There Was a Little Boy (TV 1993)

Wealthy Gregg and his wife, English teacher Julie, were happy parents until their little boy Robby was stolen while she took a bath. Their lives have taken off again, but they keep hoping ... See full summary »

Director:

Mimi Leder

Writers:

Claire R. Jacobs (novel), Wesley Bishop (teleplay)

Stars:

Cybill Shepherd, John Heard, Scott Bairstow

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Cybill Shepherd	...	Julie
John Heard	...	Gregg
Scott Bairstow	...	Jesse
Elaine Kagan	...	Esperanza
Terri Ivens	...	Nilda
Vondie Curtis-Hall	...	Danforth
Bert Remsen	...	Father McHenry
Gary Werntz	...	Jack
Gloria Gifford	...	Martha
Ellen Gerstein	...	Tina
Adam G.	...	Frankie (as G. Adam Gifford)
Adolph Coleman	...	Freddy
Michael Krawic	...	Chuck Anderson
Jennifer Rhodes	...	Dr. Blum
Lara Steinick	...	Cindy

Storyline

Wealthy Gregg and his wife, English teacher Julie, were happy parents until their little boy Robby was stolen while she took a bath. Their lives have taken off again, but they keep hoping and feeling guilty. Fifteen years later, when Julie is pregnant again, the high school principal appeals to her educational idealism to take under her wing Jesse, a boy who is gifted as a mechanic and artist, but can barely be convinced to keep in school by his single devoted and devout mother Esperanza, who is sick and such a bad provider he has to steal. They alternate between getting on and clashing; Jesse even breaks in to steal a ring from Julie for his girlfriend Nilda. the finding of a Saint Blaise pendant in Robby's crib finally puts Julie on the kidnapper's trace- it leads via parish priest Ramirez, who is now in a home for the demented, to a devout Esperanza...

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Plot Keywords:

teacher | title directed by female | kidnapping | based on novel

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

16 May 1993 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Sombra de Um Passado

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Craig Anderson Productions, Lorimar Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Connections

References The Outsiders (1983)

User Reviews

TV movie with a difference

Films like this generally personify for me everything that is wrong with TV movies. They take a situation, usually with a high emotional content, and milk it for as much as it is worth. The emotion arises more out of the narrative rather than anything the actors do or say. This, however, is different.

The opening sequence, showing the kidnap of the baby, is well-handled and sets up what is essentially a mystery that has to be solved. There is a real sense of loss and bewilderment. The action then springs forward fifteen years and we see Shepherd in the school where she teaches. These school scenes are also done well; aside from the fact that she is a teacher of English, as is always the case when movie deal with teachers, the film avoids the usual cliches. She has the respect of most, but not all, of the kids and the school itself is a mix of the rough and the smooth.

The scenes are intercut with the progress of the couple in their search for the child. Greg is much more intense in his desire to keep going as he feels he was ultimately responsible for the loss, although in a later scene Shepherd's character confesses she feels it was really her fault. Basically there are powerful emotions at work here and although we guess early on who her child is there is much work to be done before the final resolution.

The acting is the real reason to watch this movie. The film belongs to Cybill Shepherd and she does very well, particularly convincing in the classroom sequences. John Heard, who can do this sort of thing in his sleep, works like the true professional he is.