Born Innocent

I first saw this movie on television during the fall of 1974 and I really enjoyed watching this very much. This is about a 14-year-old girl who is already in trouble with the law and has to spend time in prison.

Linda Blair plays the role of Chris Parker, who is supposedly a good kid, but does not seem to stay out of trouble. She is picked up by law enforcement officers and is sent to a women's prison where she gets her first experience at being physically assaulted. She did get out of prison on parole, but is soon sent back because her parents (Kim Hunter and Richard Jaeckel) could not trust her because money was missing from her mother's wallet and Blair is immediately suspected. At that point, Blair becomes very hardened and not because of her parent's accusations, but because of spending time in prison.

Blair comes in contact with a counselor, (Mary Murphy) who she confides in and began telling her stories of how she was treated very badly and had that woman in tears, but soon enough, the woman learns that this young girl is not what she claims to be after learning what happened while she was on parole and confronted her about this.

Kim Hunter played the role of Blair's movie mom Mrs. Parker and has done a very superb job in playing this role. She was a housewife who stayed at home and sat in her recliner watching television and smoking cigarettes.

Richard Jaeckel played the role of Blair's movie dad and did a very superb job in playing this. He behaved much like any father to his own daughter. He was the one who played in the 1976 movie "Jaws Of Death." He played the role of the sociopath who raised approximately 20 sharks and commanding them to kill.

Mary Murphy did a superb job in playing the role of the prison counselor Miss Murphy. She did her lines to perfection and nothing was out of place.

I do have to say that Linda Blair did a superb job in her role as young Chris Parker. She was only 15 years old, but played as a 14-year-old and everything she did was perfect! She has starred in other movies like "The Exorcist," and "Sara T." In her other 1974 movie "Sara T" she played the role of a very young alcoholic who experienced alot of problems in her life. Blair can really act, I mean, really act and it is because she has that very special talent. This is the beginning of something very special for miss Blair. Now she will do some nice films like Savage Streets, Chained Heat, Night Patrol, Savage Island and many others. I like when she is nude.

Director Donald Wrye has really done a great job in directing this movie. He has directed all of the scenes very well and despite of the scenes that were violent, they were well managed.

This is a movie that teenagers and their parents should watch. This gives insight of how even parents who have provided a very good home for their teenagers can wind up in the same situation as Chris Parker's parents.

This movie was really sad. This might sound strange, but I would have made it where Moco become Chris's very close friend, like a mother to her, and have her protect Chris from the evils in the institution and the outside world. Moco looks like a very powerful character and would probably send Mr Parker flying across the room when he tried to lay a finger on Chris.

That said, One scene I remember is when Blair escapes from the center, she encounters her brother at an airport(?). He gives some stupid, cornball lecture of how he has to live his own life, and then turns her over to the authorities that send her back to the prison! Gah! I swear, I wanted to reach into the screen and beat that piece of $h## of a "brother" to a pulp for his evil act. I swear, part of me wants to see Chris (or better yet, Moco!) go after his ass. Yes, the movie is really that well done, especially if it can raise such blood boiling emotions in me which is very rare for a movie!

Bth: To her brother: STOP SNITCHING!

It was something I never forgot. I can't believe this was shown on national television. It made me scared of people even more. I thought it was a broom not a plunger. I can remember being severely affected by watching it. I really don't know what else to say about it here. It should if had a warning on it. I do think when movie should be required viewing for every high school student today and they should be educated in such matters to learn compassion and see that there are reasons why some people are the way they are and learn empathy about that. And that we as a society can and should do better.

Linda Blair gives a chilling but pogient performance in this harsh,realistic look into the abusive world of juvenile justice.As "Chris Parker", she tries to flee from her abusive father and her drunken,irresponsible mother.But her running away only leads to her being unjustly placed in a girls reform school.Where she is abused and condemmed even further by the school's insane and dangerous students and by the insensitive and corrupt school officals(The main villian in this dramatic tale is Allyn Ann McClaire.Who plays the evil housemother:"Mrs.Emma Lasko").Ms.Blair's character goes from being a gentle,navie'and put upon young innocent to becoming a tough,violent young punk.Who distrusts and attacks anything that is phoney or authoritative.The most memorable but forgotten scene is Ms.Blair being raped by four perverse girls in the shower room with a brush handle.The scene has since been edited,due to the complaints from one girl's family.That she was raped in a similar manner.Despite the editing of this graphic scene."Born Innocent"is Linda Blair's best tv performance.

Born Innocent (1974) is a made for T.V. movie that I caught on the old Black and white many years ago. A sad film about a young girl (Linda Blair) and all the trouble she went through while she was in reform school. Her parents seem oblivious to her problems when a social worker tries to find out about her family life. I am disappointed that this movie is not availible for viewing anywhere. A shame because it's a great made for television film.

Strongly recommended.