Divorce and Custody Movie Review - Audrey Rose

Today I review Audrey Rose from my collection of divorce, child custody and child support related movies.

Audrey Rose [1977] - Based on the Novel by Frank De Felitta; directed by Robert Wise. Starring Anthony Hopkins as the father of a girl killed in a fiery auto crash who believes that she has been reincarnated in the body of a girl 11 years of age named Ivy. This film does not explore child custody from the typical perspective but does examine it from the legal battle that ensues when Hopkins is criminally charged with abducting Ivy. Hopkins and Ivy's father, played by John Beck, do battle physically and emotionally while Ivy's mother, played by Marsha Mason, is torn between loyalty to her husband and her desire to seek the truth about her daughter. Very well constructed plot line that mimics the conflict often faced by women torn between their child's father and their subsequent partner/husband.

Numerous facets of child custody matters including peripheral issues are brought forth and subtly introduced while others such as the abduction allegation and who is her true father are brought to the fore. This film stimulates the debate of whether the mind or body is the essence of the person. If a possession or reincarnation is possible then the body belongs to one set of parents while the mind belongs to another set of parents.

This type of debate can't be separated from child custody matters in divorce and paternity cases where a child may be in the physical custody or one parent while the child's allegiance to or desire is for the other parent. Such a conflict can be an inducement to parental alienation and while not played out in Audrey Rose the battle between Hopkins and Beck is well developed.

Wise does a superb job in maintaining the suspense of this taught psychological thriller. Hopkins is at the top of his game and is well supported by a very aptly selected cast. A must see film for the supernatural aficionado as well as those in a battle for the affections of a child.

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More information about child custody rights and procedures may be found on the Indiana Custodial Rights Advocates website.

©2012 Stuart Showalter, LLC. Permission is granted to all non-commercial entities to reproduce this article in it's entirety with credit given.