Born Innocent

And, the question that is repeatedly raised in this decidedly bleak and grim Made-For-TV "Chick Flick" is - "How do you help those who are beyond being helped?" 1974's "Born Innocent" is, without question, the end to the innocence where a 16-year-old Linda Blair (straight out of her role as Regan in "The Exorcist") plays 14-year-old Chris Parker, a chronic "reform school" runaway who is more than familiar with the indifference of the justice system. To be sure - "Born Innocent" is one of those less-than-uplifting stories that definitely lays the whole business of "harsh realities" on the viewer really, really thick.

After scoring in The Exocist Linda Blair's next project was Borm Innocent with Blair playing a habitual runaway. If I had a dad like Richard Jaeckel ready to believe the worst at all times, a subservient mom like Kim Hunter I might consider running away myself. Where she lands is hardly any improvement. This institution for runaways s just that for runaways. Not like these girls are criminals yet., emphasis on the last word. Allyn Ann McLerie is the house mother and she's sort of a Nurse Ratched lite. And we know what happened to Ratched. A forcible sodomy scene was most controversial in its day. This would hardly raise a ripple now. Controversial back in the 70s, Born Innocent seems just exploitive now.

This film will always be one of the most controversial in the history of film. It is still hard for me to watch it and it is still a very brutal film to look at. You really do see how the juvenile justice system instead of rehabilitating kids eventually makes them even more hardened and eventually they will graduate to even more serious crimes. This film definitely drives that point home like no other in the history of television.

This was New Mexico, but I have seen many such facilities during my time as a foster caseworker over nine years in Texas. The only thing that was outside my knowledge was the isolation. I cannot imagine that any facility has a solitary confinement room. The terrible tragedy of young women depicted in this film was real. Abuse and neglect by parents who cannot and will not take the time to raise their children properly and are surprised when they rebel. Christine never had a chance. She was kicked out by an abusive father and a mother who could not defend her. She was probably getting beaten herself. She was thrown in with too many others who had problems of their own that were not being addressed. After abuse at home and in the system, she hardened just like prisoners do and was forever lost. 15-year-old Oscar nominee and Golden Globe winner Linda Blair was magnificent in this realistic film.

Born Innocent (1974) is a made for T.V. movie that I caught on the old Black and white many years ago. A sad film about a young girl (Linda Blair) and all the trouble she went through while she was in reform school. Her parents seem oblivious to her problems when a social worker tries to find out about her family life. I am disappointed that this movie is not availible for viewing anywhere. A shame because it's a great made for television film. Strongly recommended.