If These Walls Could Talk is a 1996 American anthology television film, broadcast on HBO. It follows the plights of three women and their experiences with abortion. Each of the three stories takes place in the same house, 22 years apart: 1952, 1974, and 1996. All three segments were co-written by Nancy Savoca. Savoca directed the first and second segment while Cher directed the third. The women's experiences in each vignette are designed to demonstrate the popular views of society on the issue in each of the given decades.
| If These Walls Could Talk | |
|---|---|
 DVD cover | |
| Genre | Drama Thriller |
| Written by | Susan Nanus I. Marlene King Nancy Savoca Earl W. Wallace Pamela Wallace |
| Directed by | Nancy Savoca Cher |
| Starring | Demi Moore Sissy Spacek Cher Xander Berkeley Hedy Burress Anne Heche Jada Pinkett Shirley Knight |
| Composer | Cliff Eidelman |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| Production | |
| Executive producers | Cher Demi Moore Suzanne Todd |
| Producers | Martin Ganz Doris Kirch Laura Greenlee |
| Cinematography | Ellen Kuras Bobby Bukowski John Stanier |
| Editors | Peter Honess Elena Maganini |
| Running time | 97 minutes |
| Production companies | HBO NYC Productions Moving Pictures |
| Original release | |
| Network | HBO |
| Release | October 13, 1996 |
| Related | |
Debuting at the Toronto International Film Festival, If These Walls Could Talk became a surprise success and was the highest-rated movie in HBO history.[1] It was nominated for four Primetime Emmy Awards, including for Outstanding Television Movie and three Golden Globe Awards, including Best Miniseries or Television Film.
Plot
edit1952
editThe 1952 segment deals with Claire Donnelly, a widowed nurse living in suburban Chicago, who becomes pregnant by Kevin, her brother-in-law and decides to undergo abortion in order not to hurt her late husband's family. However, abortion at the time is strictly illegal. Claire eventually finds another nurse who provides her the phone number of a woman who can find her someone to perform the abortion. The woman on the phone tells Claire that the only trustworthy care provider she knows is located in Puerto Rico, and Claire cannot afford the travel costs—with air fare and hotel costs, the total trip would cost about $1000 (about $10,800 in 2022). After a failed attempt to end her pregnancy with a knitting needle, Claire contacts a man who comes to her home and performs a clandestine, hasty procedure on her while she lies atop her kitchen table. Claire finally manages to abort, but dies shortly afterwards due to massive blood loss.
1974
editThe 1974 segment deals with Barbara Barrows, a struggling and aging mother with four children and a night-shift-working policeman husband, who discovers she is pregnant despite having recently gone back to college. She considers abortion with the support of her teenage daughter, Linda, but ultimately chooses to keep the child.
1996
editThe 1996 segment deals with Christine Cullen, a college student pregnant by a married professor, who decides on an abortion when he breaks up with her and only offers her money. After consulting with her roommate, Patti, she made an appointment with Dr. Beth Thompson. However, the abortion takes place during a violent protest, and during the actual abortion, an anti-abortion protester walks in and shoots Dr. Thompson immediately after she completes the procedure. Christine comforts Dr. Thompson as she slowly bleeds out.
Cast
edit1952 segment
- Demi Moore as Claire Donnelly
- Shirley Knight as Mary Donnelly
- Catherine Keener as Becky Donnelly
- Jason London as Kevin Donnelly
- CCH Pounder as Jenny Ford
1974 segment
- Hedy Burress as Linda Barrows
- Sissy Spacek as Barbara Barrows
- Joanna Gleason as Julia
- Xander Berkeley as John Barrows
- Janna Michaels as Sally Barrows
- Ian Bohen as Scott Barrows
- Zack Eginton as Ryan Barrows
1996 segment
- Anne Heche as Christine Cullen
- Cher as Dr. Beth Thompson
- Jada Pinkett as Patti
- Eileen Brennan as Tessie
- Lindsay Crouse as Frances White
- Craig T. Nelson as Jim Harris
- Matthew Lillard as protester
- Rita Wilson as Leslie
- Diana Scarwid as Marcia Schulman
- Lorraine Toussaint as Shameeka Webb
Development
editAs executive producer, Moore spent seven years trying to get the film made,[2] until the project was eventually greenlit by HBO.[3] HBO vice president Colin Callender said "I don't believe there's a studio in the world that would finance this picture"[3] and praised Moore and Cher for having the courage to use their celebrity to address the issue of abortion.[4] Cher commented "It took someone with Demi's power and fortitude to have something like this made. Without that power, you couldn't do it. These topics are not on everybody's top 10 list of things to do."[3]
Reception
editThe film received mostly positive reviews from critics. If These Walls Could Talk holds an 88% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on eight reviews.[5]
Among the positive reviews were Siskel & Ebert, who both gave the film "Two Thumbs Up."[6]
Awards and nominations
edit| Year | Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1997
|
CableACE Awards | Editing a Dramatic Special or Series/Movie or Miniseries | Peter Honess and Elena Maganini | Won | [7] |
| Festival International de Programmes Audiovisuels | Fiction | Won | |||
| Golden Globe Awards | Best Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television | Nominated | [8] | ||
| Best Actress in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television | Demi Moore | Nominated | |||
| Best Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television | Cher | Nominated | |||
| NAACP Image Awards | Outstanding Lead Actress in a Television Movie or Mini-Series | Jada Pinkett | Nominated | ||
| Online Film & Television Association Awards | Best Motion Picture Made for Television | Nominated | [9] | ||
| Best Direction of a Motion Picture or Miniseries | Nominated | ||||
| Best Writing of a Motion Picture or Miniseries | Nominated | ||||
| Best Editing in a Motion Picture or Limited Series | Nominated | ||||
| Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Made for Television Movie | Suzanne Todd, Demi Moore, Laura Greenlee, and J.J. Klein |
Nominated | [10] | |
| Outstanding Editing for a Miniseries or a Special – Single Camera Production | Elena Maganini (for "1952" and "1974") | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Hairstyling for a Miniseries or a Special | Clare M. Corsick, Enzo Angileri, Sally J. Harper, Renate Leuschner, Voni Hinkle, Serena Radaelli, and Cammy R. Langer |
Nominated | |||
| The President's Award | HBO Films and Anasazi Productions | Nominated | |||
| Satellite Awards | Best Motion Picture Made for Television | Nominated | [11] | ||
| Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television | Cher | Nominated | |||
| YoungStar Awards | Best Young Actress in a Made-for-TV Film | Hedy Burress | Nominated | [12] | |
2000
|
Women in Film Crystal + Lucy Awards | Lucy Award[a] | Won | [13] | |
2019
|
Online Film & Television Association Awards | Television Hall of Fame: Productions | Inducted | [14] | |
Sequel
editA sequel anthology, If These Walls Could Talk 2, aired in 2000. The subject addressed in it was lesbianism.
Notes
edit- ^ To the Creators and Cast of If These Walls Could Talk and If These Walls Could Talk 2. In recognition of excellence and innovation in a creative work that has enhanced the perception of women through the medium of television.
References
edit- ^ "HBO's 'Walls' Tell Eye-Opening Stories". Santa Rosa Press Democrat. March 5, 2000.
- ^ "Demi Moore speaking to reporters at the 1997 Golden Globes". Getty Images. January 19, 1997.
- ^ a b c "Abortion film for Cher, Demi Moore". Manila Standard. September 18, 1996.
- ^ "Cher, Moore tackle abortion with 'Walls'". Austin-American Statesman. September 16, 1996. Retrieved 2012-10-14.
- ^ "If These Walls Could Talk". Rotten Tomatoes.
- ^ "That Thing You Do!, Bound, Michael Collins, Infinity, if These Walls Could Talk, 1996 – Siskel and Ebert Movie Reviews".
- ^ "CableAce Nominations". Variety. 24 September 1997. Retrieved August 11, 2014.
- ^ "If These Walls Could Talk – Golden Globes". Golden Globe Awards. Retrieved June 26, 2023.
- ^ "1st Annual TV Awards (1996-97)". Online Film & Television Association. Retrieved June 26, 2023.
- ^ "If These Walls Could Talk". Emmys.com. Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved June 26, 2023.
- ^ "International Press Academy website – 1997 1st Annual SATELLITE Awards". Archived from the original on 1 February 2008.
- ^ Ellis, Rick (May 4, 1997). "1997's 2nd Annual Young Star Awards". AllYourEntertainment, Inc. www.allyourtv.com. Archived from the original on August 1, 2009. Retrieved February 2, 2013.
- ^ "2000 Women in Film Lucy Award Retrospective". womeninfilm.org. Retrieved May 17, 2022.
- ^ "Television Hall of Fame: Productions". Online Film & Television Association. Retrieved June 26, 2023.