''Jewel'' is a 2001

television Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or the medium of television transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertisin ...

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 Paul Shapiro, based on the book of the same name by

Bret Lott Bret Lott (born October 8, 1958) is the ''New York Times'' author and professor of English at the College of Charleston. He is '' Crazyhorse'' magazine's nonfiction editor and leads a study abroad program every summer to Spoleto, Italy. Lott w ...

Plot

In 1945, Jewel Hilburn (

Farrah Fawcett Farrah Leni Fawcett (born Ferrah Leni Fawcett; February 2, 1947 – June 25, 2009) was an American actress. A four-time Primetime Emmy Award nominee and six-time Golden Globe Award nominee, Fawcett rose to international fame when she playe ...

), 39, and her husband Leston (

Patrick Bergin Patrick Connolly Bergin (born 4 February 1951) is an Irish actor and singer perhaps best known for his leading role opposite Julia Roberts in ''Sleeping with the Enemy'' (1991), the title character in Robin Hood (1991 film), terrorist Kevin O ...

), 41, are living in poverty in rural

Mississippi Mississippi () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the north by Tennessee; to the east by Alabama; to the south by the Gulf of Mexico; to the southwest by Louisiana; and to the northwest by Arkansas. Miss ...

, and raising their four children: Raylene (

Rachel Skarsten Rachel Alice Marie Skarsten is a Canadian actress known for her role as Dinah Lance on the television series ''Birds of Prey'', Tamsin in ''Lost Girl'', Elizabeth I of England in ''Reign'' and Beth Kane/Alice in ''Batwoman''. Early life and ...

), Burton (Kyle Fairlie), Wilman (

Max Morrow Max Morrow is a Canadian former actor. He is best known for his roles in ''Connor Undercover'' as the title character, ''Monk'' as Benjy Fleming, '' The Christmas Shoes'', ''Sister Mary Explains It All ''Sister Mary Explains It All'' is a 200 ...

), and Annie (Alexis Vandermaelen). All four children were nannied by Jewel's friend and housekeeper, Cathedral (

Cicely Tyson Cicely Louise Tyson (December 19, 1924January 28, 2021) was an American actress. In a career which spanned more than seven decades in film, television and theatre, she became known for her portrayal of strong African-American women. Tyson recei ...

). Leston makes a living pulling out pine stumps for the war effort. Cathedral's husband, Nelson (Ardon Bess), and their sons, Sepulchur and Temple, all work for Leston. The Hilburns discover that Jewel is pregnant, and decide it will be their last child. Cathedral has a premonition and warns Jewel that the child will bring hardship and test her, but that it is God's way of smiling down on Jewel. The Hilburns name the baby girl Brenda Kay. In time it becomes obvious that Brenda Kay is developing much slower than other children. At six months old, she lies very still, when other children her age are able to roll over. The Hilburns consult their physician, Dr. Beaudry, who calls Dr. Basket, his former teacher and the best paediatrician in the South, to make a diagnosis. He tells Jewel and Leston that Brenda Kay has

Down syndrome Down syndrome or Down's syndrome, also known as trisomy 21, is a genetic disorder caused by the presence of all or part of a third copy of chromosome 21. It is usually associated with physical growth delays, mild to moderate intellectual dis ...

, and recommends placing her in an institution with other children with the condition, as she would be a huge burden on them and the rest of the family. He predicts that the baby is unlikely to survive past her second birthday. Outraged, Jewel refuses, insisting she will care for her daughter at home as part of the family. Beaudry tells Jewel that Brenda Kay should receive regular injections to strengthen her bones. The injections are expensive, but the Hilburns manage to pay for them, even when times get tougher after Leston loses his job. The kids sell the vegetables the family grows, Raylene quits school and gets a job, and Jewel takes on sewing work. Meanwhile, Jewel concentrates her attention on caring for Brenda Kay, who survives, but misses developmental milestones. Aged seven, Brenda Kay walks downstairs by herself for the first time. Brenda Kay's constant needs mean Jewel has less time and energy for her older children. Jewel reads of a "miracle school" in

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

, that is reputed to help children like Brenda Kay, and proposes that the family moves there to find work while Brenda Kay attends the school. While Leston considers, Burton decides to go to California immediately to look for work. Brenda Kay, meanwhile, has a couple of near brushes with death. Jewel has secretly applied to the special school and Brenda Kay has been accepted. To raise money, Jewel secretly starts selling items from her home. Eventually Leston notices and confronts her. After an argument, he agrees to move to California, on condition that they return to Mississippi someday. Except Raylene, who gets married and stays in Mississippi, the Hilburns relocate to Los Angeles to reunite with Burton, now working at a garage. Leston finds work, and Brenda Kay enrolls in the school, run by director Nathan White. For the first time, Brenda Kay meets other children like herself, and Jewel is not solely responsible for her. In 1961, Brenda Kay is sixteen. The school has not raised Brenda Kay's attainment, but Leston has a better job, and Jewel works at the school as an assistant. White suggests to Jewel that she must let go of Brenda Kay, as her efforts are holding her daughter back. Keeping her promise to Leston, they return to Mississippi to search for a new house, but Leston realizes that his home is now in Los Angeles, and Mississippi is his past. They return to California and resume their lives. Gradually, Jewel accepts White's argument that Brenda Kay must be allowed to live her own life. White recommends a group home for adults with Down Syndrome, where Brenda Kay will learn to live independently from Jewel's over-protective care. The Hilburns leave Brenda Kay at the home with the new friends she has made. Jewel visits her often, but has finally realized the importance of letting her grow by herself.

Cast

as Jewel Hilburn *

as Leston Hilburn *

as Cathedral *

Laura Mercer Laura may refer to: People * Laura (given name) * Laura, the British code name for the World War I Belgian spy Marthe Cnockaert Places Australia * Laura, Queensland, a town on the Cape York Peninsula * Laura, South Australia * Laura Bay, a bay ...

as Brenda Kay (ages 8–9) *

Ashley Wolfe Ashley is a place name derived from the Old English words '' æsc'' (“ash”) and '' lēah'' (“meadow”). It may refer to: People and fictional characters * Ashley (given name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name ...

as Brenda Kay (age 16) *

as Raylene (age 14) *

Natalie Radford Natalie Radford (born 24 June 1966) is a Canadian actress. She has acted in various television shows and movies, including ''Darcy's Wild Life ''Darcy's Wild Life'' is a teen sitcom starring Sara Paxton, and broadcast on Discovery Kids in the ...

as Raylene (ages 22–30) *

Alexis Vandermaelen Alexis may refer to: People Mononym * Alexis (poet) ( – ), a Greek comic poet * Alexis (sculptor), an ancient Greek artist who lived around the 3rd or 4th century BC * Alexis (singer) (born 1968), German pop singer * Alexis (comics) (1946–1977 ...

as Annie (age 3–4) *

Charlotte Arnold Charlotte Arnold (born July 27, 1989) is a Canadian actress. She is best known for her roles as Sadie Hawthorne in ''Naturally, Sadie'' and Holly J. Sinclair in '' Degrassi: The Next Generation'', for which she won a Gemini Award for Best Perfor ...

as Annie (ages 7–11) *

Kristin Booth Kristin Booth (born August 28, 1974) is a Canadian actress, born in Kitchener, Ontario. She graduated with Honours BFA from Ryerson Theatre School at Ryerson Polytechnic University in 1997. Career Kristin Booth grew up in Kinkora, near the Sh ...

as Annie (age 19) *

as Wilman (age 10–11) *

Robin Dunne Robin Dunne (born November 19, 1976) is a Canadian actor who has had numerous leading roles in sequels throughout his career, but is perhaps best known for his role as Doctor Will Zimmerman in the science fiction television series ''Sanctuary''. ...

as Wilman (ages 18–26) * Kylie Fairlie as Burton (age 11) *Kelly Harms as Burton ages (19–27) * Dylan Harman as Dennis (age 9) * Kenny Freeman as Dennis (age 16) * Nola Augustson as Mrs. Hamby *

Sean Bell Sean, also spelled Seán or Séan in Irish English, is a male given name of Irish origin. It comes from the Irish versions of the Biblical Hebrew name ''Yohanan'' (), Seán (anglicized as ''Shaun/ Shawn/ Shon'') and Séan (Ulster variant; angli ...

as Gower Cross *

Ardon Bess Ardon Bess (born 1941) is a Canadian actor best known for appearing in a Heritage Moment television commercial about the 1958 Springhill mining disaster portraying survivor Maurice Ruddick. Early life and education Bess was born in Kingstown, ...

as Nelson * Jayne Bickman as Rachel *

Geoffrey Bowes Geoffrey Bowes is a Canadian actor.Gaetan Charlebois and Anne Nothof"Bowes, Geoffrey" ''Canadian Theatre Encyclopedia''. He is most noted for his performance in the 1979 film ''Something's Rotten'', for which he received a Genie Award nomination fo ...

as Dr. Beaudry * Lori Cooke as Sammy *

Peter Donaldson Peter Ian Donaldson (23 August 1945 – 2 November 2015) was an English newsreader on BBC Radio 4. Early life Donaldson was born in Cairo, Egypt, and moved to Cyprus in 1952 at the time of the overthrow of King Farouk. He was a frequent ...

as Nathan White * Isabella Fink as Elaine Cross * Dallas Goyo as Matthew Cross *

Lynne Griffin Lynne Griffin (born 17 September 1952) is a Canadian actress. She is known for her work in film, television and stage, particularly her appearances in the horror films '' Black Christmas'' (1974) and ''Curtains'' (1983), and a recurring role on ...

as Nancy Tindle *

Maggie Huculak Maggie is a common short form of the name Magdalena, Magnolia, Margaret. Maggie may refer to: People Women * Maggie Adamson, Scottish musician * Maggie Aderin-Pocock (born 1968), British scientist * Maggie Alderson (born 1959), Aust ...

as Nancy * Stacia Langdon as Olivia * Shawn Lawrence as Larry Tindle *

Ron Payne Ronald George Payne (22 October 1925 – 9 April 2015) was an Australian politician who represented the South Australian House of Assembly seat of Mitchell Mitchell may refer to: People *Mitchell (surname) *Mitchell (given name) Pla ...

as Dr. Basket *

Toby Proctor Toby Proctor is a Canadian voice, film and television actor. He voiced Darien/Tuxedo Mask in the English dub of the ''Sailor Moon'' anime in 54 episodes of the first two series. His other roles include Alex Flash Gordon in ''Flash Gordon'' and C ...

as Gene * Kim Roberts as May *

Gema Zamprogna Gema Zamprogna (born 24 May 1976) is a Canadian actress. She is best known for her role as Felicity King on ''Road to Avonlea'' and Mackie "Mac" Daniels in '' The Challengers''. Personal life Gema Zamprogna was born 24 May 1976 in Hamilton, ...

as Sarah

External links

* *{{Amg movie, 412785, Dead On: Jewel 2001 television films 2001 films Canadian drama television films English-language Canadian films 2001 drama films Lifetime (TV network) films 2000s Canadian films 2000s British films British drama television films