Men Don't Tell (TV 1993)

This movie shows another side to spousal abuse that not too many people thought is possible--the husband being abused and the wife the abuser.

Director:

Harry Winer

Writers:

Selma Thompson, Jeff Andrus

Stars:

Peter Strauss, Judith Light, James Gammon

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Peter Strauss	...	Ed MacAffrey
Judith Light	...	Laura MacAffrey
James Gammon	...	Jack
Noble Willingham	...	Riley
Stephen Lee	...	Chuck
Mary Kane	...	Susan
Richard Gant	...	Pope
Reni Santoni
Carroll Baker	...	Ruth
Ashley Johnson	...	Cindy
Michael Rand	...	Alan
Cliff Bemis	...	Danny
Nick Angotti	...	Greg
Guy Killum	...	Cop #1
Katherine Cortez	...	Cop #2

Storyline

This movie shows another side to spousal abuse that not too many people thought is possible--the husband being abused and the wife the abuser.

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Plot Keywords:

abuse | claim in title | hospital | concussion | jealous wife | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

14 March 1993 (USA)

Also Known As:

Büszke férfiak

Filming Locations:

Queen of Angels Hospital - 2301 Bellevue Avenue, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Daniel H. Blatt Productions, Nancy Bein Productions, Lorimar Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

User Reviews

Its Existence Itself Is Triumph Enough

Well, it's no work of art, to be sure - let's get that out of the way at the start. In essence, this is just another daytime 'women in peril' soap with the same level of acting you'd expect to find in any other late 80's-era female interest TV drama with heavily permed, shoulder-padded girls & wholesome moustached plywood guys that you'd otherwise find in walk-on parts in Dynasty & Falcon Crest.

However, that is not where its worth & historical interest lie. This film was made right at the beginning of the 90's, when radical feminist lobbying & censorship had completed its stranglehold on political debate & popular culture, which makes its very existence something of a wonder in itself. Some of the best books criticizing feminism, such as Christina Hoff Sommers' "Who Stole Feminism" & Warren Farrell's "The Myth Of Male Power" were also written around this time. Between then & now (or at least until very recently) there's been very little, & in fact state-enforced Political Correctness has made it as hazardous to ones work & social life to speak out against injustices against men in this society as it was to defend communism in 1950's America or speak out on behalf of the rights of Jews in 1930's Germany.

The film does a fine job of demonstrating how situations of female perpetrated violence against men can - & do - arise, & why they so often go unreported & remain hidden. As I think other posters here have pointed out, in the real world, intimate partner violence is near enough to equal, & the official figures - & women themselves - report throwing the first blow the majority of times. Not something you hear about every day, or see on the posters on bus shelters & the underground, but there it is.

This film was made almost 20 years old now & it's very, very hard to imagine it being made today in the present climate. It's really quite an extraordinary one-time only achievement, & should be both seen & applauded for that.