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.

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.

This is a political movie in reaction to the child-abuse hysteria that swept this country during the eighties and early nineties, only this time the good guys are the parents and bad guys are the social workers and the accusers. You don't have to guess who's who when Melissa Gilbert plays the mother, nor when Dennis Weaver plays the grandfather. This is Little House on the Prairie circa 1997 versus Big Brother (as played by the social welfare system). We can depend on TV MOW's to reflect the current PC position, even if they have to make a 180 degree turn from what they were spouting just a few years ago.

Joely Fisher does an excellent job as the evil woman who makes the false accusations and tries to frame the mother out of jealousy. Brian McNamara gives a not-so-strangely Michael Landon- ish portrayal of the father despite the scraggly beard, while Dennis Weaver is something close to wonderful in a bit part as the grandfather. Gilbert, looking solid and healthy, is steady but without finesse in a part big enough for a great actress.

When we see the cop cars and the social welfare people drive up and haul off the family's two children, we know this is about war in American, the family against the larger community. Unfortunately there are few shades of gray in the script: the family is clearly innocent and victimized. Nonetheless, since MOWs always reflect the zeitgeist and of course pander to their audiences, telling them what they want to hear, this movie is clear and welcome evidence that the public has finally seen that the social welfare industry has been given too much power: the crucial point being that it is horribly wrong to allow children to be taken from their parents without due process of law. With this movie it might be said that the tide has turned and the justice system and the public have awaken from their long, self-induced nightmare of hysteria. One hopes so.

(Note: Over 500 of my movie reviews are now available in my book "Cut to the Chaise Lounge or I Can't Believe I Swallowed the Remote!" Get it at Amazon!)

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.

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