Globes. Another 1 win & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Farrah Fawcett	...	Diane Downs
Gordon Clapp	...	Detective Doug Welch
Ryan O'Neal	...	Lew Lewiston
John Shea	...	Frank Joziak
Emily Perkins	...	Karen Downs
Garry Chalk	...	Boyd Paul Downs (as Gary Chalk)
Ken James	...	Daryl Chapman
Sean McCann	...	Russell Wells
Garwin Sanford	...	Matt Jensen (Part 2)
Tom Butler
Elan Ross Gibson	...	Rosalind Dyring
Lynne Cormack	...	Lola Joziak
Jayne Eastwood	...	Evelyn Slaven
Christopher Caravalho	...	Robbie Downs
Anne Bradley Jaeger	...	Herself

Storyline

On the 19th of May 1983 Diane Downs stops at the McKenzie-Williamette-Hospital and cries for help. She is wounded on her arm and her three children are also wounded seriously. She says that a stranger shot at them but the investigation of detective Welch bring out that Diane is a liar.

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Plot Keywords:

filicide | child murderess | mother kills own child | mother daughter relationship | oregon | 

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Taglines:

Her children got in the way of her love

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

USA Canada

Language:

English

Release Date:

12 November 1989 (USA)

Also Known As:

Blick in den Abgrund

Filming Locations:

Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

CAD 7,300,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Louis Rudolph Films, Motown Productions, Allarcom Limited

Technical Specs

Runtime:

159 min 205 min (2 parts)

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

When Diane brings a pizza over to her mailman friend Matt Jensen's house, she asks him if he likes mushrooms on his pizza while holding the pizza out to him. He says yes. But the pizza has no mushrooms on it, it is clearly plain.

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Quotes

Frank Joziak: [Implying that Diane bought the brass unicorn as a memorial for her children] I mean, maybe the kids were supposed to die on Friday the 13th and the plan got aborted, got postponed.
Lola Joziak: [Unconvinced] How could a mother do that? I mean, it's a primal instinct guard over the life of your child, it's your own mortality.
Frank Joziak: Yes, I know, right? But I've been reading her diary. Now, all the other entries are details. I mean, there's menstrual cycles, groceries, weather, going to work, coming home from work, ...
[...]

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Connections

Referenced in Kids of Killers (2010)

User Reviews

One of Farrah's best performances

I watched Small Sacrifices again just recently after many years. Farrah Fawcett should have got an Emmy for that portrayal of Diane Downs. Her performance in this mini-series is incredible and the fact that the mini-series follows the book closely. Ann Rule's book of this horrible crime leaves you wanting more. So much that I reread the book again. Farrah should be honored for such a fabulous performance. Just watch her in the Burning Bed as a battered wife. Farrah Fawcett headlines Small Sacrifices but everybody else in the film including John Shea who plays the District Attorney and her then real-life lover, Ryan O'Neal, plays Diane Down's married lover who does not want children and would help the police convict his former lover. Ryan, John, and even Gordon Clapp are all wonderful and memorable in their roles. They do not make television mini-series like they used to anymore with cable making the movies for television. If this film was released in the cinema, Farrah would have been nominated for an Oscar for this role. She probably would have won the award!