Child of Rage (1992) (TV)

Director:

Larry Peerce

Writers (WGA):

Phil Penningroth (written by) and
Suzette Couture (written by)

Release Date:

29 September 1992 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

A priest and his wife adopt a brother and sister, but the girl has terrible outbursts of rage. They...

Plot Keywords:

Rage | Dog | Needle | Holding Therapy | Children

Awards:

2 wins

Cast

Mel Harris	...	Jill Tyler
Dwight Schultz	...	Rob Tyler
Ashley Peldon	...	Catherine
Rosanna DeSoto	...	Doris
Sam Gifaldi	...	Eric
Nan Martin	...	Barbara
George Wallace	...	Henry
Mariette Hartley	...	Dr. Rosemary Myers
Johannah Newmarch	...	Stephanie
Patricia Gage	...	Laurel
Terence Kelly	...	Mike
Kim Kondrashoff	...	Baby Cat's Father

Runtime:

94 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Iceland:12 | USA:Not Rated (certificate number not listed) | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Company:

Republic Television

Quotes:

[while in holding therapy]
Catherine: [to Dr. Myers] I hate your guts you ugly old bitch!

Movie Connections:

Features Gentle Giant (1967)

What do you do if a child is diagnosed as homicidal?

Ashley Peldon is frighteningly real as "Cat" a child who grew up abused and molested, who is then adopted by Mel Harris and Dwight Schultz. Despite their love and attention, the child gets worse (the scene where she abuses the family dog is rather chilling).

Harris learns that the child had a less than ideal upbringing; again this brings up the nature/nurture debate. Harris finally encounters a therapist (Mariette Hartley) who theorizes that the rage must be tapped into, to find the source of the child's pain.

What is interesting and valuable about this Lifetime movie is that it addresses a particular pathology, how the parents attempt to deal with it, and how the health care and/or social work system cannot or will not.

Mariette Hartley, whose father committed suicide (in real life) is very credible as the therapist, discussing rage and denial issues. With problems such as this, it seems society has only begun to skim the surface. 8/10.