Like many of the other commenters, I finally got a copy of this VHS after my original went bad. I too, never forgot this movie and how strong the story line was and the emotion it made you feel.
It starts out with the Jackson family having a picnic and the mother looking like she's in pretty bad health. Soon after she is rushed to the hospital, but it is too late - she is too far gone. Due to her religious beliefs, she refused prior medical help.
Her husband, being left with 4 young boys, tries to procure some type of financial aid or a temporary babysitter. He goes to the local government office, where after being repeatedly told the children would be better off in foster care - they agree to give him a babysitter on a temporary basis. Coming home from work, he finds his boys outside, locked out because they are not allowed in when a man is inside.
That issue is immediately resolved but Elmer Jackson has a quick temper and is very free with his hands. After physically throwing the man and woman out, we are taken to the Welfare office where charges are made against Mr. Jackson for physical abuse against the babysitter in addition, she rants that he is crazy and his kids are out of control. The children are immediately taken away. They are placed in the hospital's isolation unit where Mr. Jackson creates a huge ruckus, coming in knocking things over and yelling. He is physically removed and barred from the hospital, appearing in court thereafter. The boys are placed in what looks like a nice foster home for 9 months and are allowed a visit after the 9 month period passes. Mr. Jackson, armed with gifts shows up and the boys are overjoyed. However the youngest, automatically walks to the car to go home whereby all the boys state the same desire. So off they go and the foster mother notifies the Police. They are stopped and Mr. Jackson again displays his temper and is beaten by the cop once again going to court.
Three of boys are put in a place where the administrator says they "should have been from the beginning, where boys like them belong". It is a home for the mentally retarded. Which based on the time this took place, you can imagine the prison like conditions.
They plan an escape but are picked up by the Police and brought back. The goon in charge makes sure that they will not run away again. The youngest boy is not put in there due to his age. After suffering years of mental and physical abuse, the boys are notably severely scarred.
Elmer Jackson by this time met a good woman, has a child with her, has his own business and builds his own house and is now able to work on getting the boys back.
The youngest is first - he is distrusting and scornful. The middle two are next and both look like they are mentally damaged after leaving the home for the Retarded. The last one is trickier due to the fact that he is in a State Run facility and needs special papers to release him.
The day Elmer Jackson is told this, his son is to undergo sterilization and not allowed visitors. Elmer leaves without his son even knowing he was there. A doctor noted earlier that he did not think the boy in their care was retarded and keeps an eye on his file. He pursues the case, befriends him and is able to find Elmer. That being said, he takes the boy home to his family and everyone surrounds him - hugging - kissing and not letting go. Given the difficulties the boys had to endure, it is amazing that in the end, they turned out to be normal again.
I was left to wonder that if each time Elmer lost his temper, maybe if he kept a cooler head maybe things would have gone a little different. But then we wouldn't have a movie.
It starts out with the Jackson family having a picnic and the mother looking like she's in pretty bad health. Soon after she is rushed to the hospital, but it is too late - she is too far gone. Due to her religious beliefs, she refused prior medical help.
Her husband, being left with 4 young boys, tries to procure some type of financial aid or a temporary babysitter. He goes to the local government office, where after being repeatedly told the children would be better off in foster care - they agree to give him a babysitter on a temporary basis. Coming home from work, he finds his boys outside, locked out because they are not allowed in when a man is inside.
That issue is immediately resolved but Elmer Jackson has a quick temper and is very free with his hands. After physically throwing the man and woman out, we are taken to the Welfare office where charges are made against Mr. Jackson for physical abuse against the babysitter in addition, she rants that he is crazy and his kids are out of control. The children are immediately taken away. They are placed in the hospital's isolation unit where Mr. Jackson creates a huge ruckus, coming in knocking things over and yelling. He is physically removed and barred from the hospital, appearing in court thereafter. The boys are placed in what looks like a nice foster home for 9 months and are allowed a visit after the 9 month period passes. Mr. Jackson, armed with gifts shows up and the boys are overjoyed. However the youngest, automatically walks to the car to go home whereby all the boys state the same desire. So off they go and the foster mother notifies the Police. They are stopped and Mr. Jackson again displays his temper and is beaten by the cop once again going to court.
Three of boys are put in a place where the administrator says they "should have been from the beginning, where boys like them belong". It is a home for the mentally retarded. Which based on the time this took place, you can imagine the prison like conditions.
They plan an escape but are picked up by the Police and brought back. The goon in charge makes sure that they will not run away again. The youngest boy is not put in there due to his age. After suffering years of mental and physical abuse, the boys are notably severely scarred.
Elmer Jackson by this time met a good woman, has a child with her, has his own business and builds his own house and is now able to work on getting the boys back.
The youngest is first - he is distrusting and scornful. The middle two are next and both look like they are mentally damaged after leaving the home for the Retarded. The last one is trickier due to the fact that he is in a State Run facility and needs special papers to release him.
The day Elmer Jackson is told this, his son is to undergo sterilization and not allowed visitors. Elmer leaves without his son even knowing he was there. A doctor noted earlier that he did not think the boy in their care was retarded and keeps an eye on his file. He pursues the case, befriends him and is able to find Elmer. That being said, he takes the boy home to his family and everyone surrounds him - hugging - kissing and not letting go. Given the difficulties the boys had to endure, it is amazing that in the end, they turned out to be normal again.
I was left to wonder that if each time Elmer lost his temper, maybe if he kept a cooler head maybe things would have gone a little different. But then we wouldn't have a movie.