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Roe vs. Wade (1989)

| Biography, Drama | TV Movie 15 May 1989
Roe vs. Wade Poster
Ellen Russell is a lonely, single, poorly educated Texan who finds herself pregnant with no means to support a child. To avoid giving up the child, she seeks an abortion. Denied an abortion... See full summary »

Director:

Gregory Hoblit

Writer:

Alison Cross

Stars:

Holly Hunter, Amy Madigan, James Gammon | See full cast & crew »
Reviews
Won 1 Golden Globe. Another 2 wins & 7 nominations. See more awards »

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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Holly Hunter ... Ellen Russell / Jane Doe
Amy Madigan ... Sarah Weddington
James Gammon ... Jimmy Russell
Terry O'Quinn ... Jay Floyd
Dion Anderson ... Bob Flowers
Kathy Bates ... Jessie
Micole Mercurio ... Ida Russell
Chris Mulkey ... Ron Weddington
Annabella Price Annabella Price ... Linda Coffey
Stephen Tobolowsky ... Darryl Horwood
David Wohl ... Terry
Daniel Benzali
Jerry Hardin
Ken Jenkins
George Murdock
See full cast »
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Storyline

Ellen Russell is a lonely, single, poorly educated Texan who finds herself pregnant with no means to support a child. To avoid giving up the child, she seeks an abortion. Denied an abortion in Texas, Ellen hires a novice lawyer to plead her case in the US Supreme Court. Written by L. Zitter

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

abortion | court | law | supreme court | judicial system | See All (10) »

Taglines:

Abortion. The most divisive moral issue facing Americans today.

Genres:

Biography | Drama

Parents Guide:

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Did You Know?

Trivia

During the mid-1990s, Norma McCorvey (the real name of "Jane Roe," who was renamed "Ellen Russell" for this movie) became a very vocal prolife activist, made a public conversion to Catholicism, and said that she was no longer a lesbian. McCorvey even filed a 2004 motion attempting to have Roe v. Wade overturned. However, in the 2020 documentary "AKA Jane Roe," (in footage filmed before her 2017 death), McCorvey admitted that her anti-abortion activism had been "all an act" that she only performed because she was well-paid to do so. In the documentary, former Operation Rescue activist Reverend Rob Schenck confirms that McCorvey had been "on the payroll" and adds that all of her public statements were scripted for her. See more »

Connections

Referenced in Saturday Night Live: Steve Martin/Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers (1989) See more »

User Reviews

 
Average TV Movie.
4 August 2005 | by tarbosh22000 – See all my reviews

"Roe Vs. Wade" could have been so much better. It's OK, but the script needed work. Holly Hunter plays Ellen. She gets pregnant and wants to have an abortion. There's a problem though: in Texas, abortion is illegal. Ellen is desperate and then she finds out about Sarah Weddington's (Amy Madigan) plans to challenge the law. Terry O'Quinn is the other lawyer opposing her, but he has his own feelings.

Holly Hunter and Terry O'Quinn are excellent. Amy Madigan is stiff and Kathy Bates doesn't do anything. The script goes around in circles.

In the end: They had a great subject and lead actress, but the movie just didn't go the extra mile.

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 May 1989 (USA) See more »

Also Known As:

Le combat de Jane Roe See more »

Company Credits

Production Co:

The Mannheim Company, NBC Productions See more »
Show more on IMDbPro »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

| (TV)

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1
See full technical specs »
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