At the time, this TV-movie was actually a bit of an event. This is the story of a woman whose husband and son are gunned down on a subway; only the son survives. Thus begins her crusade to run for Congress on the sole issue of gun control. This is a mediocre TV movie; the two things that distinguish it are a relatively good acting job by Laurie Metcalf (good for TV, that is) and the relative restraint Sargent uses (no big funeral scenes, for example; the gunning down is also mostly offscreen). All the old tricks of emotional manipulation are firmly in place.
The movie was a bit famous at the time. Barbra Streisand was executive producing, and Charlton Heston, in his capacity as NRA President attacked the movie, sight unseen. Streisand returned in kind. The movie in its original broadcast had a Prudential Insurance commercial shoved in the middle starring the real gunned-down son. This movie, if it's remembered at all years from now, will be remembered for politics rather than dramatic quality.
The movie was a bit famous at the time. Barbra Streisand was executive producing, and Charlton Heston, in his capacity as NRA President attacked the movie, sight unseen. Streisand returned in kind. The movie in its original broadcast had a Prudential Insurance commercial shoved in the middle starring the real gunned-down son. This movie, if it's remembered at all years from now, will be remembered for politics rather than dramatic quality.