Seduction in a Small Town

An excellent portrayal of the disturbing question, Where do you draw the line between the state's interference with the upbringing of your kids and the privacy of your family life? Accusations of childabuse causes the town to investigate and put the children under the care of a foster home, while the parents desperately are trying to get the children back and clear their names. Are these laws that allow the authorities to come and fetch your children any day based on rumours really looking out for the children's best interest? A gripping drama, well played by Melissa Gilbert.

I remember this 1997 TV movie which aired on ABC and now is commonly shown on Lifetime. It has a very serious message that can mess up so many people. Melissa Gilbert finds her family rocked by child-abuse accusations she discovers that the new town seducer(Joely Fisher) tries not only to destroy her as a mother but wife also as Fisher plots to take away the husband of Gilbert. That develops this movie into an interesting drama but you feel rewarded in the end as Melissa and her family have life to come back to normal. I must mention the best scene of the movie you will see it in the first few minutes is when Melissa undresses from her blouse displaying herself in a silk gray bra. Now Melissa sure has grown into a beautiful adult. Try to catch Seduction in a Small Town on Lifetime they rerun it often you will enjoy it.

Wow, that Laura Ingalls sure has grown up. She's left her little house on the prairie for a slightly bigger house on a prairie. This time she's a loving wife and loving mother to two wonderful kids. It seems she's got it all, until a drifter (the amazing Joely Fisher) rolls into town.

How do we know Joely Fisher is a no-good drifter? Why, she's smoking, of course. All drifters smoke.

Anyway, the drifter has her eye on Laura Ingalls' perfect life. She wants her husband, she wants their house, she wants their money. But hubby's got a thing for Miss Ingalls. He ain't going to stray. Piece of advice? Don't rebuff the advances of a drifter.

Joely gets upset, starts talking smack about Laura Ingalls and her husband. Says she's heard they've been smacking around their kids. Next thing you know, the Child Welfare people are knocking on the door and taking those kids away.

What follows next is about an hour of "Don't take away my babies!" screeching from Laura Ingalls. Does she get her kids back? Do you really care?

Stick around for the surreal ending, though.

They should put it in the stores so people can buy it the movie it sad movie

This film shows abuse of the system, spitefulness, mean-spiritedness in America. Yes, not a new topic; as one reviewer mentioned, movies of the week pander to the latest social hysteria. I have not seen the film about the McMartin trials, and have meant to, as this is a similar story. Yet another interesting film along these lines was "Capturing the Friedmans"; recently shown on HBO; they were from my hometown in NY, and that story dominated the headlines in 1988-89.

In this film, Melissa Gilbert portrays the mother,wrongfully accused. Joely Fisher is the instigator- apparently a borderline personality with an agenda of her own; a transient who is estranged from her own abused children. Dennis Weaver is very good as the father-in-law.

Apparently, the social services system has run amuck, and takes away Gilbert's children not once, but twice, based on rumor and innuendo. I would love to hear the true story; and hope Ms. Jenks filed a civil suit against the state. One reviewer above mentioned that social services has acquired too much power, which indeed may be the case. Also, the issue of corruption from within should be addressed, for example DFS in Florida, which stands guilty of many violations. The sad truth is we would probably be appalled at the infractions committed against children.

Perhaps the writer of this film could address these issues as well as "home-schooling"; which in Florida led to foster parents (former convicts) who were abusing and adopting children for profit, then claiming they were "home-schooled". Something is indeed wrong with the system in America.