A CRY FOR HELP: THE TRACEY THURMAN STORY

US, 1989, 100 minutes, Colour.
Nancy Mc Keown, Dale Midkiff, Terri Hanauer, Philip Baker Hall.
Directed by Robert Markowitz.

A Cry For Help: The Tracey Thurman Story is a telemovie based on real events and characters. Tracey Thurman was a young woman who married a brutal young man, had a child, divorced him, suffered a great deal of harassment and ultimately injuries which caused partial paralysis. She took the city of Torrington, Connecticut, to court and sued them for the police not taking proper care of preventing her husband harassing her. She won the case and caused law reform in the United States for protecting wives threatened by husbands and ex husbands.

The first part of the film seems rather shrill, inevitable in the build-up of the characters, the marriage, the harassment. The second part of the film is strong with Tracey and her injuries, her trying to recover, the interrogations at the court case. The film has a good cast, especially Nancy McKeown? as Tracey Thurman.

A strong slice of life, a film worth discussing, especially about falling in love, marriage, commitment - and brutality within marriage.

1.A true story? Its impact? Points made? Slice of life for the television audience? Social comment?

2.The '80s: Florida locations, Connecticut? On the road, homes, workplaces? The courts?

3.The names and dates and places technique, giving the film authenticity? The postscript to the film about Tracey Thurman? The Thurman Law in Connecticut? The influence of one woman and the changing of legislation?

4.The setting of the scene, confrontation between Tracey and Buck, her friend and the child? The brutality? The calling of the police? The flashbacks to explain the situation?

5.Tracey as an ordinary young American woman? Her background, her love for her mother, clash with her father? Her mother wanting her to make something of herself? At work, the chance encounter with Buck, attracted to him? The card games, the relationship, her pregnancy? His brutality, her seeing something good in him? The marriage? The birth of the child? Trying to live with him, his gambling and wanting money? Physical violence? The fact that he couldn't read and was limited in his work? Her decision to leave? The filing for divorce, the discussions with the lawyers? His threats and violence? Her returning to Connecticut, the support of her friend, of her sister? Calling the police, their wariness of her, their statements about his not actually attacking her? Court and the restraining order? The build-up to the June morning, Buck's arrival, her calling the police, coming down?

6.The brutality of that morning? Buck's attack, drawing the knife, the police and the intervention (restrained)? His kicking his wife, stamping on her? His eventually being taken away? Her hospitalisation?

7.Her injuries, her paralysis? Disfigurement? Her gradually coming to life again? Her attempts at rehabilitation? Concern about her son - the scene with the knife? The lawyers and the suggestion about suing the city?

8.The court case, the 29 police sued? The examination of their behaviour (and audiences having seen it)? The answering of phone calls, the lack of responsibility, passing on information, filing it? Their not taking any action, wariness of her complaints? Danziger and his age, lack of intervention, fear about his pension? His being responsible for Tracey's injuries?

9.The reaction of the prosecutor, the defence attorney? The police and their testimony, defending themselves?

10.The jury's decision? The awarding of damages to Tracey? The changing of the law?

11.The sketch of Buck? From Tracey's point of view? Ordinary young man, his work, friends, relationships with women, fear of women, brutality? Card games? Ordering Tracey about? The reaction to her pregnancy, suspicious of someone else? His continued violence, violence towards his child? The final confrontation after the harassment? His threats from prison?

12.The value of this kind of telemovie? Dramatising real events? Giving insight to audiences? Giving support to those in the same situation - that they seek help?