The Three Wishes of Billy Grier
Encyclopedia
The Three Wishes of Billy Grier is a 1984 made-for-TV feature-length drama
, starring Ralph Macchio
. It first aired November 1, 1984.
While this movie is a fictional work, it is prefaced by a note accounting that a condition such as the main character's does exist, and that the film imagines the life of such a victim.
) that there is no cure for his condition and that he will die of old age
related natural causes decades before his time. Shortly after this, Billy breaks down following a rage-filled rant where he destroys almost everything in his bedroom.
With only a few months left to live, Billy hopes to realize three goals: He wants to drive a car, play his saxophone in a jazz band; and to make love to a woman for the first time. He also harbors a desire to see his long-estranged father one last time.
Due to the sensitive nature of his parents' relationship and to protect her from his degenerative condition, Billy chooses not to tell Nancy about his wishes, setting out on his own to see his wishes fulfilled.
Billy finds the key to two of his wishes when he meets Phyllis (Season Hubley
), a sassy young woman with dreams of her own, one of which is to open a beauty salon. The two set out to work together and realize their dreams. Phyllis makes his first come true when they walk into a jazz club and she encourages him to play his saxophone. Billy plays well enough to awe the customers into stopping their conversations and listen to him play.
As time passes, Billy realizes he cannot keep his secret from Phyllis any longer. He tells her one evening that he wishes to make love to her, a request she denies, though not entirely in opposition to the idea.
Billy helps Phyllis realize her own dream when she applies for a loan to open her beauty salon, introducing him (by the name Bill) as her friend and associate, when questioned about her business acumen. Billy balks during a moment alone with Phyllis, stating that he knows nothing at all about business, and believes Phyllis to be using him. However, the bank officer, after seeing Billy's obvious signs of aging, is convinced that he's a credible partner with experience, which minimizes the risk of giving Phyllis the loan, which is then approved.
Throughout all of this is a subplot involving Nancy, who discovers that her son is gone and believes he has left to go and die alone. She becomes depressed and despondent, totally cutting herself off from the outside world. When utility workers come to shut off her gas for non-payment, she flatly tells them to do what they have to do. A moment later, she comes to her senses and writes them a check to pay off her back balance. This begins the process of her getting on with her life and realizing that she may never see her son alive again.
Phyllis helps Billy realize another dream, as she makes love to him for the very first time. The following morning, Billy gets up early to leave, wishing to spare Phyllis from his impending doom. A tearful Phyllis is already up waiting for him, not wanting him to be alone in his current condition. She relents after Billy explains to her that he intends to go back home and straighten things out with his mother.
On his way back, Billy stops at a diner, where he suddenly falls ill and ducks behind the building to throw up. The diner's fry cook assists him...it's his father, who has been living a hand-to-mouth existence and suffers from alcoholism. Billy's father does not recognize his son nor does Billy disclose his relationship to the man.
Billy returns home and passes Nancy on an airport escalator, however she fails to recognize him. However, her eye catches a glimpse of her son, now in his advanced stages of aging. After a moment she recognizes her son and rushes into his arms.
The movie ends with Nancy and Billy at a camping village, making the most of their last remaining days together.
Drama
Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance. The term comes from a Greek word meaning "action" , which is derived from "to do","to act" . The enactment of drama in theatre, performed by actors on a stage before an audience, presupposes collaborative modes of production and a...
, starring Ralph Macchio
Ralph Macchio
Ralph George Macchio is an American actor, best known for his roles as Daniel LaRusso in the Karate Kid series, Bill Gambini in My Cousin Vinny, and Johnny Cade in The Outsiders. He is also known to American television audiences for his season five recurring role as Jeremy Andretti on the...
. It first aired November 1, 1984.
While this movie is a fictional work, it is prefaced by a note accounting that a condition such as the main character's does exist, and that the film imagines the life of such a victim.
Plot
Ralph Macchio plays Billy Grier, the 15-year-old victim of a rare degenerative disease that speeds up the aging process. After Billy suddenly becomes ill, a series of tests are run, with the diagnosis tragic. A team of doctors tell Billy and his mother Nancy (Betty BuckleyBetty Buckley
Betty Lynn Buckley is an American theater, film and television actress and singer. She is a Tony Award winner and Grammy Award nominee.-Early life:...
) that there is no cure for his condition and that he will die of old age
Old age
Old age consists of ages nearing or surpassing the average life span of human beings, and thus the end of the human life cycle...
related natural causes decades before his time. Shortly after this, Billy breaks down following a rage-filled rant where he destroys almost everything in his bedroom.
With only a few months left to live, Billy hopes to realize three goals: He wants to drive a car, play his saxophone in a jazz band; and to make love to a woman for the first time. He also harbors a desire to see his long-estranged father one last time.
Due to the sensitive nature of his parents' relationship and to protect her from his degenerative condition, Billy chooses not to tell Nancy about his wishes, setting out on his own to see his wishes fulfilled.
Billy finds the key to two of his wishes when he meets Phyllis (Season Hubley
Season Hubley
-Biography:Hubley was born Susan Hubley in New York City, the daughter of Julia Kaul and Grant Shelby Hubley, a writer and entrepreneur. Her brother is actor Whip Hubley....
), a sassy young woman with dreams of her own, one of which is to open a beauty salon. The two set out to work together and realize their dreams. Phyllis makes his first come true when they walk into a jazz club and she encourages him to play his saxophone. Billy plays well enough to awe the customers into stopping their conversations and listen to him play.
As time passes, Billy realizes he cannot keep his secret from Phyllis any longer. He tells her one evening that he wishes to make love to her, a request she denies, though not entirely in opposition to the idea.
Billy helps Phyllis realize her own dream when she applies for a loan to open her beauty salon, introducing him (by the name Bill) as her friend and associate, when questioned about her business acumen. Billy balks during a moment alone with Phyllis, stating that he knows nothing at all about business, and believes Phyllis to be using him. However, the bank officer, after seeing Billy's obvious signs of aging, is convinced that he's a credible partner with experience, which minimizes the risk of giving Phyllis the loan, which is then approved.
Throughout all of this is a subplot involving Nancy, who discovers that her son is gone and believes he has left to go and die alone. She becomes depressed and despondent, totally cutting herself off from the outside world. When utility workers come to shut off her gas for non-payment, she flatly tells them to do what they have to do. A moment later, she comes to her senses and writes them a check to pay off her back balance. This begins the process of her getting on with her life and realizing that she may never see her son alive again.
Phyllis helps Billy realize another dream, as she makes love to him for the very first time. The following morning, Billy gets up early to leave, wishing to spare Phyllis from his impending doom. A tearful Phyllis is already up waiting for him, not wanting him to be alone in his current condition. She relents after Billy explains to her that he intends to go back home and straighten things out with his mother.
On his way back, Billy stops at a diner, where he suddenly falls ill and ducks behind the building to throw up. The diner's fry cook assists him...it's his father, who has been living a hand-to-mouth existence and suffers from alcoholism. Billy's father does not recognize his son nor does Billy disclose his relationship to the man.
Billy returns home and passes Nancy on an airport escalator, however she fails to recognize him. However, her eye catches a glimpse of her son, now in his advanced stages of aging. After a moment she recognizes her son and rushes into his arms.
The movie ends with Nancy and Billy at a camping village, making the most of their last remaining days together.
Cast
- Ralph MacchioRalph MacchioRalph George Macchio is an American actor, best known for his roles as Daniel LaRusso in the Karate Kid series, Bill Gambini in My Cousin Vinny, and Johnny Cade in The Outsiders. He is also known to American television audiences for his season five recurring role as Jeremy Andretti on the...
as Billy Grier - Betty BuckleyBetty BuckleyBetty Lynn Buckley is an American theater, film and television actress and singer. She is a Tony Award winner and Grammy Award nominee.-Early life:...
as Nancy Grier - Hal HolbrookHal HolbrookHarold Rowe "Hal" Holbrook, Jr. is an American actor. His television roles include Abraham Lincoln in the 1976 TV series Lincoln, Hays Stowe on The Bold Ones: The Senator and Capt. Lloyd Bucher on Pueblo. He is also known for his role in the 2007 film Into the Wild, for which he was nominated for...
as Grandpa Grier - Season HubleySeason Hubley-Biography:Hubley was born Susan Hubley in New York City, the daughter of Julia Kaul and Grant Shelby Hubley, a writer and entrepreneur. Her brother is actor Whip Hubley....
as Phyllis - Jeffrey TamborJeffrey TamborJeffrey Michael Tambor is an American actor, perhaps best known for his roles as George Bluth Sr. and Oscar Bluth on Arrested Development and Hank Kingsley on The Larry Sanders Show.-Early life:...
as Dr. Lindsey - Lawrence PressmanLawrence PressmanDavid M. Pressman, Senior is an American actor, probably best known for roles on Doogie Howser, M.D., Ladies Man, a recurring role on Profiler, the titular character on Mulligan's Stew and as a fictional scientist in the 1971 film The Hellstrom Chronicle.His first role was on the soap opera The...
as Frank - Conchata FerrellConchata FerrellConchata Galen Ferrell is an American actress. She is best known for playing Berta the housekeeper in the CBS sitcom Two and a Half Men, for which she received two Emmy Award nominations in 2005 and 2007.-Personal life:...
as Dr. Gardner - Ed LauterEd LauterEdward Lauter is an American actor. He has appeared in numerous movies and was a stand up comic before getting into acting.Lauter was born in Long Beach, Long Island, New York...
as Mr. Grier - Viveca LindforsViveca LindforsElsa Viveca Torstensdotter Lindfors , better known under her professional name of Viveca Lindfors, was a Swedish stage and film actress.-Life and career:...
as Dr. Rice - Laura DernLaura DernLaura Elizabeth Dern is an American actress, film director and producer. Dern has acted in such films as Smooth Talk , Blue Velvet , Fat Man and Little Boy , Wild at Heart , Jurassic Park and October Sky...
as Crissy - Betty Phillips as Mary Whitelaw
- Meredith Bain Woodward as Mrs. Patrick (as Meredith Woodward)
- Janet WrightJanet WrightJanet Wright is a Canadian actress and theatre director. She is best known for her role as Emma Leroy on the hit Canadian sitcom Corner Gas. She won a 2003 Gemini Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Supporting Role in a Dramatic Program or Mini-Series for her role in Betrayed...
as Woman in Bar - Bill Murdoch as Scott
- Lillian Carlson as Manager of Hotel
- Stephen E. Miller as Gas Man