If, like me, you happen to have missed this much-lauded, true-life tv-flick, you owe yourself the favor of taking in the story of Francine Hughes and her experiences. It's one that affects too many women still. Farrah's performance was justly lauded, and the rest of the cast is fine--Paul LeMat's work here should be mentioned as well; he's chilling as the wife-beating Mickey, who pivots from childlike to monstrous in seconds. The violence is overlooked by his coddling parents, particularly his mother (a very effective Grace Zabriskie, whose skill at playing emotionally-detached-mothers-of-attractive-psychos is also on display in the excellent 1980 "East of Eden" tv-miniseries, where Jane Seymour took the Golden Globe as the malevolent Cathy.) Glamorous stars like Fawcett and Seymour absolutely shine when they get to really show their acting chops, and Farrah earned the great reviews she got for this.
What's really sad is how long it took the real Francine to get help. The movie generally concentrates on the horrific treatment she received, though in interviews years later, her children mentioned that she was by nature positive and helpful. A resilient woman whose story is worth watching.
What's really sad is how long it took the real Francine to get help. The movie generally concentrates on the horrific treatment she received, though in interviews years later, her children mentioned that she was by nature positive and helpful. A resilient woman whose story is worth watching.