Shattered Dreams

Interesting only as a story of just one more scumbag in power during the Reagan administration. Adequate acting, but superficial characters and story, and even my 12 year old kept asking why the mother and children were so compliant, insipid and, well, moronic in their response to this guy. Well...this was the 80's I guess. But we did watch the whole thing, so it gets a 5 from me.

A finely-wrought television drama based on a true case of marital abuse involving a driven, insanely ambitious and perfectionist government employee (Michael Nouri, in a solid performance) who bullies, beats up and continually condescends to his spouse, an educated woman from an upscale family who doesn't have the self-esteem or the proper support system to leave this tyrant. Somewhere between her star-making role on TV's "The Bionic Woman" to today's spokeswoman for the Sleep Number Bed, it has occasionally been forgotten that actress Lindsay Wagner has range, depth and sensitivity as an actress, and she gets to utilize much of that range here as the battered wife. This type of TV-drama (with victims learning to speak up) has obviously been done before, but the fine cast warrants attention, and the writing and directing are both commendable.

Apparently so. As Lindsay Wagner portrays Charlotte Fedders, former wife of D.C. attorney John Fedders, who rose to prominence in the 1980's as an SEC lawyer.

While the subject is not a novel one, this is a well-presented true case study. And we should all take offense at people who critique Charlotte Fedders, saying it is her fault, etc. Perhaps she felt she had no options. With 5 young children to support in the 1970's a woman's career options were not exactly promising.

Michael Nouri is quite believable as the narcissistic Fedders, who today has a thriving Washington D.C. law practice. Those who think the word is black and white, and that everything comes out right in the end may be interested in this story. Anyone who rationalizes violent behavior, and blames the victim, is living in an archaic world. Domestic violence is never justifiable, and laws today have at least been legislated to protect the abused spouse. 9/10.

Although this movie was already 26 years old when I first saw it, I felt that it was very pertinent to misconceptions of Domestic Violence, today. Movies like this one, and the whole VAWA implies that women generally have bad judgment in domestic relationships and are prone to preserve violent sexual involvement. Lindsay Wagner did a super job portraying Charlotte Fedders a women who obviously misunderstood traditional religious principles and suffered from low self esteem. Michael Nouri carried off the role of John Fedders very well. He makes it easy to believe how women can fall for the stereotypical demoniac male and choose to have children with them.

One of Lindsay's best,totally convincing in her portrayal of a battered wife who gives up her self respect and self esteem for love and to protect her children. Based on a true story Lindsay's portrayal was convincing and keeps the viewer glued to the screen throughout. This is one of my fave films of lindsay which scored high ratings when screened on Australian television in 1994. I give this a 9 out of 10.