To Face Her Past
Encyclopedia
To Face Her Past is a 1996
television film directed by Steven Schachter
. Based on a true story, the film stars Patty Duke
, Tracey Gold
, David Ogden Stiers
, Gabrielle Carteris
and James Brolin
.
) is a housewife with what appears to be a stable life in an American village. One day, her 24-year-old daughter Lori (Tracey Gold
), who is married to Jesse Molina (Maurice Benard
) and recently gave birth to his daughter Molly (Laura and Megan Jaime), unexpectedly collapses and is hospitalized. After several tests, she is diagnosed with leukemia
. Her doctor (Erick Avari
) reveals to Beth that Lori is in urgent need of a donor, though her rare blood type makes finding one a difficult task.
After a period of time without finding a donor, during which Lori's health worsens, Beth realizes that only confronting a dark secret from her past can save her daughter: when Beth was eighteen years old, she was set to marry a young man named Greg Hollander (James Brolin
), and shortly after found out that she was pregnant. She gave birth to a daughter, but gave her up under the immense pressure of Greg's parents Vic (Francis X. McCarthy) and Kate (Susan Brown), who felt that Greg and Beth were too young to start a family. Megan was raised by her grandparents, under the pretense that her mother abandoned her.
Back in the present, Beth meets Megan (Gabrielle Carteris
) for the first time since her birth. Megan, now a successful vice-president for a company, has not been able to forgive her mother over the years, and refuses to help her. She later decides, though, that she wants to do all that she can to help save a woman's life, and agrees to be Lori's donor, though she makes clear that wants nothing to do with Beth. After Lori finds out that her donor is her sister, she bonds with Megan. Over the time, Megan's hostile behavior towards Beth disappears.
Trouble starts again when the doctor informs Beth that tests with Lori's father are essential. What Beth has been fearing for years is now reality: After a test, it turns out that her husband Ken Bradfield (David Ogden Stiers
) is not Lori's father. Nine months before Lori was born, Beth had a short-lived affair with Greg. Realizing that Greg is Lori's father, Beth contacts him to help her, but Greg remains distant and refuses to be a part of their lives. Nevertheless, Lori eventually recovers after a successful surgery. Meanwhile, Ken has found out about Lori's true father. Even though he does not forgive Beth, he comes to terms with the truth and he realizes that even though he is not Lori's biological father, he will serve as her father no matter what.
1996 in film
Major releases this year included Scream, Independence Day, Fargo, Trainspotting, The English Patient, Twister, Mars Attacks!, Jerry Maguire and a version of Evita starring Madonna.-Events:...
television film directed by Steven Schachter
Steven Schachter
Steven Schachter is an American television, theatre, and film director and screenwriter.Much of Schachter's success stems from projects on which he has collaborated with William H. Macy...
. Based on a true story, the film stars Patty Duke
Patty Duke
Anna Marie "Patty" Duke is an American actress of stage, film, and television. First becoming famous as a child star, winning an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress at age 16, and later starring in her eponymous sitcom for three years, she progressed to more mature roles upon playing Neely...
, Tracey Gold
Tracey Gold
Tracey Gold is an American actress and former child star best known for playing Carol Seaver on the 1980s sitcom Growing Pains. In early 2009, she co-hosted with Fred Roggin on the live show GSN Live.-Early life:...
, David Ogden Stiers
David Ogden Stiers
David Ogden Stiers is an American actor, director, vocal actor, and musician, noted for his roles in Disney movies, as well as his performances in the television series M*A*S*H as Major Charles Emerson Winchester III and the science fiction drama The Dead Zone as Reverend Gene Purdy...
, Gabrielle Carteris
Gabrielle Carteris
Gabrielle Anne Carteris is an American actress known for her role as Andrea Zuckerman on the early seasons of the 1990s television series Beverly Hills, 90210.-Personal life:...
and James Brolin
James Brolin
James Brolin is an American actor, producer and director, best known for his roles in soap operas, movies, sitcoms, and television. He is the father of actor Josh Brolin and husband of singer/actress Barbra Streisand.-Early life:...
.
Plot
Beth Bradfield (Patty DukePatty Duke
Anna Marie "Patty" Duke is an American actress of stage, film, and television. First becoming famous as a child star, winning an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress at age 16, and later starring in her eponymous sitcom for three years, she progressed to more mature roles upon playing Neely...
) is a housewife with what appears to be a stable life in an American village. One day, her 24-year-old daughter Lori (Tracey Gold
Tracey Gold
Tracey Gold is an American actress and former child star best known for playing Carol Seaver on the 1980s sitcom Growing Pains. In early 2009, she co-hosted with Fred Roggin on the live show GSN Live.-Early life:...
), who is married to Jesse Molina (Maurice Benard
Maurice Benard
Maurice Benard is an American actor. He is known primarily for his portrayal of romantic mobster Michael "Sonny" Corinthos, Jr. on the ABC soap opera, General Hospital, a role he has portrayed since 1993.-Career:...
) and recently gave birth to his daughter Molly (Laura and Megan Jaime), unexpectedly collapses and is hospitalized. After several tests, she is diagnosed with leukemia
Leukemia
Leukemia or leukaemia is a type of cancer of the blood or bone marrow characterized by an abnormal increase of immature white blood cells called "blasts". Leukemia is a broad term covering a spectrum of diseases...
. Her doctor (Erick Avari
Erick Avari
Erick Avari is an Indian American television, film and theater actor known for his roles in various science-fiction serial productions.-Early life:...
) reveals to Beth that Lori is in urgent need of a donor, though her rare blood type makes finding one a difficult task.
After a period of time without finding a donor, during which Lori's health worsens, Beth realizes that only confronting a dark secret from her past can save her daughter: when Beth was eighteen years old, she was set to marry a young man named Greg Hollander (James Brolin
James Brolin
James Brolin is an American actor, producer and director, best known for his roles in soap operas, movies, sitcoms, and television. He is the father of actor Josh Brolin and husband of singer/actress Barbra Streisand.-Early life:...
), and shortly after found out that she was pregnant. She gave birth to a daughter, but gave her up under the immense pressure of Greg's parents Vic (Francis X. McCarthy) and Kate (Susan Brown), who felt that Greg and Beth were too young to start a family. Megan was raised by her grandparents, under the pretense that her mother abandoned her.
Back in the present, Beth meets Megan (Gabrielle Carteris
Gabrielle Carteris
Gabrielle Anne Carteris is an American actress known for her role as Andrea Zuckerman on the early seasons of the 1990s television series Beverly Hills, 90210.-Personal life:...
) for the first time since her birth. Megan, now a successful vice-president for a company, has not been able to forgive her mother over the years, and refuses to help her. She later decides, though, that she wants to do all that she can to help save a woman's life, and agrees to be Lori's donor, though she makes clear that wants nothing to do with Beth. After Lori finds out that her donor is her sister, she bonds with Megan. Over the time, Megan's hostile behavior towards Beth disappears.
Trouble starts again when the doctor informs Beth that tests with Lori's father are essential. What Beth has been fearing for years is now reality: After a test, it turns out that her husband Ken Bradfield (David Ogden Stiers
David Ogden Stiers
David Ogden Stiers is an American actor, director, vocal actor, and musician, noted for his roles in Disney movies, as well as his performances in the television series M*A*S*H as Major Charles Emerson Winchester III and the science fiction drama The Dead Zone as Reverend Gene Purdy...
) is not Lori's father. Nine months before Lori was born, Beth had a short-lived affair with Greg. Realizing that Greg is Lori's father, Beth contacts him to help her, but Greg remains distant and refuses to be a part of their lives. Nevertheless, Lori eventually recovers after a successful surgery. Meanwhile, Ken has found out about Lori's true father. Even though he does not forgive Beth, he comes to terms with the truth and he realizes that even though he is not Lori's biological father, he will serve as her father no matter what.
Cast
- Patty DukePatty DukeAnna Marie "Patty" Duke is an American actress of stage, film, and television. First becoming famous as a child star, winning an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress at age 16, and later starring in her eponymous sitcom for three years, she progressed to more mature roles upon playing Neely...
as Beth Bradfield - Tracey GoldTracey GoldTracey Gold is an American actress and former child star best known for playing Carol Seaver on the 1980s sitcom Growing Pains. In early 2009, she co-hosted with Fred Roggin on the live show GSN Live.-Early life:...
as Lori Molina - David Ogden StiersDavid Ogden StiersDavid Ogden Stiers is an American actor, director, vocal actor, and musician, noted for his roles in Disney movies, as well as his performances in the television series M*A*S*H as Major Charles Emerson Winchester III and the science fiction drama The Dead Zone as Reverend Gene Purdy...
as Ken Bradfield - Gabrielle CarterisGabrielle CarterisGabrielle Anne Carteris is an American actress known for her role as Andrea Zuckerman on the early seasons of the 1990s television series Beverly Hills, 90210.-Personal life:...
as Megan Hollander - James BrolinJames BrolinJames Brolin is an American actor, producer and director, best known for his roles in soap operas, movies, sitcoms, and television. He is the father of actor Josh Brolin and husband of singer/actress Barbra Streisand.-Early life:...
as Greg Hollander - Maurice BenardMaurice BenardMaurice Benard is an American actor. He is known primarily for his portrayal of romantic mobster Michael "Sonny" Corinthos, Jr. on the ABC soap opera, General Hospital, a role he has portrayed since 1993.-Career:...
as Jesse Molina - Susan Brown as Kate Hollander
- Francis X. McCarthy as Vic Hollander
- Laura and Megan Jaime as Molly Molina
- Erick AvariErick AvariErick Avari is an Indian American television, film and theater actor known for his roles in various science-fiction serial productions.-Early life:...
as Dr. Webster - Michele Lamar Richards as Janet
- Christopher Tichy as Young Greg
- Shonda Whipple as Young Beth