Mentally Challenged Boy is a Fake: 1980's Made for TV Movie
 

Hi all, I've been wondering what movie I was watching and the name of it. Hope you have some insight.



It was 1987 and my Dad and I were watching this made-for-TV movie. The set was very soap-opera-ish-sitcom or like a stage play set. It revolved around this young woman who never left home or went to college because her brother was a special needs/mentally challenged kid around 13-15 years old, who couldn't talk intelligibly or even walk right and his mother had to cut up his food and feed him - he was totally helpless. When people would talk to him he would answer with, "Nay nay nay" or some other gibberish. I remember he always seemed to be wearing red clothes.



Near the end, the girl hears the piano playing. She comes down stairs and sees that it's her baby brother playing beautifully. Shocked she walks over and asks how he knew to do that and how did he know how to talk. He then replies in perfect English, "I've always known." Stunned at the revelation that her brother is not mentally challenged, she confronts her mother about this to which the mother basically enabled her son to be this way so her daughter (the girl confronting her) would not go to college or leave home.



The girl is so mad, upset, and disappointed for wasting so much time for such a sham. She then decides to leave home and go to college. The movie ends with the young boy acting mentally challenged again at the dinner table with the mom feeding him.



Sound familiar to anyone?

Don't know the movie, but would love to see it...do you remember any actors in it?

I don't know or remember any of the actors in it, unfortunately. That would help if I did for sure. The actor, Bill Lombardo, who played Benny, in The Money Pit (1986), is the closet person I can think of who played the special needs boy.

Re: 1980's Made for TV Movie
 

I've tried everything and nothing came up. I'm with Gideon, I really want to watch it so I'm determined to find it. Do you remember the channel it was on?

Man I wish I could remember that, but I was only about 9 or 10 when I watched it and don't recall. I even asked my Dad about this movie and he doesn't even seem to remember watching it with me. Guess it didn't make as much of an impact on him as it did me, haha!

Re: 1980's Made for TV Movie
 

I think this movie could be from one of those type of TV "ABC Afterschool Special" programs. I was looking through the seasons in the 80's but couldn't find anything like this description.

Re: 1980's Made for TV Movie
 

I'm on it. If it exists I'll find it, if it's the last thing I do.

Re: 1980's Made for TV Movie
 

What are some other types of shows that were like ABC After School Special? Still trying to find this movie.

Re: 1980's Made for TV Movie
 

Hey guys I found two to look at. Both are from CBS Schoolbreak Special. 1: 1990. The Girl with the Crazy Brother. With Patricia Arquette. Teenage girl struggles to cope when her brother is diagnosed as suffering from schizophrenia. Maybe he is a savant and can play the piano or something like that? 2: 1984 Welcome Home Jellybean. With Dana Hill. A 12-year-old mentally-challenged girl whose parents decide to remove her from the institution where she was raised, and try to give her a home life. The Jellybean movie is on Youtube. I know it's not that one but thought I'd add it. Good luck finding the movie! It may be the crazy brother one. Who knows?

Thanks for looking those up! I checked them out with hopeful expectation, but unfortunately that wasn't it. The search continues!

Re: 1980's Made for TV Movie
 

It's been almost 2 years ago that I started this thread. Anyone other clues as to what this movie is?

Can you describe the young woman? Any known actress she resembles a bit? Where was it shot? Big city surroundings or country side, was it sunny or raining, snowing? Any insignificant minor detail can help.

Man, I sure wish I could remember. I think it was all TV actors. No one famous comes to mind and I was about 9 at the time so wasn't too familiar with any actors and can hardly remember their faces. Several years have passed since then. :eek: It was shot on what seemed like a soap opera stage. All inside. I don't remember any other surroundings.

Can I ask how sure you are about the year?

And just to state the obvious: this was an American movie, right? English, in color?

Do you remember if your family had cable or just the main networks?

American, yes. English, yes. Color, yes.



Yes, I am sure about the year. 1987. I don't think we had cable so it might have been on whatever channel was available at the time.

Re: 1980's Made for TV Movie
 

I am still looking for this movie and still haven't found it.