The burning bed

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Movie
German title The burning bed
Original title The Burning Bed
Country of production United States
original language English
Publishing year 1984
length 96 minutes
Rod
Director Robert Greenwald
script Rose Leiman Goldemberg
production Carol Schreder
music Charles Gross
camera Isidore Mankofsky
cut Michael A. Stevenson
Richard Fetterman
occupation

The Burning Bed is an American television - drama from the year 1984 . It is the film adaptation of the book by the same property, The Burning Bed by Faith McNulty, which tells the true story of Francine Hughes (1947-2017), who after years of domestic violence killed her husband 1977th

action

On March 9, 1977, Francine Hughes sets a fire in her home in Lansing , Michigan and escapes with her three children from her husband, who dies in the flames. She is therefore charged with murder. Although she received letters of support from other women who had been beaten, her lawyer said it was difficult for her to obtain an acquittal for self-defense.

In the summer of 1963, Francine met her husband James Berlin Hughes, known as Mickey, while dancing. They quickly fell in love and talked about marriage. Mickey was always more enthusiastic than Francine, who preferred to study and pursue a job. But because he can convince her again and again of his intense love for her, she agrees to the marriage proposal of the unemployed Mickey. Since he cannot find a suitable job even after the marriage, Mickey turns to alcohol and takes out his frustration on Francine. Mickey's father Berlin tries to protect Francine from these beatings by bringing her to her mother. But Francine's mother does not want to know about the violence in Francine's marriage, which is why she convinces her to return to him. Francine returns and becomes the mother of their first child. Although they move into their first house together, Francine has to let her husband beat her again and again. Although she defends him that it is difficult for him, the beating does not decrease.

So she tries to apply for welfare for herself and her children and files for divorce. With her two children and the help of her friend Grace, she is building a new life. However, she is also pregnant for the third time, so that she gives birth to her second daughter Christine in the summer of 1970, which prompts Mickey's parents to convince her to reconcile with Mickey. But Francine refuses, and only after an accident Mickey convinces her to take an apartment next to Mickey's parents' house. And so the violence begins again, because Mickey tries again and again to convince her that he loves her, whereby he reacts to every rejection with violence. Since the police do not protect Francine, they also endure several death threats from Mickey.

As Mickey finds work again, the next few years will be better and calmer. Francine is finally allowed to go to college and in the spring of 1976 receives a scholarship to study economics at McArthur Junior College . But Mickey doesn't like that, which is why the violence starts all over again. Every attempt to escape Francines is thwarted by Mickey and, as a result of the alcohol, punished with ever harder beating. Mickey knows no mercy and beats Francine in the presence of his own children. Since he does this in front of the police, he is arrested, sentenced, but released on parole. Francine then asks Mickey's family for help, but no one except Berlin wants to help. Since the police cannot help either, Francine and the children flee to their mother. But even this cannot and does not want to help her, so she hands the three children to Mickey against Francine's will. Since she receives no help from anyone, Francine with a heavy heart accepts the decision to move back in next to Mickey to be close to her children.

Francine is taken to the courtroom to hear the testimony. A police officer claims they didn't help and Flossie Hughes, Mickey's mother, lies to the attorney in the testimony. Francine's daughter Christine, on the other hand, describes her father's acts of violence against her mother and states that she does not miss her father. At the end, Francine herself is called and gives a few stories of how Mickey treated her on record. On the night before his death he raped her so that she got gasoline from the garage, dumped it in the bedroom next to the sleeping Mickey and set it on fire and fled with the three children they shared. Therefore, she is acquitted of temporary insanity.

criticism

"Miss Fawcett delivers an admirably strong performance that evolves from a temperamental teenager to an anxious woman with shattering conviction."

- The New York Times

"Farrah Fawecet gives an impressive performance that proves that she is a first-class actress and should guarantee her an Emmy nomination."

- People

"(TV) feature film based on a true story, which caused a sensation because of its extraordinary acting achievements, but above all because of the ambitiously fanned out topic of violence in marriage."

- Lexicon of international film

Awards

publication

On October 8, 1984, the television film was first broadcast on NBC and on November 3, 1990 on Sat.1 . The film is also available on VHS in the United States .

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Francine Wilson, domestic abuse victim whose trial changed law and attitudes in US, dies at 69 , latimes.com/
  2. ↑ John J. O'Connor : TV Review, Fawcett in 'Burning Bed' on nytimes.com, October 8, 1984, accessed March 2, 2012
  3. ↑ Jeff Jarvis : Picks and Pans Review: The Burning Bed on people.com, October 8, 1984, accessed March 2, 2012
  4. ↑ The burning bed. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed March 2, 2017 .Template: LdiF / Maintenance / Access used