Child of Rage
Encyclopedia
Child of Rage is a CBS Television movie
made in 1992 starring Ashley Peldon
and Mel Harris
. The film is based on the true story by Beth Thomas, who suffered from reactive attachment disorder
as a result of being sexually abused as a child.
The film was shot in Vancouver, British Columbia, with classroom
scenes being filmed at Mary Hill Elementary School.
Rob Tyler and his wife Jill Tyler adopt two children, Catherine and Eric. Eric is a sweet and timid child, and, initially, Catherine seems to come across as being the same.
However, Catherine soon displays outbursts of violent rage for no apparent reason, affecting her misbehavior and interaction with others. At first, some of her violent acts (such as killing a flock of baby birds and attacking Eric while he sleeps) go unnoticed, but when it progresses to tearing her room apart and stabbing the family dog with a needle, Rob and Jill see something is wrong. They attempt to ask Doris, the children's caseworker, about anything in Catherine's past that might explain it, but Doris hides behind confidentiality laws and only suggests that Rob and Jill bring the children back if they're unable to handle them.
Following an equally disturbing incident in which Catherine fondles her grandfather, Rob and Jill take her to a psychologist, but she puts on a good show while there, convincing him that there's nothing wrong. A short time later, Jill notices fresh bruises on Eric, and though he's initially scared to say anything, she gets him to admit that it was Catherine who inflicted them, though these are relatively minute compared to her next episode, where she smashes Eric's head on the concrete basement floor, landing him in the emergency room.
At this point, Doris finally admits the truth about the children's past: after receiving a concerned phone call, she rescued the children from an abusive and neglectful home, which was one of the worst she'd ever seen. Although Eric was in bad shape, it was nothing compared to the condition Catherine was found in, and no adults were present at the time (their real mother was hospitalized with pneumonia
, while their real father was presumably drunk off on alcoholism
.
Doris then reveals that the children have an older sister named Stephanie, whom she and Jill track down at a topless bar. After sitting down with them, Stephanie has a harrowing story of her own to tell: she was sexually abused by her father as a child, and after she began fighting back, he turned his attention over to Catherine, thus explaining the root of her violent misbehavior.
After yet another violent incident in which, Catherine cuts a classmate with a shard of glass, Rob and Jill pay another visit to Doris, who reveals that she had previously moved the children from foster home to foster home, hoping that something would work for them. She then gives the couple a book called Kids Who Kill
, and after reading it, Jill describes it as "chilling" and feeling it was a perfect description of Catherine. It is at this point that Doris suggests a controversial treatment method for Catherine: holding therapy, which is practiced by the book's author, Dr. Rosemary Myers. Rob feels as though Catherine is a lost cause and suggests they just keep Eric, but Jill reminds him that "God gave us these children for a reason" and that they have to do whatever they can to help Catherine.
After travelling to the clinic, Dr. Myers examines Catherine, and though she initially tries to put on the same act that she did for the last therapist, Dr. Myers uses reverse psychology
to get Catherine to admit her past acts of violence. Afterwards, she tells Rob and Jill that they have "a very sick little girl", and the lack of an opportunity for bonding, after Catherine was born, left her with an inability to attach. She offers to try and help Catherine, but acknowledges it can go either way.
During their first holding therapy session (which involves Rob, Jill, and Dr. Myers holding Catherine down while Dr. Myers deliberately provokes her rage), things start out well, but Jill senses it's going too far. However, Dr. Myers reminds Jill that she needs to trust her, and the session resumes, ending successfully after an enraged Catherine admits a desire to re-enact her past acts of violence with the three of them, giving them a glimpse of the pain underneath her rage. While the procedure normally takes place over a 6-week period, Dr. Myers realizes that Rob and Jill need to get home to Eric (who is in the care of Rob's parents while they're away) and believes the couple can successfully conduct the sessions at home, so she gives them permission to do so.
However, shortly before their return home, another disturbed child named Justin starts a fire at the hotel, and when Catherine is inadvertently left alone in the room, it sets off an apparent feeling of panic in her, culminating in an incident where she tries to stab Rob with a knife concealed inside her teddy bear
as he sleeps, but is caught in the nick of time.
Returning home, the couple discuss the prospect of separating from one another, to give Catherine individual bonding time with each parent, and though initially uncertain, agree it's the best in order to allow her a chance to heal. As the two have another holding therapy session with Catherine, a breakthrough occurs: when Catherine starts to cry afterwards, Jill does the same, and Catherine attempts to comfort her. The film ends with Catherine telling Jill and Rob that she loves them as the three tearfully embrace.
Television movie
A television film is a feature film that is a television program produced for and originally distributed by a television network, in contrast to...
made in 1992 starring Ashley Peldon
Ashley Peldon
Ashley Peldon is an American television and film actress.-Early life and career:Peldon was born in New York City, New York. Along with her sister Courtney, she worked as a child actor....
and Mel Harris
Mel Harris
Mel Harris is an American actress.-Personal life:Harris was born in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, the daughter to Mary Michael "Mike", a high school science teacher, and Warren Harris, a university football coach...
. The film is based on the true story by Beth Thomas, who suffered from reactive attachment disorder
Reactive attachment disorder
Reactive attachment disorder is described in clinical literature as a severe and relatively uncommon disorder that can affect children. RAD is characterized by markedly disturbed and developmentally inappropriate ways of relating socially in most contexts...
as a result of being sexually abused as a child.
The film was shot in Vancouver, British Columbia, with classroom
Classroom
A classroom is a room in which teaching or learning activities can take place. Classrooms are found in educational institutions of all kinds, including public and private schools, corporations, and religious and humanitarian organizations...
scenes being filmed at Mary Hill Elementary School.
Synopsis
MinisterMinister
Minister can mean several things:* Minister , a Christian who ministers in some way* Minister , the rank of diplomat directly below ambassador* Minister , a politician who heads a ministry...
Rob Tyler and his wife Jill Tyler adopt two children, Catherine and Eric. Eric is a sweet and timid child, and, initially, Catherine seems to come across as being the same.
However, Catherine soon displays outbursts of violent rage for no apparent reason, affecting her misbehavior and interaction with others. At first, some of her violent acts (such as killing a flock of baby birds and attacking Eric while he sleeps) go unnoticed, but when it progresses to tearing her room apart and stabbing the family dog with a needle, Rob and Jill see something is wrong. They attempt to ask Doris, the children's caseworker, about anything in Catherine's past that might explain it, but Doris hides behind confidentiality laws and only suggests that Rob and Jill bring the children back if they're unable to handle them.
Following an equally disturbing incident in which Catherine fondles her grandfather, Rob and Jill take her to a psychologist, but she puts on a good show while there, convincing him that there's nothing wrong. A short time later, Jill notices fresh bruises on Eric, and though he's initially scared to say anything, she gets him to admit that it was Catherine who inflicted them, though these are relatively minute compared to her next episode, where she smashes Eric's head on the concrete basement floor, landing him in the emergency room.
At this point, Doris finally admits the truth about the children's past: after receiving a concerned phone call, she rescued the children from an abusive and neglectful home, which was one of the worst she'd ever seen. Although Eric was in bad shape, it was nothing compared to the condition Catherine was found in, and no adults were present at the time (their real mother was hospitalized with pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
, while their real father was presumably drunk off on alcoholism
Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
.
Doris then reveals that the children have an older sister named Stephanie, whom she and Jill track down at a topless bar. After sitting down with them, Stephanie has a harrowing story of her own to tell: she was sexually abused by her father as a child, and after she began fighting back, he turned his attention over to Catherine, thus explaining the root of her violent misbehavior.
After yet another violent incident in which, Catherine cuts a classmate with a shard of glass, Rob and Jill pay another visit to Doris, who reveals that she had previously moved the children from foster home to foster home, hoping that something would work for them. She then gives the couple a book called Kids Who Kill
Kids Who Kill
Kids Who Kill: Confronting Our Culture of Violence is a 1998 non-fiction book by former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee and Evangelical Christian author and pastor George Grant....
, and after reading it, Jill describes it as "chilling" and feeling it was a perfect description of Catherine. It is at this point that Doris suggests a controversial treatment method for Catherine: holding therapy, which is practiced by the book's author, Dr. Rosemary Myers. Rob feels as though Catherine is a lost cause and suggests they just keep Eric, but Jill reminds him that "God gave us these children for a reason" and that they have to do whatever they can to help Catherine.
After travelling to the clinic, Dr. Myers examines Catherine, and though she initially tries to put on the same act that she did for the last therapist, Dr. Myers uses reverse psychology
Reverse psychology
Reverse psychology is a technique involving the advocacy of a belief or behavior that is opposite to the one desired, with the expectation that this approach will encourage the subject of the persuasion to do what actually is desired: the opposite of what is suggested...
to get Catherine to admit her past acts of violence. Afterwards, she tells Rob and Jill that they have "a very sick little girl", and the lack of an opportunity for bonding, after Catherine was born, left her with an inability to attach. She offers to try and help Catherine, but acknowledges it can go either way.
During their first holding therapy session (which involves Rob, Jill, and Dr. Myers holding Catherine down while Dr. Myers deliberately provokes her rage), things start out well, but Jill senses it's going too far. However, Dr. Myers reminds Jill that she needs to trust her, and the session resumes, ending successfully after an enraged Catherine admits a desire to re-enact her past acts of violence with the three of them, giving them a glimpse of the pain underneath her rage. While the procedure normally takes place over a 6-week period, Dr. Myers realizes that Rob and Jill need to get home to Eric (who is in the care of Rob's parents while they're away) and believes the couple can successfully conduct the sessions at home, so she gives them permission to do so.
However, shortly before their return home, another disturbed child named Justin starts a fire at the hotel, and when Catherine is inadvertently left alone in the room, it sets off an apparent feeling of panic in her, culminating in an incident where she tries to stab Rob with a knife concealed inside her teddy bear
Teddy bear
The teddy bear is a stuffed toy bear. They are usually stuffed with soft, white cotton and have smooth and soft fur. It is an enduring form of a stuffed animal in many countries, often serving the purpose of entertaining children. In recent times, some teddy bears have become collector's items...
as he sleeps, but is caught in the nick of time.
Returning home, the couple discuss the prospect of separating from one another, to give Catherine individual bonding time with each parent, and though initially uncertain, agree it's the best in order to allow her a chance to heal. As the two have another holding therapy session with Catherine, a breakthrough occurs: when Catherine starts to cry afterwards, Jill does the same, and Catherine attempts to comfort her. The film ends with Catherine telling Jill and Rob that she loves them as the three tearfully embrace.
Cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Ashley Peldon Ashley Peldon Ashley Peldon is an American television and film actress.-Early life and career:Peldon was born in New York City, New York. Along with her sister Courtney, she worked as a child actor.... |
Catherine |
| Sam Gifaldi Sam Gifaldi Sam Gifaldi is an American actor, best known for the voice of Sid on Nickelodeon's Hey Arnold!.-Filmography:- Awards/Nominations:-External links:... |
Eric |
| Mel Harris Mel Harris Mel Harris is an American actress.-Personal life:Harris was born in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, the daughter to Mary Michael "Mike", a high school science teacher, and Warren Harris, a university football coach... |
Jill Tyler |
| Dwight Schultz Dwight Schultz William Dwight Schultz is an American stage, television, film actor, and voice artist. He is best known for his roles as Captain "Howling Mad" Murdock on the 1980s action show The A-Team, and as Reginald Barclay in Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Voyager, and the film Star Trek: First... |
Rob Tyler |
| Rosanna DeSoto Rosanna DeSoto Rosanna DeSoto is a Mexican-American actress who has performed in films and television. She is best known for her role in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country as Azetbur, the daughter of Klingon Chancellor Gorkon.... |
Doris |
| Nan Martin Nan Martin Nan Martin was an American actress who starred in movies and on television.Born in Decatur, Illinois and raised in Santa Monica, California, her first film role was The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit... |
Barbara |
| Louis Dupuis | Johnny |
| George D. Wallace George D. Wallace George Dewey Wallace was an American stage and screen actor.Wallace co-starred with Mary Martin in the Broadway musical Jennie and was nominated for a New York Drama Critics' Circle Award for playing the male lead in New Girl in Town opposite Gwen Verdon... |
Henry |
| Mariette Hartley Mariette Hartley Mary Loretta "Mariette" Hartley is an American character actress.-Personal life:Hartley was born in Weston, Connecticut, the daughter of Mary Ickes “Polly” , a manager and saleswoman, and Paul Hembree Hartley, an account executive. Her maternal grandfather was psychologist John B... |
Dr. Rosemary Myers |
| Johannah Newmarch] | Stephanie |
| Patricia Gage | Laurel |
| Terence Kelly Terence Kelly Terence or Terry Kelly may refer to:* Terence Kelly , Canadian actor active since 1971, in Titanic and In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale... |
Mike |
| Kim Kondrashoff | Baby Cat's Father |