''The Room Upstairs'' is a 1987 American made-for-television drama film based on the novel ''The Room Upstairs'' by

Norma Levinson Norma may refer to: * Norma (given name), a given name (including a list of people with the name) Astronomy *Norma (constellation) *555 Norma, a minor asteroid *Cygnus Arm or Norma Arm, a spiral arm in the Milky Way galaxy Geography *Norma, Lazio ...

, starring

Stockard Channing Stockard Channing (born Susan Antonia Williams Stockard; February 13, 1944) is an American actress. She is known for playing Betty Rizzo in the film '' Grease'' (1978) and First Lady Abbey Bartlet in the NBC television series ''The West Wing'' ( ...

, Sam Waterston, Joan Allen and Linda Hunt. The young Jerry O'Connell, Devoreaux White and

Sarah Jessica Parker Sarah Jessica Parker (born March 25, 1965) is an American actress and television producer. She is the recipient of numerous accolades, including six Golden Globe Awards and two Primetime Emmy Awards. ''Time'' magazine named her one of the 1 ...

all have small supporting roles. The film aired as a ''

Hallmark Hall of Fame ''Hallmark Hall of Fame'', originally called ''Hallmark Television Playhouse'', is an anthology program on American television, sponsored by Hallmark Cards, a Kansas City-based greeting card company. The longest-running prime-time series in t ...

'' presentation on CBS on January 31, 1987 and was later distributed on DVD.

Plot

Leah Lazenby (Stockard Channing) is a single woman who lives in a house she recently inherited from her parents. In order to save money, maintaining her inheritance, she lets rooms to a variety of tenants while she sleeps in her parents' parlour. Leah works in a school for children who are characterized by a

learning disability Learning disability, learning disorder, or learning difficulty (British English) is a condition in the brain that causes difficulties comprehending or processing information and can be caused by several different factors. Given the "difficult ...

or even

antisocial personality disorder Antisocial personality disorder (ASPD or infrequently APD) is a personality disorder characterized by a long-term pattern of disregard of, or violation of, the rights of others as well as a difficulty sustaining long-term relationships. Lack ...

. A

cellist The cello ( ; plural ''celli'' or ''cellos'') or violoncello ( ; ) is a bowed (sometimes plucked and occasionally hit) string instrument of the violin family. Its four strings are usually tuned in perfect fifths: from low to high, C2, G2, D3 ...

named Travis Coles (Sam Waterston) visits to inquire about the upstairs room to let. He can easily pay in advance and is immediately accepted. Travis fits in very well. He flatters Leah when she's plumbing, helps the other tenants, takes photographs of Leah and her pupils, drives her around in his car, and guards her when she is assaulted by her tenant Kevin (Clancy Brown). Consequently, Leah turns to Travis when she needs to bring Kevin's wife Ellie (Joan Allen) to a hospital. Ellie had just tried to commit

suicide Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Mental disorders (including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, anxiety disorders), physical disorders (such as chronic fatigue syndrome), and s ...

because the Kevin had betrayed and eventually left her. Leah's head teacher (Linda Hunt) assigns her to look after an unruly illiterate teenage girl named Susan (Renée Estevez), who refuses to attend school. Susan lives with her boyfriend. Leah visits her regularly and tries to teach her to read by using fashion magazines. She even includes Susan's boyfriend, but when she thinks Susan opens up to her, the girl plays a cruel trick on Leah, causing Leah to lose her patience and start a physical fight with Susan in public. As the police arrive, Susan falsely accuses her of having assaulted her with a broken bottle and Leah leaves. Returning home Leah sees Travis repairing the sink and tells him off. Travis answers back by explaining to her she mustn't believe she was the only person who is hurt and she should be more interested in Ellie's problems. Leah then talks to Ellie and they become friends. Head teacher Mrs. Sanders convinces Leah not to quit her job as a teacher and offers her a different task. While Travis is on a concert tour in Canada, Leah's tenant Mandy (Sarah Jessica Parker) gives birth to a baby. There is a big celebration in Leah's house and Travis can manage to visit during a break of the tour. Travis and Leah have a moment together. Leah tells him about her new case, a deafblind child. Having his shoulder to lean on she falls asleep. While she rests Travis inducts Leah into the tragedy of his life. He once had a child who died unexpectedly while he was on tour, his wife blaming him for having neglected his family. The next morning they awake together, obviously feeling very comfortable. Leah's brother Frank (James Handy) is angry with her because the house is returning a puny profit although she's now also her tenant Mandy's babysitter. Even so, she refuses her brother's offer to buy her out. Travis takes Leah to one of his concerts. When they return home she invites him to her room where she has prepared a meal for them. Finally they kiss.

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Room Upstairs, The Hallmark Hall of Fame episodes 1987 television films 1987 films Films based on American novels Films scored by Robert Folk