If These Walls Could Talk

If you ever thought a woman's right to choose was an easy one, this will take care of that. Unexpected pregnancy can be from carelessness of course, but it can also be from fallible birth control, boyfriends who lie, and people you were with against your will. This is three distinct movies in one on the same topic of a woman trying to chose to have, or not have, an unexpected baby. Each one is set in a different decade.

I had to turn the volume down and close my eyes at times. Not for gruesomeness but the way you close your eyes when someone is about to hit that awful note in the Star Spangled Banner. You feel the pain of their attempt at something difficult. You don't just watch this movie, you feel it.

Men are not portrayed as multi-dimentional as the women are, but they are not the villian either. They are included yet they can never fully understand. You see the suffering the women go through in their own head, how difficult it is, the wavering in their decisions. They have equal fear of having an abortion, having a baby, and having the people around them know of their predicament.

Demi Moore, Sissy Spacek and Anne Heche play three very different women from different eras (the 1950's, 1970's and 1990's respectively) who are each confronted with the same dilemma. They're pregnant, and struggling with whether or not to end the pregnancy, with each story being set against the value system of the day. The stories are unrelated in any other way, but together they represent an interesting evolution of thoughts around the abortion issue.

Moore's performance is probably the one that brings forth the greatest feelings of sympathy from the viewer. She's a nurse and a young widow, alone and lonely except for the connection to her deceased husband's family, who has to find a way to deal with a pregnancy that was unplanned and the result of a one-time "fling" with her brother in law. Abortion is illegal, she has to avoid shaming her "family," and she can't just disappear for nine months to give birth because she has a job and little money. In the end she finds a shady abortion provider who does the deed on her kitchen table, and leaves her in a desperate condition - her fate remaining a mystery. This was the most powerful of the stories. Heche's character has an affair with an older, married man who wants nothing to do with the responsibility. She chooses abortion after a lot of soul-searching, but while it's legal in the 90's she's confronted by pro-life protesters at the door of the clinic who do cause her to think twice about the decision, although she ultimately goes ahead with it. With a best friend who's pro-life but supportive of her she goes falls into a scene of horror that seemed to me too expected and contrived. The soul-searching the character goes through, though, makes this a worthwhile vignette. The weakest of the three stories was probably that featuring Spacek. She's a mother of three in a happy marriage and re-starting her own education when she becomes pregnant again. This story revolves mostly around tensions within the family as all consider the potential impact of the pregnancy on their hopes and dreams. In the end, this pregnancy continues.

It was interesting to see the perspective on the issue from three very different generations.

This film shows up as well now as I did when I first saw it in 1996 and was amazed. All those in the "demi moore can't act" camp should check out what she can do with the right material. She delivers an amazing performance in the first piece, giving those of us who dont remember a glimpse of the pre-Roe v Wade situation for women who found themselves in a less than desirable situation. Sissy Spacek is brilliant as ever in a lighter, though heartfelt and often ignored situation of a mom deciding whether one more child is what she wants. The final segment knocks me off my feet. Kudos to Cher for pulling together great actors and great stories.

Review: I quite enjoyed this deep, emotional drama which is set from the 50's to the 90's about 3 different women, Demi Moore, Sissy Spacek and Anne Heche, who all have problems concerning abortion. The first story, which stars Demi Mooore, is the most emotional out of the 3 because it was illegal to have an abortion during the 50's. Demi Moore's performance was brilliant and extremely real. It's a shame that you don't see the outcome of the first story, but it a very well written storyline that will definitely touch the heart. The second story, which is based in the 70's is starring Sissy Spacek as a house wife and a mother of 4 who struggles to have any time for herself because of her hectic lifestyle. When she finds out that she is pregnant, she has to make the difficult decision if to keep or abort the baby. This is another powerful drama that was very well made. The acting by all of the cast was great, along with the storyline which was also, emotional. The third an final storyline which is set in the 90's is starring Anne Heche as teenager who gets pregnant by a married man. She also has to make the decision if to keep or abort the baby, but she gets help from her close friend Jada Pinkett Smith, and the nurses at the clinic. This was also an emotional piece, which stars Cher as a nurse. In all, the whole movie is a right eye opener that was a great watch. Emotional! 

Round-Up: This movie came out when Demi Moore and Cher were in the spotlight and extremely popular. As this movie was an HBO special, it didn't get a major release in the cinemas, but it was talked about at the time. Personally, I hadn't heard of the movie, but I'm glad that I added it to my rental list because it was a great watch. The fact that the whole film is based around the same house was cleverly done by the director and the delicate subject matter was dealt with in a sympathetic and thoughtful way. Although the movie came out in the 90's, it doesn't seem dated or out of touch with matters of this day and age which is why it's worth watching.

I recommend this movie to people who are into there extremely emotional dramas about 3 stories based on abortion which takes place over the years in the same house. 7/10

I saw this movie back in 97 and thought it was well acted, well thought out and realistic. As it follows different women, in different decades that have the very difficult decision to make on whether to continue a pregnancy or not. All the women are in totally different stages and situations in their personal life and ages.

Sadly, with the RIDICULOUS LAWS TEXAS JUST PASSED in 2021, I see us veering for a collision course with THE HANDMAIDS TALES :O VERy FRighTENing and VERy SAD! They don't care about the Women or the Babies, this is just a Political/Religious Obsession.

I'm surprised that as well as the $10,000 bounty people can get for snitching on a woman or girl they suspect may have had an abortion, that they just don't pass a law to Burn her at the Stake too! :o

Even Ireland finally made abortion legal when they realized the horrific outcomes for so many women and children. The states that are passing these oppressive laws don't want to pay for more welfare, food stamps, housing, birth control and they sure don't make the fathers pay child support either. I still haven't heard where the man gets to share any responsibility in the pregnancy or the punishment with so many unplanned pregnancies???? Why???

And what happens if someone has a miscarriage and someone reports them for the money?? Like it isn't horrible enough for a woman to miscarry and now she will have to be shamed and fight a legal battle too?? WOW! I'm Amazed at the Stupidity and Selfishness that abounds.

There are SO MANY children being abused, physically, emotionally, sexually by their own families EVERY DAY!! And people who shouldn't have kids at all and foster homes overflowing with kids and epidemic numbers of kids born addicted to drugs going thru horrific withdrawals from their 1st breath. People selling or pimping out their kids. WoW! :O My Heart Hurts writing this down, For Real! :(

There's gonna be a Great Migration as women will choose to move away from these Crazy states. And so many Republican's complaining about wearing a mask and social distancing in a Deadly Pandemic in it's 3rd and I'm sure NOT FINAL Wave, shouting It's my body, my choice. Guess that only applies to whether you wanna risk killing your whole family, innocent people you encounter, the health care workers and Drs that are overwhelmed trying to save you dummies.

And rapes are at an all time high and now women and girls have to worry about going to jail or having some creeps child too with NO options??? WoW!!!

The USA is also overwhelmed with mental illness in kids and teens like never before, and kids shooting up schools. Sorry, I don't get it?? And for all you citing the Bible to pass this Ridiculous Law, You know what,1st not everyone believes in your God and the ones that do and choose to have an abortion, well, it's NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS, that is to be settled between her and God ! NOT YOU, So BUTT OUT!! :0.