Deep in My Heart (1999 film)
| Deep in My Heart | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Anita W. Addison |
| Written by | Ronni Kern |
| Starring |
Anne Bancroft Lynn Whitfield Alice Krige Cara Buono Gloria Reuben Jesse L. Martin Kevin O'Rourke |
| Music by | Debbie Wiseman |
| Cinematography | Alar Kivilo |
| Edited by | Charles Bornstein |
| Distributed by | CBS |
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Release date
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Running time
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90 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Deep in My Heart is a 1999 American television film based on a true story, starring Anne Bancroft and Lynn Whitfield and directed by Anita W. Addison. Bancroft received a primetime Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie for her role.
In Boston in the early 1960s, Geraldine Cummins was walking home alone from the movies when she was jumped and raped by a black man. Stunned, she returned home to her husband Bob, stating she had been raped. Sometime later, she finds she is pregnant. In the beginning she hates the thought of her unborn baby, not wanting a constant reminder of her rapist, but keeps it for a few reasons: she is Catholic and she harbors a small hope that it could be her husband's baby. Her husband is supportive during the pregnancy. As the months pass, Gerry comes to be attached to the baby, later stating "8 months is too long to close your heart to a piece of yourself." She becomes fearful of what will happen if her baby is black, the social isolation it would receive and what people would think of her. After going into labor and confiding in a doctor her situation, she becomes convinced that it would be best if she gave it up. The baby is a black girl. She names her newborn daughter Barbara Anne Cummins and gives her to foster mother Corrine Burrel, a black woman in Roxbury, a black neighborhood. Gerry is heartbroken to give up her daughter.
Seven years later, Barbara is a happy little girl, but wonders about her birth parents. Corrine assures her that she is her mother, though not her birth mother. A few months later, a social worker comes into their home and informs Corrine that Barbara will be adopted by white people living in Wisconsin. Corrine seeks legal action, looking to adopt Barbara for herself, but as she is divorced with no job and many children, she is turned down. Barbara is taken kicking from Corrine and the family she has come to know. Later, Corrine reports that the social worker sent her a letter saying that Barbara was happy, but Corrine knew that they emotionally "killed" Barbara when they took her.
Annalise's husband Paul is not very happy to be adopting a colored 7 1⁄2-year-old, but Annalise is thrilled. After a while, Annalise becomes worried about Barbara's very detached nature and suggests to Paul they move to a suburban neighborhood where Barbara could be around other black kids. Paul is angry that they have to change everything for a child he did not want, but agrees, only to leave them after moving. Annalise opts to go to work during the day and to school at night to support them. Barbara has once again receded into herself after the neighborhood children make fun of her for being black with a white mother, calling her 'Oreo' and 'nigger'. Over the years until she is 16, she is alone without her mother or friends. At 16 she meets Don, a football playing choirboy. She falls in love with him and ultimately gets pregnant. Annalise comes home one day to learn that Barbara has a boyfriend and has been in the house alone with her when she was not there. After a mild argument, Barbara leaves. Barbara does not come home that night and Annalise calls the school. She is told her daughter is 4 months pregnant. Barbara then moves in with Don's sister.
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