The Face on the Milk Carton (film)
Encyclopedia
The Face on the Milk Carton is a made for television movie based on the book series
written by Caroline B. Cooney
. The movie stars Kellie Martin
as Janie Jessmon, a 15 year old girl who finds her face on the back of a milk carton and puts the pieces of her past together.
) is a typical 15 year old teenager, who has everything she ever needed out of life, great parents (Jill Clayburgh
, Edward Herrmann
) and a best friend Sara Charlotte (Joanna Canton
), until one day she spots a missing child on the back of a milk carton and recognizes it as herself. Unable to escape the thought that her parents could have kidnapped her, Janie first writes a letter to the Sands, but is unable to send it. Janie and her friend Reeve (Johnny Green), track down the Sands family and realize she must be the missing Jennie as she has exactly the same red hair as every member of their family.
Unable to keep the secret from her "parents" any longer as she lost the letter and thought someone might have sent it, Janie tells her family what she's learned and she is quickly reunited with her biological parents Jonathan and Sada Sands (Richard Masur
, Sharon Lawrence
), and her older brother, Stephen and younger sister Jodie. Though her parents and sister are happy, neither Janie nor Stephen are exactly thrilled. Unable to enjoy being a part of the family and despises being called "Jennie", both Janie and Sada both come to realize she stopped being Jennie when she lived with the Jessmons and has to be returned to where she really belongs.
When Janie decided to run away back to the Jessmons, Stephen tracked her down at a station and told her why he'd been so hostile towards her. That when they were little, they had been at a shoe store with their mother and Jodie, he was supposed to watch her and hold her hand but he didn't and let her go and that is how Hannah (the Jessmons' biological daughter) had taken her. Janie says she forgives him and they make peace.
Her father Jonathan, though sad, accepts this while Jodie and Stephen don't. Janie tells Jodie they are still and always will be sisters, and Stephen confesses that he's sorry he let go of her hand. As Sada and Janie are driving back to the Jessmons', she tells her about the day at the shoe store, and Janie says she's sorry she was bad that she shouldn't have gone with Hannah. Sada tells her that this was not her fault. As Janie leaves with her "adoptive father" into their house, Sada comes face to face with the other mother Miranda, who extends her hand to her. Sada says, "Take care of our daughter". Miranda responds, "I know how you are feeling." Sada tells her, "You're the only other one who would."
The Face on the Milk Carton
The Face on the Milk Carton is a young adult novel by author Caroline B. Cooney, first published in 1990. Part of The Janie Johnson series, it was later adapted into a film for television. It is about a teenaged girl who thinks she was kidnapped as a toddler and tries to find her parents.-See...
written by Caroline B. Cooney
Caroline B. Cooney
Caroline B. Cooney is an American author of suspense, romance, horror and mystery books for young adults. She currently resides in Fort Mill, South Carolina....
. The movie stars Kellie Martin
Kellie Martin
Kellie Noelle Martin is an American television actress who is known for her roles as Rebecca Thacher on Life Goes On, Christy Huddleston on Christy, Lucy Knight on ER, and Samantha Kinsey on Mystery Woman.-Early life:...
as Janie Jessmon, a 15 year old girl who finds her face on the back of a milk carton and puts the pieces of her past together.
Plot
Janie Jessmons (Kellie MartinKellie Martin
Kellie Noelle Martin is an American television actress who is known for her roles as Rebecca Thacher on Life Goes On, Christy Huddleston on Christy, Lucy Knight on ER, and Samantha Kinsey on Mystery Woman.-Early life:...
) is a typical 15 year old teenager, who has everything she ever needed out of life, great parents (Jill Clayburgh
Jill Clayburgh
Jill Clayburgh was an American actress. She received Academy Award nominations for her roles in An Unmarried Woman and Starting Over.-Personal life:...
, Edward Herrmann
Edward Herrmann
Edward Kirk Herrmann is a U.S. television and film actor. He is best known for his Emmy-nominated portrayals of Franklin D...
) and a best friend Sara Charlotte (Joanna Canton
Joanna Canton
Joanna Canton is an American actress. She had the recurring role on That '70s Show as Nina, Fez's boss and love interest at the DMV during the show's fifth season.-Filmography:*Numb3rs, Season 5, Episode 01, "High Exposure"...
), until one day she spots a missing child on the back of a milk carton and recognizes it as herself. Unable to escape the thought that her parents could have kidnapped her, Janie first writes a letter to the Sands, but is unable to send it. Janie and her friend Reeve (Johnny Green), track down the Sands family and realize she must be the missing Jennie as she has exactly the same red hair as every member of their family.
Unable to keep the secret from her "parents" any longer as she lost the letter and thought someone might have sent it, Janie tells her family what she's learned and she is quickly reunited with her biological parents Jonathan and Sada Sands (Richard Masur
Richard Masur
Richard Masur is an American actor who has appeared in more than 80 movies during his career. From 1995-1999, he served two terms as president of the Screen Actors Guild . Masur sits on the Corporate Board of the Motion Picture & Television Fund.-Biography:Masur was born in New York City to a...
, Sharon Lawrence
Sharon Lawrence
Sharon Elizabeth Lawrence is an American television actress. She is best known for the role of Sylvia Costas Sipowicz in the Television series NYPD Blue...
), and her older brother, Stephen and younger sister Jodie. Though her parents and sister are happy, neither Janie nor Stephen are exactly thrilled. Unable to enjoy being a part of the family and despises being called "Jennie", both Janie and Sada both come to realize she stopped being Jennie when she lived with the Jessmons and has to be returned to where she really belongs.
When Janie decided to run away back to the Jessmons, Stephen tracked her down at a station and told her why he'd been so hostile towards her. That when they were little, they had been at a shoe store with their mother and Jodie, he was supposed to watch her and hold her hand but he didn't and let her go and that is how Hannah (the Jessmons' biological daughter) had taken her. Janie says she forgives him and they make peace.
Her father Jonathan, though sad, accepts this while Jodie and Stephen don't. Janie tells Jodie they are still and always will be sisters, and Stephen confesses that he's sorry he let go of her hand. As Sada and Janie are driving back to the Jessmons', she tells her about the day at the shoe store, and Janie says she's sorry she was bad that she shouldn't have gone with Hannah. Sada tells her that this was not her fault. As Janie leaves with her "adoptive father" into their house, Sada comes face to face with the other mother Miranda, who extends her hand to her. Sada says, "Take care of our daughter". Miranda responds, "I know how you are feeling." Sada tells her, "You're the only other one who would."
Cast
- Kellie MartinKellie MartinKellie Noelle Martin is an American television actress who is known for her roles as Rebecca Thacher on Life Goes On, Christy Huddleston on Christy, Lucy Knight on ER, and Samantha Kinsey on Mystery Woman.-Early life:...
as Janie Jessmon/Jennie Sands - Sharon LawrenceSharon LawrenceSharon Elizabeth Lawrence is an American television actress. She is best known for the role of Sylvia Costas Sipowicz in the Television series NYPD Blue...
as Sada Sands - Jill ClayburghJill ClayburghJill Clayburgh was an American actress. She received Academy Award nominations for her roles in An Unmarried Woman and Starting Over.-Personal life:...
as Miranda Jessmon - Richard MasurRichard MasurRichard Masur is an American actor who has appeared in more than 80 movies during his career. From 1995-1999, he served two terms as president of the Screen Actors Guild . Masur sits on the Corporate Board of the Motion Picture & Television Fund.-Biography:Masur was born in New York City to a...
as Jonathan Sands - Edward HerrmannEdward HerrmannEdward Kirk Herrmann is a U.S. television and film actor. He is best known for his Emmy-nominated portrayals of Franklin D...
as Frank Jessmon - Johnny Green as Reeve Shields
- Kristoffer Ryan Winters as Stephen Sands
- Caroline Perryclear as Jodie Sands
- Lori Lindberg as Mrs. Shields
- Ellen Seltz as Lizzie Shields
- Joanna CantonJoanna CantonJoanna Canton is an American actress. She had the recurring role on That '70s Show as Nina, Fez's boss and love interest at the DMV during the show's fifth season.-Filmography:*Numb3rs, Season 5, Episode 01, "High Exposure"...
as Sara-Charlotte
External links
- The Face on the Milk Carton at Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...