For Their Own Good (TV 1993)

A factory worker gets an ultimatum from her employer that she agree to be sterilized or be fired.

Director:

Ed Kaplan

Writers:

Ed Kaplan (story), Clifford Campion (story),

Stars:

Elizabeth Perkins, Laura San Giacomo, Charles Haid

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Elizabeth Perkins	...	Sally Wheeler
Laura San Giacomo	...	Jo Mandell
Charles Haid	...	Hank
CCH Pounder	...	Naomi Brinker
Gary Basaraba	...	Roy Wheeler
Kelli Williams	...	Erma
Michael O'Neill	...	Clark Thompson
David Graf	...	Miles
Colleen Camp	...	Chris
Glenn Morshower
David Purdham	...	Jim Davis
Hannah Eckstein	...	Georgia
Jana Arnold	...	Marjorie
Trey Ames	...	Older Jody
Thomas Kopache	...	Doctor Mason

Storyline

A factory worker gets an ultimatum from her employer that she agree to be sterilized or be fired.

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Plot Keywords:

environmental | based on true story

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Taglines:

It's either their jobs or their own children. A shocking true story.

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

5 April 1993 (USA)

Also Known As:

Farben des Todes

Company Credits

Production Co:

Avnet/Kerner Company, The

Technical Specs

Runtime:

118 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Soundtracks

"Get Into Reggae Cowboy"
Written by David Bellamy
Performed by Bellamy Brothers
Courtesy of Bellamy Brothers productions

User Reviews

Unbelievable story of abuse by husband and factory.

Abused by her husband, and by the factory where she and several other woman worked with hazardous chemicals Sally was faced with a forced sterilization or lose her job. Jobs were hard to find so it was traumatic to live in fear of losing her livelihood.

SPOILER ALERT!!

Elizabeth Perkins does an excellent job of portraying Sally who is being pressed on all sides simultaneously. She is faced with divorce, losing her only son, and unemployment. All this after submitting to a sterilization that she did not want.

Laura San Giacomo plays the lawyer representing the women from the factory who were coerced into being sterilized and later fired in spite of it all. I actually like her personality even though I have sometimes had issue with the ACLU. In this instance the ACLU comes across as fighting the good fight for people who were wronged by a large corporation.

Sally's husband struck me as the kind of man who was intimidated by his wife working and making as much or more money as him. He would have been content to live with less money and a wife closer to home. Although the first time Sally barfed up blue slime she should have quit the next day. Evidence of what some people will subject themselves to in the hope of a better life. But is having a bit more spending money truly a better life?

There are numerous benefits to be had with a mother who is able to be home. To the credit of women, households just seem to be more orderly and run smoother with a stay at home mom. The women I have known were all much better home makers than I.

This was a good movie. It portrayed several aspects of life, good and bad alike.