Reviews

From the moment I watched Dean Jagger first come on screen and play a man with severe dementia I was struck to the quick with the fear of loss for myself, and with each line he spoke and each movement he made I was enthralled and frightened and tearful, knowing what I had to look forward to caring for with my own parents and where I too would possibly be.

The anger and disinterest of the dementia sufferer segued into the happy appreciation of the child. The moment Dr. Domedian recognizes Mark, his protégé, struck me like a fist the emotions were so strong. That fist became a knife as that lucid moment faded so quickly and Domedian fell back into the bad dream of his sore and painful internal world.

That Dean Jagger was not praised and lauded for this deep and sensitive portrayal speaks more to the nations shunning of the aged in that mid 80's era than to the quality of his portrayal. Show that show today and I would hope his brilliance would shine and be praised.

Having had relatives and friends classified as "retarded" during the same era the Thornton's were institutionalized I feel ashamed of how this society behaved. Now I deal with some of the results of closing down most 'Fair-Haven' institutions. Unfortunately not all the displaced residents of such places fared so well. Many did end up as Margaret did. However, Kirstie Alley was wonderful and Delroy Lindo displayed the subtle problems that may have been Ricardo's, or may have been created from growing up in a place like Fair Haven. Both were excellent and when I watched the argument scene it sounded like someone had been listening to my marriage. From what I read there were no great awards for either actor or this film and that is merely another layer of tragedy.