Child of Rage

I remember some time when I was in Middle School, I was browsing through the movie channels trying to find something to watch, and I saw that the 1992 made for television film, “Child of Rage” was playing on one of the channels. After reading the description, I went to the channel and saw one part of the movie, then changed the channel. I had completely forgotten about this movie until a few months back, I started to remember the part I saw in the film. I had looked up the film and saw that it was available to watch on YouTube. One weekend, I sat down to watch the film and after it was over, I broke down crying. For those of you who may not have heard or do not know about this film, I will let all of you know what it is about.

Church Minister Rob Tyler (Dwight Schultz) and his Sunday School teacher wife Jill (Mel Harris) cannot have kids, so they decide to adopt. Their caseworker, Doris Hanna (Rosanna DeSoto), have found two children for Rob and Jill to adopt, Catherine (Ashley Peldon, who you might remember as Marah Lewis on “Guiding Light” and is now a scream artist) and Eric (Sam Gifaldi, who voiced Sid on the popular Nickelodeon cartoon “Hey Arnold!”). Doris informs Rob and Jill that Cat and Eric have gone through three foster homes, and Rob and Jill reassure Cat and Eric that they are not going to have anymore foster homes to go through, as they are positive about adopting the children.

Eric is very sweet and loving child, but Cat shows early behaviors of being cold, reserved, and bossy towards Eric. It soon escalates to violent outbursts of breaking things and stabbing the family dog, Casey, with a needle. Rob and Jill turn to Doris for assistance, but she says that there are regulations and cannot disclose the previous foster homes situations. She only tells Rob and Jill that Cat and Eric’s mom died of pneumonia when they were babies. There is also a recurring nightmare that Cat has, which makes us think that something may have happened in Cat’s past that is causing her to have these outbursts.

At a family gathering when Rob and Jill announce that they have officially adopted Cat and Eric, Cat fondles with Rob’s father, Henry (George D. Wallace), which shocks everyone that Rob and Jill take her to see psychologist, Dr. Meritt. Cat puts on an act like nothing is wrong, which makes me think as to why and how Dr. Merritt was able to easily be fooled by this? Wouldn’t he been able to see that she was putting on an act?

Rob and Jill notice bruises on Eric, but think nothing of it, but when Jill notices more, Eric admits that Cat has been sneaking out of her room at night and beating him. Cat gloats about fooling Dr. Merritt and later smashes Eric’s head on the concrete basement floor, causing him to go to the ER.

Doris admits what she had discovered when she went to Cat and Eric’s birth home after receiving a call from the mailman. Doris and Jill go find Cat and Eric’s sister, Stephanie (Johannah Newmarch), who tells them that she was abused by her father (Kim Kondrashoff). When she started to fight back, that’s when he turned his attention to Cat, who was only one.

Cat cuts her classmate, Johnny, played by Louis Dupuis (this is the part I saw on TV many years ago), Doris gives Rob and Jill a book titled Kids who Kill. After reading the book, they seek out the author, Dr. Rosemary Myers, played by Mariette Hartley, about the controversial holding therapy, which isn’t used anymore.

When watching this film, at first there are questions that are lingering in the viewers head about what could be causing Cat’s behavior? You might think if it is because of something that might have happened in a previous foster home, or the reason why Cat and Eric were taken out of their birth home. You see her behavior and it might come off as shocking or frightening, especially the part where Cat fondles Henry. However, everything comes together as the film progresses.

The holding therapy scenes could come off as infuriating because of the way Dr. Myers deliberately provokes Cat’s rage to get through the emotions for Cat to control it and feel empathy. I personally do not believe that when a child is having a moment like that you should restrain them until they calm down because that does not work. I feel that families are supposed to be a soft place to fall on and that doing the holding therapy will make the child lose trust in their family and grow up resenting them.

During the last holding therapy session with Dr. Myers, a tear fell from my eye, but I didn’t break down. I never cry while watching movies, although there have been a few that I got teary-eyed at. However, when this film was over, and I closed YouTube, I broke down.

I saw a comment from someone on IMDB saying that this film is like “The Good Son,” but it is not. This film is based on Beth Thomas, who was inappropriately abused by her birth father, and was adopted by Church Minister Tim and his wife, Julie, who couldn’t have children of their own. The only difference is Tim and Julie got Beth and her brother, John, when they were babies. There was a documentary about Beth that came out a year before this film came out. I saw that the next day and I was in complete shock over the things they said.

This film raises awareness of Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD), which is diagnosed to children who have severe attachment issues, like Beth and Cat. Certain symptoms include the child constantly changing homes without any stability, their hunger or hygiene are ignored for hours, parents don’t consistently care or love the child, or they are left alone for hours or days.

Connell Watkins treated Beth, but she is no longer licensed after suffocating a child by having them go through a “rebirth” process in 2000. However, Beth was a success, as she got her degree in nursing and now works in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, which has some of the most fragile and smallest humans.

This film also sparked Peldon’s interest in psychology that she went on to receive her bachelor’s degree in Child Psychology and Film, her master’s degree in clinical psychology, and last I heard, as of 2014, she is pursuing her PhD in depth psychology.

I would say if you want and can handle it, watch the television film and the documentary as they are available on YouTube. Bear in mind, they are not easy to watch. If you cry while watching them, I will not be surprised as they make you want to protect your children, if you have any. I would only say watch it once and you never have to see it again, but if you rewatch it, you have more willpower than me.

Next week, I will be ending “Child Abuse Awareness Month” with a film that I first heard about from Nostalgia Critic and decided to check out, and what a surprise I was in for.