Roe vs. Wade (film)

{{about|the 1989 made-for-television film|the 2020 film|Roe v. Wade (film){{!}}Roe v. Wade (film)}}

{{Infobox television

| image = RoevsWade1989.jpg

| image_size =

| image_alt =

| caption = VHS release promotion

| genre = Biography
Drama

| creator =

| based_on =

| writer = Alison Cross

| screenplay =

| story =

| director = Gregory Hoblit

| starring = Holly Hunter
Amy Madigan

| narrated =

| theme_music_composer = W.G. Snuffy Walden

| country = United States

| language = English

| num_episodes =

| executive_producer =

| producer = Gregory Hoblit
Alison Cross
Michael Manheim

| location =

| editor = Joe Ann Fogle
Elodie Keene

| cinematography = Newton Thomas Sigel

| runtime = 100 minutes

| company = NBC Productions
The Manheim Company

| budget =

| network = NBC

| released = {{Start date|1989|05|15}}

}}

Roe vs. Wade is a 1989 television film directed by Gregory Hoblit about the landmark 1973 United States Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade. It was written by Alison Cross and stars Holly Hunter and Amy Madigan.

Plot

Ellen Russell is a lonely, single, poorly educated Texan who finds herself pregnant with no means to support a child. To avoid giving up the child, she seeks an abortion. Denied an abortion in Texas, the young woman hires a novice lawyer to plead her case in the U.S. Supreme Court.

Cast

{{cast listing|

Holly Hunter as Ellen Russell
Amy Madigan as Sarah Weddington
James Gammon as Jimmy Russell
Dion Anderson as Bob Flowers
Kathy Bates as Jessie
Chris Mulkey as Ron Weddington
Terry O'Quinn as Jay Floyd
Stephen Tobolowsky as Darryl Horwood
Alycia Grant as Sherry Roe

}}

Release

The film aired on NBC on May 15, 1989.{{Cite news |last=Carter |first=Bill |date=1989-05-14 |title=TELEVISION; Crafting 'Roe v. Wade': Tiptoeing on a Tightrope |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1989/05/14/arts/television-crafting-roe-v-wade-tiptoeing-on-a-tightrope.html |access-date=2023-12-30 |issn=0362-4331}} It was the tenth most viewed primetime television show for the week, with a 17.0 Nielsen rating, and seen in an estimated 15.3 million homes.{{cite news|last=Buck |first=Jerry |date=May 28, 1989 |url=https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth824198/m1/24/ |title=Jessica's rescue highest rated show for past week |newspaper=Sulphur Springs News-Telegram |agency=Associated Press}}

Awards

class="wikitable"

!Award

!Category

!Nominee(s)

!Result

rowspan="6" |Primetime Emmy Awards{{Cite web |title=Roe vs. Wade |url=https://www.emmys.com/shows/roe-vs-wade |access-date=2023-12-30 |website=Television Academy |language=en}}

|Outstanding Drama/Comedy Special

|Michael Manheim, Gregory Hoblit, Alison Cross

| {{won}}

rowspan="2" |Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Special

|Holly Hunter

| {{won}}

Amy Madigan

| {{nominated}}

Outstanding Directing in a Miniseries or Special

|Gregory Hoblit

| {{nominated}}

Outstanding Editing in a Miniseries or Special

|Elodie Keane, Joe Ann Foegle

| {{nominated}}

Outstanding Writing in a Miniseries or Special

|Alison Cross

| {{nominated}}

rowspan="3" |Golden Globe Awards{{Cite web |title=Roe vs. Wade |url=https://goldenglobes.com/tv-show/roe-vs-wade/ |access-date=2023-12-30 |website=Golden Globes |language=en-US}}

|Best Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television

|Michael Manheim, Gregory Hoblit, Alison Cross

| {{nominated}}

Best Performance by an Actress - Miniseries or Television Movie

|Holly Hunter

| {{nominated}}

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role - Miniseries or Television Movie

|Amy Madigan

| {{Won}}