If These Walls Could Talk

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If These Walls Could Talk is a 1996 American anthology television film, broadcast on HBO. It follows the plights of three women and their experiences with abortion. Starring Anne Heche, Cher, Demi Moore and Sissy Spacek, each of the three stories takes place in the same house, albeit 22 years apart (in 1952, 1974, and 1996, respectively). All three segments were co-written by Nancy Savoca, who directed the first and second segments; Cher directed the third segment, and was an executive producer, along with Moore and Suzanne Todd. The women's experiences in each vignette are designed to portray the popular views of society on abortion during each of the respective decades shown.

Debuting at the Toronto International Film Festival, If These Walls Could Talk became a surprise success, becoming the highest-rated movie in HBO history.[1] It was nominated for four Primetime Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Television Movie, and three Golden Globe Awards, including Best Miniseries or Television Film.

Plot

1952

The 1952 segment deals with Claire Donnelly (Demi Moore), a widowed nurse living in suburban Chicago, who becomes pregnant by Kevin (Jason London), her brother-in-law; she decides to undergo an abortion, in order not to hurt her late husband's family. However, at the time, the procedure is strictly illegal. She eventually finds another nurse, who provides Claire with the phone number of a woman who can locate "someone" to perform an abortion. The woman on the phone tells Claire that the only trustworthy care provider she knows is located in Puerto Rico, and Claire cannot afford the travel costs—with air fare and hotel costs, the total trip would have cost about $1,000 (about $11,844 in 2024). After a failed attempt to self-terminate the pregnancy with a knitting needle, Claire contacts a man who comes to her home and performs a clandestine, hasty procedure as she lies atop her kitchen table. Claire finally manages to abort the fetus, but dies shortly afterwards due to massive blood loss.

1974

This segment deals with Barbara Barrows (Sissy Spacek), a struggling, aging mother-of-four, and her night-shift-working, policeman husband, who discovers she is pregnant, while having recently gone back to college. She considers abortion with the support of her teenage daughter, Linda (Hedy Burress), but ultimately chooses to keep the child. Barbara and her husband are frightened by their economic prospect and the future, but they promise each other to try their best so that their new son can have a normal life.

1996

The 1996 segment deals with Christine Cullen (Anne Heche), a college student impregnated by a married professor, who decides on an abortion when he breaks-up with her and only offers her money. After consulting with her roommate, Patti (Jada Pinkett), Christine schedules an appointment with Dr. Beth Thompson (Cher). However, on the day of the procedure, there is a violent anti-abortion protest outside the clinic; just after the actual abortion has been successfully completed, an enraged and unhinged protester (Matthew Lillard) abruptly storms in the building, shoots Dr. Thompson, and flees. Christine finds herself alone, and comforts the dying Dr. Thompson as she slowly bleeds to death.

Cast

1952 segment

1974 segment

1996 segment

Development

As executive producer, Moore spent seven years trying to get the film made,[2] until the project was eventually greenlit by HBO.[3] HBO vice president Colin Callender said: "I don't believe there's a studio in the world that would finance this picture",[3] and praised Moore and Cher for having the courage to use their celebrity to address the issue of abortion.[4] Cher commented that "It took someone with Demi's power and fortitude to have something like this made. Without that power, you couldn't do it. These topics are not on everybody's top 10 list of things to do."[3]

Reception

The film received mostly positive reviews from critics. If These Walls Could Talk holds an 88% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on eight reviews.[5]

Among the positive reviews were Siskel & Ebert, who both gave the film "Two Thumbs Up."[6]

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Nominee(s) Result Ref.
1997
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". 		CableACE Awards Editing a Dramatic Special or Series/Movie or Miniseries Peter Honess and Elena Maganini Won [7]
Festival International de Programmes Audiovisuels Fiction Won
Golden Globe Awards Best Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television Nominated [8]
Best Actress in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television Demi Moore Nominated
Best Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television Cher Nominated
NAACP Image Awards Outstanding Lead Actress in a Television Movie or Mini-Series Jada Pinkett Nominated
Online Film & Television Association Awards Best Motion Picture Made for Television Nominated [9]
Best Direction of a Motion Picture or Miniseries Nominated
Best Writing of a Motion Picture or Miniseries Nominated
Best Editing in a Motion Picture or Limited Series Nominated
Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Made for Television Movie Suzanne Todd, Demi Moore,
Laura Greenlee, and J.J. Klein 		Nominated [10]
Outstanding Editing for a Miniseries or a Special – Single Camera Production Elena Maganini (for "1952" and "1974")Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". Nominated
Outstanding Hairstyling for a Miniseries or a Special Clare M. Corsick, Enzo Angileri,
Sally J. Harper, Renate Leuschner,
Voni Hinkle, Serena Radaelli, and
Cammy R. Langer 		Nominated
The President's Award HBO Films and Anasazi Productions Nominated
Satellite Awards Best Motion Picture Made for Television Nominated [11]
Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television Cher Nominated
YoungStar Awards Best Young Actress in a Made-for-TV Film Hedy Burress Nominated [12]
2000
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". 		Women in Film Crystal + Lucy Awards Lucy AwardTemplate:Efn Won [13]
2019
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". 		Online Film & Television Association Awards Television Hall of Fame: Productions Inducted [14]

Sequel

A sequel anthology, If These Walls Could Talk 2, aired in 2000. However, the subject addressed in this iteration was lesbianism.

Notes

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References

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External links

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