''Intimate Strangers'' (alternative title: ''Battered'') is a

1977 Events January * January 8 – Three bombs explode in Moscow within 37 minutes, killing seven. The bombings are attributed to an Armenian separatist group. * January 10 – Mount Nyiragongo erupts in eastern Zaire (now the Democratic R ...

American

made-for-television A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie or TV film/movie, is a feature-length film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a television network, in contrast to theatrical films made for ...

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super-g ...

directed by

John Llewellyn Moxey John Llewellyn Moxey (26 February 1925 – 29 April 2019) was an Argentinian-born British film director, film and television director. He was known for directing the horror film ''The City of the Dead (film), The City of the Dead'' (also known as ...

and written and produced by

Richard and Esther Shapiro Richard Allen Shapiro (born June 27, 1934) and Esther June Shapiro (née Mayesh; born June 6, 1928) are an American married couple who work as television screenwriters and producers, through their Shapiro Film Corporation. They are best known as ...

. The film, starring

Dennis Weaver William Dennis Weaver (June 4, 1924 – February 24, 2006) was an American actor and former president of the Screen Actors Guild, best known for his work in television and films from the early 1950s until just before his death in 2006. Weave ...

Sally Struthers Sally Anne Struthers (born July 28, 1947) is an American actress and activist. She played Gloria Stivic, the daughter of Archie and Edith Bunker (played by Carroll O'Connor and Jean Stapleton) on ''All in the Family'', for which she won two Emmy ...

Tyne Daly Ellen Tyne Daly (; born February 21, 1946) is an American actress. She has won six Emmy Awards for her television work, a Tony Award and is a 2011 American Theatre Hall of Fame inductee. Daly began her career on stage in summer stock in New York, ...

and

Larry Hagman Larry Martin Hagman (September 21, 1931 – November 23, 2012) was an American film and television actor, director, and producer, best known for playing ruthless oil baron J. R. Ewing in the 1978–1991 primetime television soap opera, ''Dal ...

, deals with the subject

domestic violence Domestic violence (also known as domestic abuse or family violence) is violence or other abuse that occurs in a domestic setting, such as in a marriage or cohabitation. ''Domestic violence'' is often used as a synonym for ''intimate partner ...

and has received positive reviews since its release, acknowledged as "an outstanding social drama" by the ''

TV Guide TV Guide is an American digital media company that provides television program Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or t ...

''. Daly received an

Emmy Award The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...

nomination in the category "Best Supporting Actress".

Plot

Donald Halston loses a sale of an insurance policy at work, leading to a financial setback. He takes out this personal and financial humiliation on his loving wife Janice. After a fight over her daily spending, he accidentally pushes her, causing her to spill coffee over herself. He immediately apologizes, and Janice does not wait long before forgiving him. The next morning, she runs into an old friend Karen Renshaw, who once left town for Florida but is now working as a drafts woman after her divorce. They quickly rekindle their friendship. Donald, meanwhile, is convinced by his colleague and friend Mort Burns, to have a boys night out with two attractive women. Donald spends the night with one of the women and cheats on his wife. He returns home at night to a worried Janice, though instead of apologizing, he admits to his unloyalty in a rage, and starts beating her when she gets mad at him for the infidelity. The police quickly arrive due to complaints of neighbors, though Janice lies about the situation to protect her husband. The next morning, Janice's daughter Peggy, confronts her mother with the domestic violence, and Janice assures her that she will stick by her husband. Donald, meanwhile, visits his unloving father, and learns that the rent for his retirement home has not yet been paid. At the local gym, Mort's wife Marilyn, among others, notice that Janice has multiple bruises on her body, but she denies having a problem. After class, she receives a crisis number for battered women. Even though Donald makes a convincing apology about his behavior, promising her to better his life, Janice attends a self-help meeting with other battered women. There, she reacts in denial when others ask about her husband's violent tendencies, and ends up protecting Donald yet again, despite fearing that Donald will someday hit the children as well. Donald attempts to make up with Janice by accompanying her to one of Karen's parties. Donald grows jealous when Janice talks to a younger man, and demands that they leave immediately. At home, Janice gets upset for being humiliated, causing Donald to abuse her yet again. This time, the police show up and arrest Donald. Meanwhile, Janice is in hospital and is visited by an attorney, Shaola Reems, to sue her husband. Karen collects Janice's stuff at her home and tells Donald what a horrible man he is. Donald makes another promise to change, but Janice convinces him that he can't do this without the help of a therapist. Karen criticizes Janice for not leaving Donald, but Janice insists that she does not want to be a divorced woman like Karen. Janice returns home, only to get into a fight with Donald over Karen, and her son Chris gets thrown across the room. Horrified, Janice takes the children and immediately leaves her husband. She attempts to start a new life, which includes a job, though one night Donald breaks into his former home and both chokes and

rapes Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse or other forms of sexual penetration carried out against a person without their consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, Abusive power and control, ...

his wife. Even though Donald can't be sued for rape due to 'connubial rights' despite separation, he will be prosecuted for the abuse charges. Donald pleads guilty for a lower penalty, though this deal includes a restraining order from his wife.

Cast

as Donald Halston *

as Janice Halston *

as Karen Renshaw (Emmy nomination Best Supporting Actress) *

as Mort Burns *

Melvyn Douglas Melvyn Douglas (born Melvyn Edouard Hesselberg, April 5, 1901 – August 4, 1981) was an American actor. Douglas came to prominence in the 1930s as a suave leading man, perhaps best typified by his performance in the romantic comedy ''Ninotchka ...

as Donald's father * Brian Andrews as Chris Halston *

Quinn Cummings Quinn L. Cummings (born August 13, 1967) is an American entrepreneur, author, humorist, inventor and former actress. Cummings came to prominence as a child actor, playing Lucy McFadden in Neil Simon's '' The Goodbye Girl'', for which she was no ...

as Peggy Halston *Julian Burton as Dr. James Morgan *

Ellen Travolta Ellen M. Travolta (born October 6, 1939) is an American actress known for playing Louisa Arcola Delvecchio in ''Happy Days'' and ''Joanie Loves Chachi'' as well as Lillian in '' Charles in Charge'' (1987-1990). Early years Ellen M. Travolta wa ...

as Marilyn Burns

References

External links

* {{John Llewellyn Moxey 1977 television films 1977 films 1977 drama films ABC network original films Films about domestic violence Films directed by John Llewellyn Moxey 1970s English-language films American drama television films 1970s American films