Gritty "made-for-TV" drama, aired in 1980 by CBS network, it tells the real-life story of John & Greta Rideout, a low class married couple, raising a 2 years old child, which is having a marital crisis, due to John's excess of jealousy towards Greta and his outbursts of psychological violence and emotional blackmail. When John crosses the line and inflicts physical abuse on Greta, which led to have forced sexual intercourse against her will, under the new 1977 law in Oregon that husbands can be charged for raping their respective wives (at the time, it was one of the few states that did not recognize "marital privilege" as a rape defense), he became the first man to be prosecuted in trial for this domestic crime...
Low budget'd and limited in terms of scenarios and outdoor shots, but efficiently, "straight to the subject", directed by Peter Levin, "Rape and Marriage - The Rideout Case", lives mostly through the strong performances by the main actors: a young clean & shaved Mickey Rourke, in his first leading role and before he started a successful transition to theatrical released films the next year with "Body Heat", stars as John Rideout, an unemployed abuser of his submissive and emotionally dependent wife, conveying a myriad of different emotions to his character, he can be impetuous, selfish, manipulator and brute, but charming and sympathetic at the same time when it suits him, even attempting to show remorse and, like a wolf in sheep's clothes, the caring of a misunderstood loving husband and father, when inquired by the D.A. (in an outstanding piece of acting delivered by one of the finest method actors that came out from Actor's Studio).
Linda Hamilton, also in one of her first screen roles, is sweet and fragile as the abused wife, but she dominates, showing her inner strength, in her testimonial scene during the trial and even if, as a whole, she didn't scored as high as Rourke, this kind of hopeless character may have influenced her cast as Sarah O'Connor, about 3 years later, in James Cameron's action / sci-fi cult classic, "The Terminator".
Rip Torn is very good in the supporting role of the bigoted defense lawyer.
The movie may ends unsatisfactory for mostly of its viewers claiming for blind justice on the Rideout's case, but that was like what happened in the real-life, even if John was declared not guilty, it established a new pattern for future charges of rape in a domestic environment.
In short, "Rape and Marriage - The Rideout Case" is a lost gem that needs to be released on DVD to be rediscovered. Early Rourke's fans will be pleased by one of his first 'scene-stealing" performances, sweating charisma on-screen and the subject matter itself is still relevant almost 40 years later.
It may look visually dated for the 'millennials' generation standards, but despite that or even because of that, it's an engaging film that surely worth a view !!
Low budget'd and limited in terms of scenarios and outdoor shots, but efficiently, "straight to the subject", directed by Peter Levin, "Rape and Marriage - The Rideout Case", lives mostly through the strong performances by the main actors: a young clean & shaved Mickey Rourke, in his first leading role and before he started a successful transition to theatrical released films the next year with "Body Heat", stars as John Rideout, an unemployed abuser of his submissive and emotionally dependent wife, conveying a myriad of different emotions to his character, he can be impetuous, selfish, manipulator and brute, but charming and sympathetic at the same time when it suits him, even attempting to show remorse and, like a wolf in sheep's clothes, the caring of a misunderstood loving husband and father, when inquired by the D.A. (in an outstanding piece of acting delivered by one of the finest method actors that came out from Actor's Studio).
Linda Hamilton, also in one of her first screen roles, is sweet and fragile as the abused wife, but she dominates, showing her inner strength, in her testimonial scene during the trial and even if, as a whole, she didn't scored as high as Rourke, this kind of hopeless character may have influenced her cast as Sarah O'Connor, about 3 years later, in James Cameron's action / sci-fi cult classic, "The Terminator".
Rip Torn is very good in the supporting role of the bigoted defense lawyer.
The movie may ends unsatisfactory for mostly of its viewers claiming for blind justice on the Rideout's case, but that was like what happened in the real-life, even if John was declared not guilty, it established a new pattern for future charges of rape in a domestic environment.
In short, "Rape and Marriage - The Rideout Case" is a lost gem that needs to be released on DVD to be rediscovered. Early Rourke's fans will be pleased by one of his first 'scene-stealing" performances, sweating charisma on-screen and the subject matter itself is still relevant almost 40 years later.
It may look visually dated for the 'millennials' generation standards, but despite that or even because of that, it's an engaging film that surely worth a view !!
