When Love Is Not Enough: The Lois Wilson Story
Encyclopedia
When Love Is Not Enough: The Lois Wilson Story is a 2010 American film that premiered on CBS
on April 25, 2010. The film was produced by Terry Gould, directed by John Kent Harrison and written by William G. Borchert, who based the script from his novel of the same name. The film is similar to another Hallmark film My Name Is Bill W.
, that premiered in 1989. This film tells much of Bill W and his wife's story that the 1989 television film did not cover, particularly the creation of Al-Anon.
, the two set out to build a life together. While Lois worked as a nurse, Bill struggled to find his niche. Lois believed that Bill was destined for greatness, and despite his increasing reliance on alcohol, she showered him with love and support. Eventually, Lois persuaded a friend’s husband to hire Bill at his financial firm. By 1927, Bill was working on Wall Street and the couple was living a luxurious lifestyle. But despite Lois’s valiant efforts to control his drinking, Bill’s addiction to alcohol spiraled out-of-control. Soon his job, their lifestyle and their dreams were all gone.
In 1935, after years of struggling to cover for Bill and trying desperately to manage his disease by herself, Lois finally saw him get and stay sober – not through her help, but from the support of a fellow alcoholic, Dr. Bob Smith.
As Bill and Bob attained lasting sobriety and co-founded Alcoholics Anonymous
, Lois began to feel neglected. Bill got and stayed sober without her help, and she felt isolated and resentful. Lois soon discovered she was not alone in her isolation and anger, and that there was a vast number of people whose lives and relationships had been devastated because a loved one was an alcoholic or drug addict. To help herself, and others like her, she co-founded Al-Anon in 1951.
, the long-running anthology program of American television films. It was based on a novel The Lois Wilson Story: When Love Is Not Enough by William Borchert, which was published September 17, 2005. The film was set primarily in the United States but filmed in Canada.
In its original American broadcast on April 25, 2010, When Love is Not Enough was seen by 7.29 million viewers, according to MediaWeek. It was out performed during the same time slot by both Brothers & Sisters and Celebrity Apprentice
.
Linda Stasi in the New York Post
wrote; "Everyone does a wonderful job in this movie -- but, in the end, it seems more like a rehash of writer Wiliam G. Borchert's 1989 'Hall of Fame' movie, My Name Is Bill W.
than a real portrait of the woman whose idea helped millions of suffering families."
Mathew Gilbert in The Boston Globe
wrote; "This new CBS Hallmark movie does its job effectively enough, bringing us through the ups and downs of Bill and Lois Wilson's marriage as they wrestle with his addiction."
Screen Actors Guild Awards
Satellite Awards
Emmy Awards
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
on April 25, 2010. The film was produced by Terry Gould, directed by John Kent Harrison and written by William G. Borchert, who based the script from his novel of the same name. The film is similar to another Hallmark film My Name Is Bill W.
My Name is Bill W.
My Name Is Bill W. is a 1989 CBS Hallmark Hall of Fame television movie directed by Daniel Petrie, starring James Woods, JoBeth Williams and James Garner. William G. Borchert, who wrote the film for television, based it on the true story of William Griffith Wilson and Dr. Robert Holbrook Smith,...
, that premiered in 1989. This film tells much of Bill W and his wife's story that the 1989 television film did not cover, particularly the creation of Al-Anon.
Plot
In 1914, Lois Burnham, a college-educated woman from an affluent family, met and fell in love with Bill Wilson, a young man of modest means. They married in 1918, and after his return from World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, the two set out to build a life together. While Lois worked as a nurse, Bill struggled to find his niche. Lois believed that Bill was destined for greatness, and despite his increasing reliance on alcohol, she showered him with love and support. Eventually, Lois persuaded a friend’s husband to hire Bill at his financial firm. By 1927, Bill was working on Wall Street and the couple was living a luxurious lifestyle. But despite Lois’s valiant efforts to control his drinking, Bill’s addiction to alcohol spiraled out-of-control. Soon his job, their lifestyle and their dreams were all gone.
In 1935, after years of struggling to cover for Bill and trying desperately to manage his disease by herself, Lois finally saw him get and stay sober – not through her help, but from the support of a fellow alcoholic, Dr. Bob Smith.
As Bill and Bob attained lasting sobriety and co-founded Alcoholics Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous is an international mutual aid movement which says its "primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics achieve sobriety." Now claiming more than 2 million members, AA was founded in 1935 by Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith in Akron, Ohio...
, Lois began to feel neglected. Bill got and stayed sober without her help, and she felt isolated and resentful. Lois soon discovered she was not alone in her isolation and anger, and that there was a vast number of people whose lives and relationships had been devastated because a loved one was an alcoholic or drug addict. To help herself, and others like her, she co-founded Al-Anon in 1951.
Cast
- Winona RyderWinona RyderWinona Ryder is an American actress. She made her film debut in the 1986 film Lucas. Ryder's first significant role came in Tim Burton's Beetlejuice as a goth teenager, which won her critical and commercial recognition...
as Lois WilsonLois Wilson (activist)Lois Wilson was the co-founder of Al-Anon, a support group for the friends and family of alcoholics. She was the wife of Alcoholics Anonymous co-founder Bill W.... - Barry PepperBarry PepperBarry Robert Pepper is a Canadian actor. He is best known for playing roles like Sergeant Michael Strank in the Clint Eastwood film, Flags of Our Fathers, Private Daniel Jackson in Saving Private Ryan, Roger Maris in 61*, Ned Pepper in True Grit and for his recent role as Robert F...
as Bill WilsonBill W.William Griffith Wilson , also known as Bill Wilson or Bill W., was the co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous , an international mutual aid fellowship with over two million members belonging to 100,800 groups of alcoholics helping other alcoholics achieve and maintain sobriety... - John BourgeoisJohn BourgeoisJohn Bourgeois is a bilingual actor, director and educator.-Life and career:John Bourgeois was born in Ottawa. He received his training at Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art in London and Concordia University in Montreal, where he obtained a B.A...
as Dr. Clark Burnham - Frank MooreFrank MooreFrank C. Moore II was a New York-based painter, winner of the Logan Medal of the arts, and a member of the Visual AIDS Artist Caucus—the organization responsible for the Ribbon Project, A Day Without Art, and A Night Without Light.Born in Manhattan in 1953, Moore moved with his family to Long...
as Dr. Bob SmithBob Smith (doctor)Robert Holbrook Smith was an American physician and surgeon who co-founded Alcoholics Anonymous with Bill Wilson, more commonly known as Bill W. He was also known as Dr. Bob. He was born in St. Johnsbury, Vermont, where he was raised, to Susan A. Holbrook and Walter Perrin Smith... - Rosemary DunsmoreRosemary DunsmoreRosemary Dunsmore is a Canadian TV, film and theatre, actress, born in 1953.She has starred in some well known Canadian productions, that include, The Campbells, Anne of Green Gables, Road to Avonlea and Murdoch Mysteries.-External links:...
as Matilda Burnham - Ellen DubinEllen DubinEllen Dubin is a Canadian actress. She is best known for her part in the television mini-series Lexx, playing the role of Giggerota.Dubin was born in Toronto, Ontario. From 2004-2006 Dubin starred in the TV series The Collector as Jeri Slate. She was nominated for a Gemini Award for this role...
as Dora - Adam Greydon Reid as Ebby ThacherEbby ThacherEdwin Throckmorton Thacher , was an old drinking friend and later the sponsor of Alcoholics Anonymous co-founder Bill Wilson...
- Rick RobertsRick RobertsRick Roberts may refer to:* Rick Roberts , Canadian actor* Rick Roberts , American radio talk show host* Rick Roberts , Canadian field hockey player* Rick Roberts , American rock musician, founder of Firefall...
as Frank Shaw
Production
When Love Is Not Enough: The Lois Wilson Story is the 240th presentation by Hallmark Hall of FameHallmark Hall of Fame
Hallmark Hall of Fame is an anthology program on American television, sponsored by Hallmark Cards, a Kansas City based greeting card company. The second longest-running television program in the history of television, it has a historically long run, beginning in 1951 and continuing into 2011...
, the long-running anthology program of American television films. It was based on a novel The Lois Wilson Story: When Love Is Not Enough by William Borchert, which was published September 17, 2005. The film was set primarily in the United States but filmed in Canada.
Reception
The film was given mixed reviews by critics. It was released on DVD in Hallmark stores in the United States.In its original American broadcast on April 25, 2010, When Love is Not Enough was seen by 7.29 million viewers, according to MediaWeek. It was out performed during the same time slot by both Brothers & Sisters and Celebrity Apprentice
The Apprentice (U.S. season 9)
The Celebrity Apprentice 3 is the ninth installment of the United States version of the reality television series, The Apprentice. On April 29, 2009, NBC officially announced the renewal of Celebrity Apprentice for Spring 2010. The show premiered on Sunday, March 14, 2010...
.
Linda Stasi in the New York Post
New York Post
The New York Post is the 13th-oldest newspaper published in the United States and is generally acknowledged as the oldest to have been published continuously as a daily, although – as is the case with most other papers – its publication has been periodically interrupted by labor actions...
wrote; "Everyone does a wonderful job in this movie -- but, in the end, it seems more like a rehash of writer Wiliam G. Borchert's 1989 'Hall of Fame' movie, My Name Is Bill W.
My Name is Bill W.
My Name Is Bill W. is a 1989 CBS Hallmark Hall of Fame television movie directed by Daniel Petrie, starring James Woods, JoBeth Williams and James Garner. William G. Borchert, who wrote the film for television, based it on the true story of William Griffith Wilson and Dr. Robert Holbrook Smith,...
than a real portrait of the woman whose idea helped millions of suffering families."
Mathew Gilbert in The Boston Globe
The Boston Globe
The Boston Globe is an American daily newspaper based in Boston, Massachusetts. The Boston Globe has been owned by The New York Times Company since 1993...
wrote; "This new CBS Hallmark movie does its job effectively enough, bringing us through the ups and downs of Bill and Lois Wilson's marriage as they wrestle with his addiction."
Awards and nominations
The film has been nominated for several awards;Screen Actors Guild Awards
Screen Actors Guild Awards
A Screen Actors Guild Award is an accolade given by the Screen Actors Guild to recognize outstanding performances by its members. The statuette given, a nude male figure holding both a mask of comedy and a mask of tragedy, is called "The Actor"...
- Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie - Winona RyderWinona RyderWinona Ryder is an American actress. She made her film debut in the 1986 film Lucas. Ryder's first significant role came in Tim Burton's Beetlejuice as a goth teenager, which won her critical and commercial recognition...
Satellite Awards
Satellite Awards
The Satellite Awards are an annual award given by the International Press Academy. The awards were originally known as the Golden Satellite Awards.- Film :*Best Actor – Drama*Best Actor – Musical or Comedy*Best Actress – Drama...
- Satellite Award for Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film - Barry PepperBarry PepperBarry Robert Pepper is a Canadian actor. He is best known for playing roles like Sergeant Michael Strank in the Clint Eastwood film, Flags of Our Fathers, Private Daniel Jackson in Saving Private Ryan, Roger Maris in 61*, Ned Pepper in True Grit and for his recent role as Robert F...
- Satellite Award for Best Actress – Miniseries or Television FilmSatellite Award for Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film-1990s:*1996: Helen Mirren - Prime Suspect 5: Errors of Judgment**Kirstie Alley - Suddenly**Lolita Davidovich - Harvest on Fire**Laura Dern - The Siege of Ruby Ridge**Jena Malone - Hidden in America...
- Winona Ryder - Satellite Award for Best Television Film -
Emmy Awards
- Emmy Award for Music Composition for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special - Lawrence Shragge