Small Sacrifices
| Small Sacrifices | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Genre | Drama |
| Written by | Ann Rule (book) Joyce Eliason |
| Directed by | David Greene |
| Starring |
Farrah Fawcett Ryan O'Neal John Shea Gordon Clapp Emily Perkins |
| Music by | Peter Manning Robinson |
| Country of origin | USA Canada |
| Original language(s) | English |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) |
Suzanne De Passe Louis Rudolph Charles W. Fries |
| Producer(s) | S. Bryan Hickox |
| Cinematography | Ron Orieux |
| Editor(s) | Parkie L. Singh (as Parkie Singh) |
| Running time | 159 mins |
| Production company(s) |
Louis Rudolph Films Motown Productions Allarcom Limited Fries Entertainment |
| Distributor | ABC |
| Release | |
| Original network | ABC |
| Original release | November 12, 1989 |
Small Sacrifices is a 1989 American made-for-TV movie written by Joyce Eliason and based on the best-selling true crime book by Ann Rule of the same name. The film is about Diane Downs and the murder and attempted murder of her three children. It stars Farrah Fawcett, Ryan O'Neal, Gordon Clapp, John Shea and Emily Perkins. The film premiered on ABC on 12 November 1989.
On 19 May 1983 at approximately 10:48 p.m, Downs (portrayed by Fawcett) drove to McKenzie-Willamette Hospital in Springfield, Oregon with a gunshot wound to her arm. She claimed that an unknown assailant attempted to carjack her and shot her three children: Karen, 8 (real name Christie Ann); Shauna, 7 (Cheryl Lynn); and Robby, 3 (Stephen Daniel). Shauna was dead on arrival at the hospital. Eldest daughter Karen was badly injured, but survived suffering a temporary loss of speech due to a stroke after the shooting, but recovered sufficiently to serve as a witness in court against her mother. Diane's son was paralyzed from the chest down. Downs was diagnosed with three cluster B personality disorders: antisocial, histrionic and narcissistic. She was eventually tried and convicted of murder, attempted murder, and assault. During the court scene the prosecution plays Duran Duran's Hungry like the Wolf to demonstrate to the jury Diane's choice of song used to motivate her to kill.
The film shows that Downs started a romance with a married man, Lew Lewiston (played by O'Neal; the man's real name was Robert Knickerbocker) who did not want children. Downs planned to kill her children to be free to pursue this relationship. He ended the relationship and remained with his wife.
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