Jewel

The movie is listed as factual but is only partially factual. The main character Jewel went by Myrtis as it is her 1st name and Jewel is her middle name. The part about them moving from Mississippi to California is true she did this and the majority of the family moved with them. The character Brenda Kay did not go by that name she was just Brenda and Kay is actually a granddaughter of the main character. Can't remember if they show it in the movie or not but within seconds of meeting Brenda she would tell you you were fat even if you were not. It was almost like her term of affection. The character Raylene (also not her real name) in the movie tries to kill herself. The actual person never attempted suicide and her name was not used because she would not sign the release after reading that.It is a very touching story to see what she sacrificed for her daughter at the time and continued to all for Brenda throughout her life.

My review for this movie is way up there. Farrah, as usual, delivers an excellent, realistic performance. I always said she was and is a great actress. The husband was a bit weak, but, overall, a fine performance from him as well, and let's not forget the young lady who played Brenda Kay, either. I caught this movie on late night LMN, started watching it and was quite moved at many points throughout the film. I feel it shows the plight and decisions a poor struggling family in Mississippi had to make for the love of their retarded daughter, their move to California, and their ultimate decisions that needed to be made. Their is a real evolution in the family, and Brenda Kay is not the only member with problems. Farrah's performance is superior; don't miss this "jewel" of a movie; it's a gem. Excellent.

Once again, Farrah Fawcett rises above typical television sentimentality and gives a strong performance as a mother facing the hardship of raising a child with Downs Syndrome. Fawcett deserves an Emmy nomination for her potrayal of a woman who gains strength through adversity, and who is the anchor of a family beset by emotional duress and dysfunction. Farrah, both strong and soft, hard and sensitive, continues to grow as an actress. Hopefully, she will be provided even better scripts and direction in the future. Fawcett's turns in The Burning Bed, Small Sacrifices, Dr. T and the Women, and Extremities have shown us that she outgrew her Charlie's Angels image years ago, and that she's long overdue for the really juicy roles.

"Jewel" is a typical TV movie about a subject that will make a lot of housewives cry their eyes out. It's about a large, very Christian and happy family in the 1940's that will soon be "blessed" with a 5th child. But of course there are some complications. The child appears to have the Syndrome of Down, and will ask all her mother's attention. Mom does everything for her daughter but forgets that there are other people around her as well...

All in all it isn't the worst movie I've ever seen, but it never stands out above the average. This isn't much more but typical TV pulp. The acting is quite good (for this kind of movies), but the actors aren't able to give an extra touch to the uninspired script.

I'm sure this movie will be loved by many, especially by women in their 40's, 50's or older, but personally I find this movie nothing special and not worth a second watch. It's message like "you can run but you can never hide from your problems" and "you have to take your life the way God has intended it to be" is much too conservative to my taste, but I'm sure the average American will love it. The only problem: I'm not average and certainly not American... I give it a 5/10.

'Jewel' the title character,played by Farrah Fawcett,is a mother of four children who now middle-aged awaits her fifth child.Her newborn baby girl is named Brenda Kay and soon after doctors discover that Brenda Kay has Down Syndrome.They give her 2 years to live but Jewel is undaunted.She believes that if she loves Brenda Kay enough everything will be alright.

That is the basic story and Fawcett handles the character of Jewel well.She plays a woman who has resolved to give up anything and everything to ensure the happiness and well-being of her daughter,even if it means that she does so at the expense of her other children and her husband.The story and the characters were handled well enough but personally,it did not make as much of an emotional impact as it could have and the ending was rather disappointing.