Touched by Love (1980) User Reviews

A gripping story of a young girl's devotion to her hero.

[michaelRokeefe · 6/10 · 13 November 2001]

This is a touching true story and fine adaption of Lena Canada's book about a lonely handicapped girl(Diane Lane) and her devotion to a very special person. With the help from a social worker(Deborah Raffin), the girl begins writing letters to her hero and the return correspondence transforms her dying days. Her special pen pal is none other than Elvis Presley.

For Elvis fans there is vintage TV footage and Elvis music throughout. Miss Lane is outstanding and warms the heart. This story is sad, uplifting and hopeful. You'll feel good about not passing this one up. Also in the cast are Michael Learned, Clu Gulager and John Amos.

Note: This movie is also known as TO ELVIS, WITH LOVE.

Emotionally moving film!

[nigel77 · 8/10 · 1 October 2018]

Touched By Love was based on nurse Lena Canada's equally moving book, To Elvis, With Love. While the film indicates Elvis Inc. was involved, this was the name of the production company registered while it was filmed - it was not the official Elvis Presley Enterprises (EPE) organisation responsible for marketing Elvis and running Graceland. An official DVD/Bluray release of this positive and emotionally heart-rending film is long overdue.

Hard to swallow True Story

[Donofriofan · 17 May 2003]

This film, starring a young Diane Lane is a film made after Elvis Presley's death. Supported by the Elvis, Inc, this movie tells the story of a girl with Cerebral Palsey who becomes Elvis' pen pal and he actually returns her letters. He also showers her with gifts and gives her his private address to write back. This movie is not really about Elvis, but rather about a girl who struggles to do everyday tasks that we all take for granted and a caring nurse who never sways from her belief in "Karen" (played by Diane Lane). Also featuring Michael Learned (of "The Walton's" fame) and John Amos (of "Good Times"), this is a moving film and despite it's undisguised attempts to pull at the audience's heart strings, shows a side of Elvis Presley rarely seen, that of compassionate friend to a very sick girl.

The first time I ever saw Diane Lane

[tytyler77 · 10/10 · 29 July 2005]

I remember watching this movie as well on HBO a million times. I was stunned by Diane Lane's performance. I had never heard of her so I actually thought she was a handicapped actress. This is one of those rare movies that goes straight to the heart. I'm a guy and I loved it even as a teenager. I guess having four sisters made a little sensitive to movies like this one. This is the story of a young woman who had the power to touch the lives of every person that got to know her. Even though she was in a wheelchair, nothing could contain her soaring spirit. The relationship between Diane Lane and Deborah Raffin is very touching. Raffin's character is there to help Lane, but it seems that Karen had more of an impact on the life of her caretaker. If you are a fan of Elvis Presley, this is the movie for you even though it's not an Elvis movie. You'll just have to see it to know what I'm talking about. Great story, great performances, and lots of emotion make "Touched By Love" a must see again and again. And I thought I was the only person whose seen this movie. I'm glad to know there is at least one other.

This movie was WONDERFUL!

[Katzi428 · 9/10 · 14 February 2004]

I first saw this movie as an 11 year old. And I absolutely loved it! It's one of those movies that you just can't forget. I saw it again on cable late one night last year but it was too late to tape it. So I'm thinking seriously of buying the tape. Deborah Raffin did a fabulous job as the compassionate caretaker Lena Canada. Diane Lane also did an excellent job playing Karen,the handicapped teenager. If you have a chance & it's in a videotape store, see it!

When I was little, I absolutely loved this movie. It was so...

[cindyjmd · 9/10 · 24 December 2004]

When I was little, I absolutely loved this movie. It was so touching. I was born in 1973, so I watched this when I was pretty young. I think it was on HBO. Anyway, I loved Elvis and I loved this movie. My grandmother loved Elvis and I looked up to grandma. Diane Lane is wonderful in it, I also adored another one of her younger actress movies: A Little Romance. So, I've always thought she was a great actress. I wish this movie would come out on DVD! I'm dying to see it again. Maybe they have it on VHS at Blockbuster or Hollywood Video, I'll have to check into that. I wonder if I'll still need a box of tissues to watch it! Enjoy.

A young girl with cerebral palsy gets a friend in Elvis Presley.

[TxMike · 17 August 2014]

I came across this nice little movie on the "Movies!" channel.

The movie is based on a book by Lena Canada who in the movie is played by Deborah Raffin. She is the caregiver for a young girl of 13 or 14 who is confined to either her wheelchair or her bed. She has cerebral palsy and has already far exceeded survival expectations.

The young girl is Diane Lane, only in her second movie, as Karen. This is a difficult role to play, to capture the mannerisms and speech patterns in an authentic manner, and she does it very well. Not once does she seem to be "acting."

The book was published in 1963 so this is set possibly in the 1950s. Karen is a big Elvis Presley fan. She likes him she likes his music. She wants to write to him but is cautioned that she might only get a form letter in return.

Through perseverance she gets a letter from Elvis himself, handwritten, and with a special return address that will assure he gets her letters in a timely manner. Their friendship blossoms and even though she still manages to have only a short life, when asked by another girl what she wanted for Christmas her answer was, "I don't want anything, I have everything I need."

This is apparently based on a true story.

An excellent Sleeper-A MUST SEE!

[elskootero · 10/10 · 26 January 2003]

I saw this film as an accident, after having watched a film I'd planned on viewing, but actually liked this film better than the one I'd planned on watching! I've been a fan of Diane Lane for years, ever since I saw the OLDEST LIVING CONFEDERATE WIDOW that she was in, among others, and she was flawless in this one, though she was only 15 at the time. She and Deborah Raffin are simply superb as a Cerebral Palsy victim and a young woman who comes to work in a mountain therapy center (in Canada, I think) and how they differ from each other at first and come to relate to one another, with Elvis Presley as an unseen but present part of her therapy. I never was able to deduce if this was a true story or not, but I hope it is, as it is not only well acted all around but a nice story of how kind big stars can be, and I believe Elvis could have and really was as nice as he was portrayed in this film. See it; it's a winner!

What an AMAZING Story.....

[st1973 · 10/10 · 3 January 2008]

I too remember seeing this as a young girl....I loved Elvis and so did my mother and grandmother....I even named my daughter Presley....This movie was one of my favorites growing up and I have looked for it on both VHS and DVD. Diane Lane is one of my favorite actresses because of watching her in this movie as a child. I have seen Deborah Raffin on 7th Heaven and couldn't remember where I had seen her until I looked her up and then I remembered. I too cried as a child watching this movie.....Such a powerful message and touching story of love and devotion. If anyone has any idea where it can be found, please post...WONDERFUL!

Awesome movie!!!

[hnicholson · 10/10 · 27 January 2007]

I remember seeing this movie numerous times when I was a child and I loved it more every time I saw it. I just recently began thinking about it, but now I really believe that this movie is what gave me the desire to become a speech-language pathologist, so that I can help people like Karen. I remember when they were working with her to try and get her to say "Fuzzy Wuzzy was a bear. Fuzzy Wuzzy had no hair. Fuzzy Wuzzy wasn't very fuzzy, was he?" and thinking how excited she seemed when she was finally able to say it. I started thinking "WOW!!! I want to be able to help people like that!" I think anyone who is even thinking about working with children or adults with any kind of special needs should watch this movie. It is very touching and also very enlightening. I highly recommend it!!!

Touched By Love

[mainmanjed-71-371455 · 3 June 2011]

I saw this movie when it first came out in 1980. I thought is was a Great and Wonderful movie..When Lena (Deborah Raffin), Tries to help bring Karen ( Diane Lane ) out of her shell. She gets Karen involved in writing to one of her favorite people, ( Elvis ) to become her pen-pal. But when Elvis never wrote to her her withdrew and when back in her shell. But Then I thought that Lena started writing to her to make her think it was Elvis to get her to come back out of her shell.. But then found out it was Elvis that wrote to her was amazing.. Loved Diane Lane Then and still love her movies now.. To this day, Touched By Love is one of my all time Favorite movies.. I still shed a tear or two every time I watch it.. I bought the VHS tape like 20 years ago and still have it, Just wish I could find it on DVD.. If anyone knows where I can get one. Please let me know..

This is a gem.

[richcats · 10/10 · 22 August 2006]

I remember teasing my mom for crying during movies when I was very young. Then I saw Touched by Love (at age 13). In a room full of family and friends, I cried my eyes out! My mom sure enjoyed (afterward) teasing me right back.

For years I would remember parts of the story every now and then... but couldn't remember the name of the movie. I really wanted to see it again so my husband helped me do a search on IMDb and we found it. Needless to say I was thrilled. I can't wait to get a copy of the movie for my collection.

Note: I vaguely remember watching some biographical show on Elvis and his letter writing to a girl with Cerebral Palsy was mentioned briefly.

Excellent movie!

[carolinefrancoisjoly · 9/10 · 6 January 2022]

I am a genuine film collector. I was fortunate to get this movie on a 16mm print. It can't look better. It's there to stay in my collection. I am like many others, very touched by this movie. I am not a Big Elvis fan but i respect the individuality of the artist, if this is a true story, regards to mr Presley.

Love this film and Diane Lane.

[tilliedog-13433 · 10/10 · 16 February 2019]

I recall this film younger too, as I am the same age as Diane Lane now. But saw it again years ago and it still gets to me, and true. She was and is a great actress, especially at such a young age. I had seen her in Broadway a few years back, and she was wonderful and looked great. I was able to get it in dvd from Flashback DVD's for those interested as well. So enjoy. It really holds up well still, and was not a fan of Elvis but that touched me as well. But tissues still needed.

You'll be touched

[videorama-759-859391 · 9/10 · 14 November 2019]

Here's an under the radar known film, thought should after, involving a special friendship, between a young woman carer who befriended an autistic girl, where a special kind of love bloomed. It also involves, The King. Based on a real story TBL, is about a short lived friendship, where lonely newbie care worker (Raffin) has just become employed at the lodge/home, for autistic kids, where as I mentioned earlier, a special love friendship develops. Raffin, who I considered to be such a underrated actress, it's another criminal dis service, really cuts the grain with her character, while of course, you'll be literally bowled over by Lane's truly believable performance, as the autistic recluse Karen, where Raffin's character, finally breaks through to her, where the others have failed, or simply given up, what they thought was the impossible. Just goes to show. This excellent film is of course about inspiration, but other things too. The film has really interesting casting, some oldie favorites, and this kind of pays homage to Elvis, who is the voice that beckons, the initially mute Karen. This is a bit of a tearjerker, and some Kleenex, will be well advised, especially in it's tragic finale. It's great light hearted entertainment, and a great way to spend 90 minutes in front of the tube/logfire. Great acting in a great, once in a lifetime, stand alone movie of triumph. Incidentally, weirdly Raffn, despite her Golden Globe nominee for best actress for this, also had a Raspberry nomination for it too. Truly the raping of a great actress, sadly no longer with us.

Touched by love

[Lauralai6 · 10/10 · 19 June 2007]

It has been years since I've seen this movie but it has always been one of those pictures that I will never forget. Diane Lane does an amazing job playing this sweet young girl. *SPOILER* I remember crying my eyes out when the young girl receives a pink teddy bear from Elvis. It was just so heartfelt. Then she passes away holding that teddy bear. It just breaks your heart but also made me see what a good person Elvis was. Every once in awhile I think about this story and remember how if effected me. Diane Lane is truly a phenomenal actress especially at such a young age. This was the movie that made me the fan I am today of hers. This really is a wonderful story that will touch you for years to come.