IMDb > Switched at Birth (1991) (TV)

Switched at Birth (1991) (TV) More at IMDbPro »


Overview

User Rating:
6.5/10   289 votes
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Director:
Writer (WGA):
Michael O'Hara (written by)
Contact:
View company contact information for Switched at Birth on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
28 April 1991 (USA) more
Genre:
Plot:
This is the story of the two babies who were switched at birth. A few years later when one of the girls... more | add synopsis
Awards:
Nominated for Primetime Emmy. Another 2 wins & 3 nominations more
User Comments:
A film of how selfishness can ruin a child's life more (14 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Bonnie Bedelia ... Regina Twigg
Brian Kerwin ... Robert Mays

John M. Jackson ... Ernest Twigg

Eve Gordon ... Darlena

Judith Hoag ... Barbara Mays
Caroline McWilliams ... Lois Morehead

Lois Smith ... Margaret

Kelli Williams ... Irisa

Ariana Richards ... Kimberly Mays, Age 9-11

Erika Flores ... Arlena Twigg, Age 9-11

Edward Asner ... Ted Marx

Beth Grant ... Sophie
Rance Howard ... Frank Hill
Vivian Bonnell ... Nurse Ford

Jacqueline Scott ... Ruth Mays
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Additional Details

MPAA:
Rated PG for thematic elements.
Runtime:
186 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.33 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Certification:

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
King Moody's final TV project. more
Movie Connections:
Soundtrack:
Great Big Bunches Of Lovin' more

FAQ

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3 out of 4 people found the following comment useful.
A film of how selfishness can ruin a child's life, 11 October 2006
7/10
Author: Mel J from Dundee, Scotland

'Switched at Birth' is a two-part series based on the case of Kimberly Mays and Arlena Twigg who were accidentally switched shortly after their births in 1978. Both the Mays and Twigg families carry on unaware of this until Arlena falls ill with cardiac problems and blood tests reveal she cannot be the biological child of her parents Ernest and Regina Twigg. When Arlena succumbs to her condition at the age of nine, the Twiggs' then embark on a search to find their real daughter leading them to Kimberly who is living with her widower father Bob. As the custody battle begins, Kimberly finds herself caught between two families and Bob faces the possibility of losing the child he loves and cherishes as his own.

The adult leads all portrayed their roles well, fleshing out their characters, with Ariana Richards (better known as Lex in 'Jurassic Park') giving a touching performance as the bewildered and vulnerable Kimberly. She had a nice father/daughter rapport with Brian Kerwin, only enhancing the idea of how the young Kimberly never knew anyone other than Bob as her father.

In many ways, this is a very tragic film about how the selfishness of the Twigg family eventually shattered two families and ripped a young girl's life apart. Motivated only by their own needs to know their biological daughter to replace the child they had just lost, they paid no heed to the fact Kimberly was just a little girl who wasn't ready to deal with the emotional ramifications of the truth around her birth. Instead, they barged into her life, forcing Bob Mays into endless court battles as they pursued full custody of Kimberly and creating a media frenzy around the story.

Unlike the fictional film 'The Face on the Milk Carton', where the biological family let go when they see the trauma they are putting their child through, 'Switched at Birth' shows the results of what happens when selfish parents put a confused young girl through a custody battle. It does leave the audience considering how things could have gone much smoother if the Twiggs had only sought visitation rights or stayed away until Kimberly was older and more able to deal with things. It also leaves one wondering if Bob would have been so wrong to have ran off with his daughter until she was eighteen. Having read how Kimberly is now leading a destitute, unstable life, barely able to keep a roof over her head and maintain a job, this film goes a long way to explaining the contributing factors to her life as an adult today.

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dvd possibly? penguins-2
Was anyone else completely WRECKED after watching this movie? WildHart81
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question about the twiggs hdacrow
The Beginning bthcrlsol
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