La voce dell'innocenza

This was one of the best lifetime movies I've ever seen. It was kind of tough to watch, though. I was really impressed with the acting of the kids. I wondered if they understood what they were talking about. At the end of the movie they had a were they are now thing, so I'm guessing it was a true story, which makes it extremely disturbing.

In the late 80s, this case was held up as the gold standard for child interviewing techniques. However, since the early 90s these same techniques have been debunked again and again. Child welfare agencies now say this is Exhibit B for how not to interview a child (with Exhibit A being the McMartin Preschool case).

If you want to learn more about working with abused children, watch The Boarder. Do NOT watch any movie based on a child abuse case from the 80s. They contain bad information about child abuse investigations.

Surprised to find this old Lifetime true story movie on Netflix in 2024 about the childcare center abuses in the 80s in Florida.

Always found their true crime movies a good way to get the picture since the news articles are always so piecemeal. No acts are shown but the young child actors tell what happened to them explicitly. The child psychologists are played by Jill Clayburgh and Brad Davis and their POV is shown.

Some familiar faces as the parents of abused kids. Reading up about what happened the guys is still in prison but expounds doubts about the case against him.

Interesting docudrama style.

Dear Lord, what a horribly done film on child abuse. This production represents why Lifetime Movies get such a bad rap. This subject has been represented better since this time, but the direction, the melodramatic acting, the soundtrack is dismal. Brad Davis is horrible in this film and Jill Clayburgh looks embarrassed to be in this 1985 film. It is 35 years later so I have to give it a bit of a pass. But not much.

Unlike the McMartin trial, there are no questions here. These folks are pure and simple child molesters. A very good adaption from a very good, large volume, so kudos to the screenwriter for boiling it down. Clayburgh and Davis are great as child shrinks. Again, character drives the story of child molestation in a daycare home. See it and weep, and learn.