Daughters (1997 TV film)
Encyclopedia
Daughters, also known as Our Mother's Murder is a 1997
made-for-tv drama film
directed by Bill L. Norton
, and stars Holly Marie Combs
and Sarah Chalke
who play Alex and Annie, the two eldest daughters of the main character Anne.
A possible movie adaptation of the true crime story was in talks since 1994, though Alex and Annie Morrell agreed only years later. Whereas they had no involvement in the production, and thought the film was overly dramatic, they supported the message and hoped that Daughters could help any victims of domestic violence
.
) and Annie Morrell (Sarah Chalke
) finish prep school and return home to start college. Their mother, publishing heiress Anne Scripps
(Roxanne Hart
) welcomes them in her New York mansion. Anne has recently divorced her husband Tony (Ryan Michael) and is still struggling with the divorce. Nonetheless, she is happy with her new boyfriend, much younger Scott Douglas (James Wilder
), a volatile-tempered young man whom she marries only months after their first meeting.
From the start, Alex is uncertain if she should trust Scott, having heard stories about a possible violent past. When Anne announces that she will be having a baby, Scott is distrustful to notice how Alex reacts with doubt about the news. To get rid of her, he claims that he has found marihuana in Alex's bedroom, and forces her to leave house. Alex denies the accusation, but Anne defends her boyfriend.
Shortly after Anne and Scott's baby Tori's birth in June 1990, Scott gets violent and beats up Anne for inviting Tony's family for the baby's coming out party. Alex and Annie encourage their mom to leave Scott, but Anne forgives him after a couple of months, and by June 1991, she and Scott are a happy couple again. On Alex's 21st birthday, Scott lashes out at Anne again when he finds her smoking in the same room as Tori, and then throws a guest (Myriam Sirois) off the stairs. Enraged, Alex dares Scott to hit her, and the police interrupts their fight, only to have Scott lie about the situation. A similar occurrence takes place at a formal ball, where Scott pushes around Anne in front of her friends. As they leave, the fight continues in the car, and Scott eventually throws her out while speeding.
Three months later, Alex's charges against Scott have been dropped, though Anne has filed for divorce and attained a restraining order. The three women move on with their lives, until one night Annie is hit by her date (Edgar Davis Jr.) while Alex meets a new romantic interest, Jimmy Romeo (Jonathan Scarfe
), though a relationship is postponed due to her focus on her mother. Another stepback occurs when Anne is informed that she will have to share custody of Tori. Deciding a reconciliation would be for the better, Anne meets with Scott and believes that he has changed his life for the better.
It turns out, soon, however, that Scott is still as violent as he used to be and threatens to make Tori disappear if she does not stop continuing legal proceedings. The police arrive at the mansion sometime later, though Anne is too scared to file charges. The following day, upon finding out that Scott is stealing her money and planning on running away with Tori, Anne asks for another restraining order. Alex and Annie move in with her again to protect their mother from Scott, and until Alex leaves for the holidays, they are happy again.
One day, Tony calls the mansion, and Scott answers. Believing that Anne will get back with Tony, he announces that the threats are over, and that something has to be done. As soon as Annie leaves, Scott gets drunk and grabs a hammer, killing Anne while she is asleep. Afterwards, he jumps to his death off the Tappan Zee Bridge
, over the Hudson River in New York, though his body is found over three months later. The girls are left behind in grief over their mother. Fifteen months later, Alex prepares to marry Jimmy, and in the aftertitles it is revealed that she gave birth to a baby daughter.
apologizing to her son and to Alex for leaving.
1997 in film
-Events:* The original Star Wars trilogy's Special Editions are released.* Production begins on Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace.* Titanic becomes the first film to gross US$1,000,000,000 at the box office making it the highest grossing film in history until Avatar broke the record in 2010.*...
made-for-tv drama film
Drama film
A drama film is a film genre that depends mostly on in-depth development of realistic characters dealing with emotional themes. Dramatic themes such as alcoholism, drug addiction, infidelity, moral dilemmas, racial prejudice, religious intolerance, poverty, class divisions, violence against women...
directed by Bill L. Norton
Bill L. Norton
Bill L. Norton is a film director, writer and producer. He also has directed many television series, among them Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, John Doe, Hack, Las Vegas, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Lincoln Heights and Roswell.He is the son of screenwriter William W...
, and stars Holly Marie Combs
Holly Marie Combs
Holly Marie Combs is an American film and television actress and producer whose roles have included a portrayal in Charmed as Piper Halliwell and another in Picket Fences, where she received a Young Artist Award for her role, as Kimberly Brock...
and Sarah Chalke
Sarah Chalke
Sarah Chalke is a Canadian-American actress known for portraying Dr. Elliot Reid on the NBC/ABC comedy Scrubs, "Second Becky" Conner Healy on Roseanne, and Stella Zinman in the CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother...
who play Alex and Annie, the two eldest daughters of the main character Anne.
A possible movie adaptation of the true crime story was in talks since 1994, though Alex and Annie Morrell agreed only years later. Whereas they had no involvement in the production, and thought the film was overly dramatic, they supported the message and hoped that Daughters could help any victims of domestic violence
Domestic violence
Domestic violence, also known as domestic abuse, spousal abuse, battering, family violence, and intimate partner violence , is broadly defined as a pattern of abusive behaviors by one or both partners in an intimate relationship such as marriage, dating, family, or cohabitation...
.
Plot
In Spring 1989, Alex (Holly Marie CombsHolly Marie Combs
Holly Marie Combs is an American film and television actress and producer whose roles have included a portrayal in Charmed as Piper Halliwell and another in Picket Fences, where she received a Young Artist Award for her role, as Kimberly Brock...
) and Annie Morrell (Sarah Chalke
Sarah Chalke
Sarah Chalke is a Canadian-American actress known for portraying Dr. Elliot Reid on the NBC/ABC comedy Scrubs, "Second Becky" Conner Healy on Roseanne, and Stella Zinman in the CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother...
) finish prep school and return home to start college. Their mother, publishing heiress Anne Scripps
Anne Scripps
Anne Scripps Douglas was a publishing heiress to the Scripps newspaper publishing, being the great-great granddaughter of James E...
(Roxanne Hart
Roxanne Hart
Roxanne Hart is an American television, film and stage actress. She may be best known for her role as Brenda Wyatt in the 1986 film Highlander. She is also known for the role of Nurse Camille Shutt on the Medical drama Chicago Hope....
) welcomes them in her New York mansion. Anne has recently divorced her husband Tony (Ryan Michael) and is still struggling with the divorce. Nonetheless, she is happy with her new boyfriend, much younger Scott Douglas (James Wilder
James Wilder
James Curtis Wilder is a former professional American football running back in the National Football League for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Redskins, and the Detroit Lions.-High school career:...
), a volatile-tempered young man whom she marries only months after their first meeting.
From the start, Alex is uncertain if she should trust Scott, having heard stories about a possible violent past. When Anne announces that she will be having a baby, Scott is distrustful to notice how Alex reacts with doubt about the news. To get rid of her, he claims that he has found marihuana in Alex's bedroom, and forces her to leave house. Alex denies the accusation, but Anne defends her boyfriend.
Shortly after Anne and Scott's baby Tori's birth in June 1990, Scott gets violent and beats up Anne for inviting Tony's family for the baby's coming out party. Alex and Annie encourage their mom to leave Scott, but Anne forgives him after a couple of months, and by June 1991, she and Scott are a happy couple again. On Alex's 21st birthday, Scott lashes out at Anne again when he finds her smoking in the same room as Tori, and then throws a guest (Myriam Sirois) off the stairs. Enraged, Alex dares Scott to hit her, and the police interrupts their fight, only to have Scott lie about the situation. A similar occurrence takes place at a formal ball, where Scott pushes around Anne in front of her friends. As they leave, the fight continues in the car, and Scott eventually throws her out while speeding.
Three months later, Alex's charges against Scott have been dropped, though Anne has filed for divorce and attained a restraining order. The three women move on with their lives, until one night Annie is hit by her date (Edgar Davis Jr.) while Alex meets a new romantic interest, Jimmy Romeo (Jonathan Scarfe
Jonathan Scarfe
Jonathan Scarfe is a Canadian actor. He is married to actress Suki Kaiser and is the son of actors Alan Scarfe and Sara Botsford....
), though a relationship is postponed due to her focus on her mother. Another stepback occurs when Anne is informed that she will have to share custody of Tori. Deciding a reconciliation would be for the better, Anne meets with Scott and believes that he has changed his life for the better.
It turns out, soon, however, that Scott is still as violent as he used to be and threatens to make Tori disappear if she does not stop continuing legal proceedings. The police arrive at the mansion sometime later, though Anne is too scared to file charges. The following day, upon finding out that Scott is stealing her money and planning on running away with Tori, Anne asks for another restraining order. Alex and Annie move in with her again to protect their mother from Scott, and until Alex leaves for the holidays, they are happy again.
One day, Tony calls the mansion, and Scott answers. Believing that Anne will get back with Tony, he announces that the threats are over, and that something has to be done. As soon as Annie leaves, Scott gets drunk and grabs a hammer, killing Anne while she is asleep. Afterwards, he jumps to his death off the Tappan Zee Bridge
Tappan Zee Bridge
The Governor Malcolm Wilson Tappan Zee Bridge, usually referred to as Tappan Zee Bridge, is a cantilever bridge in New York over the Hudson River at one of its widest points; the Tappan Zee is named for an American Indian tribe from the area called "Tappan"; and zee being the Dutch word for "sea"....
, over the Hudson River in New York, though his body is found over three months later. The girls are left behind in grief over their mother. Fifteen months later, Alex prepares to marry Jimmy, and in the aftertitles it is revealed that she gave birth to a baby daughter.
Cast
- Holly Marie CombsHolly Marie CombsHolly Marie Combs is an American film and television actress and producer whose roles have included a portrayal in Charmed as Piper Halliwell and another in Picket Fences, where she received a Young Artist Award for her role, as Kimberly Brock...
- Alex Morrell - Roxanne HartRoxanne HartRoxanne Hart is an American television, film and stage actress. She may be best known for her role as Brenda Wyatt in the 1986 film Highlander. She is also known for the role of Nurse Camille Shutt on the Medical drama Chicago Hope....
- Anne Scripps Douglas - Sarah ChalkeSarah ChalkeSarah Chalke is a Canadian-American actress known for portraying Dr. Elliot Reid on the NBC/ABC comedy Scrubs, "Second Becky" Conner Healy on Roseanne, and Stella Zinman in the CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother...
- Annie Morrell - James WilderJames WilderJames Curtis Wilder is a former professional American football running back in the National Football League for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Redskins, and the Detroit Lions.-High school career:...
- Scott Douglas - Jonathan ScarfeJonathan ScarfeJonathan Scarfe is a Canadian actor. He is married to actress Suki Kaiser and is the son of actors Alan Scarfe and Sara Botsford....
- Jimmy Romeo - Michael Buie - Andy Phillips
- Edgar Davis Jr. - Mark
- Stephen Fanning - Dave
- Myriam SiroisMyriam SiroisMyriam Sirois is a Canadian actress and voice actress, mainly known for being the voice of Akane Tendo in the English version of Ranma ½. She also portrayed Sarah Cantrell in the Babylon 5 movie The Legend of the Rangers: To Live and Die by Starlight.- External links :...
- Stacey - Jim Thorburn - Princeton One
- Rick RavanelloRick RavanelloRick Ravanello is a Canadian actor who has appeared in several television series and movies.One of several brothers, Ravenello was raised in the Trout Brook Road area of Mira, Cape Breton, and graduated from Riverview Rural High School in 1986.-Filmography:-Guest appearances:*In Justice playing...
- Officer Calder - Alf Humphreys - Officer Derrick
- Ryan Michael - Tony Morrell
- Nalia Rukavina - Tory Douglas
- Bob Osborne - Roger Preston
- Colleen Winton - Suzanne Preston
- Peter Yunker - Tom
- Jane MacDougall - Barbara
- Andrew JohnstonAndrew JohnstonAndrew Johnston may refer to:* Andrew Johnston * Andrew Johnston * Andrew Johnston , Canadian comedian* Andrew Johnston , New Zealand poet...
- Lawyer - Marcus Hondro - Larry the Locksmith (as Markus Hondro)
- Anna Hagan - Judge Karmin
- Lesley Ewen - Linda Keesler
- John Dadey - Officer Garrison
- Rob Morton - Officer Tim
- Tracey Lively - Waitress
- Crystal Verge - Sylvia
- Peter BryantPeter BryantPeter Bryant was the fourth producer of the BBC science fiction programme Doctor Who. He was born in London....
- Booking Officer
Aftermath
Both girls later divorced. In 2011, Annie committed suicide, exactly the same way her mother's murderer killed himself, by jumping off the same bridge at the same spot. She left behind a suicide noteSuicide note
A suicide note or death note is a message that states the author has died by suicide, and left to be discovered and read in anticipation of suicide....
apologizing to her son and to Alex for leaving.
External links
- http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118932/
- http://newsofhot.com/anne-scripps-douglas/