The dramatic action of this made-for-TV movie is incredibly sad, but what is sadder is the host of questionable attitudes and false notions it tends to instill in viewers.
I saw this film in high school, as part of a lesson on marital relationships in our Christian studies class (I went to a Catholic school). The atrocities which Mickey and Francine inflicted on each other disturbed me immensely, but my fellow students seemed to relish each and every one of them. I heard laughter and lots of gleeful cries like "Woohoo!" and Yeah!" when Francine set Mickey on fire. This is not to say that they actually enjoyed the violence; I guess they just saw Mickey as the stereotypical Southern redneck and were happy to see him reinforce their prejudices and then get his just deserts.
THE BURNING BED not only cheapens respect for human life, but also glorifies vigilante murder and appears to insinuate that men born south of the Mason-Dixon line have an innate tendency toward brutality and other heinous acts.
I don't think TV movies like this one should be made so often. No family is perfect, but I'm positive that most families do not want to see themselves torn apart on the screen. Why don't the TV people keep violence on the streets where it belongs?
I saw this film in high school, as part of a lesson on marital relationships in our Christian studies class (I went to a Catholic school). The atrocities which Mickey and Francine inflicted on each other disturbed me immensely, but my fellow students seemed to relish each and every one of them. I heard laughter and lots of gleeful cries like "Woohoo!" and Yeah!" when Francine set Mickey on fire. This is not to say that they actually enjoyed the violence; I guess they just saw Mickey as the stereotypical Southern redneck and were happy to see him reinforce their prejudices and then get his just deserts.
THE BURNING BED not only cheapens respect for human life, but also glorifies vigilante murder and appears to insinuate that men born south of the Mason-Dixon line have an innate tendency toward brutality and other heinous acts.
I don't think TV movies like this one should be made so often. No family is perfect, but I'm positive that most families do not want to see themselves torn apart on the screen. Why don't the TV people keep violence on the streets where it belongs?