ROE V. WADE (2021)

Title: ROE V. WADE

Year of Release: 2021

Director: Nick Loeb, Cathy Allyn

Genre: Drama

Synopsis: The story of Roe V. Wade, the historic 1973 decision legalising abortion in the United States, and Dr Bernard Nathanson, prominent American abortionist.

Within a film history context: Movies which tackle the topic of abortion have been present in cinema since the silent era. One of the earliest noted films was Harry Pollard's THE MIRACLE OF LIFE (1915). Starring silent screen heroine Marguerite Fischer in the lead role, it was about a newlywed young woman who discovers she is pregnant, and wants to abort the child, but a dream leads to a mind change on her impending motherhood. WHERE ARE MY CHILDREN? (1916), directed by Phillips Smalley and Lois Weber, took matters in an entirely different direction. Opposition to abortion is found in the local district attorney, and his stance makes him uncomfortable with the community, in this drama. The same directors also made THE HAND THAT ROCKS THE CRADLE (1917), but this time, with another point of view. A woman supporting birth control faces difficulties in her professional life, landing her in trouble with the police for her beliefs about abortion. 

An abortion is averted in MASTER OF HIS HOME (1917), directed by Walter Edwards. Here, a young woman is urged by her mother to abort her child, leading to the young woman's husband leaving her, but she decides to keep the baby, and makes up with her husband. Samuel Brodsky's THE HOUSE WITHOUT CHILDREN (1919) features a character who advocates birth control, causing dissension with her husband, but eventually changes her mind, this saving her marriage. THE SCOFFER (1920), directed by Allan Dwan, had a decidedly more religious tone. An honest doctor is set up by a crooked fellow practitioner as having performed an abortion, and is subsequently sent to jail. He has lost faith in the world, but a chain of events, including an operation on a young boy, reaffirms his belief in a higher power. In a more exploitation vein was Norton Parker's THE ROAD TO RUIN (1928). A wayward young woman indulges in different forms of promiscuity and falls pregnant, aborting the baby, but pays the price for her licentiousness. It was remade in 1934 by directors Dorothy Davenport and Melville Shyer, with lead actress Helen Foster reprising her role from the 1928 silent film. There were several Hollywood films in the 1930s that, in the main, intimated abortion as a topic.

CHANCE AT HEAVEN (1934), directed by William Seiter, had a character who undergoes an abortion, at the behest of her mother, who disapproves of her daughter's relationship with a mechanic. S. Roy Luby's grindhouse film RACE SUICIDE (1938) focused upon an abortion ring which takes impressionable young women into their clutches. With the advent of the Hays Code in the early 1930s, motion picture content underwent a drastic change from beforehand. Mention of abortions became non-existent after this period, and this is reflected in the lack of films dealing with the topic. While foreign films did deal with the issue in many instances, Hollywood largely shied away from it. An exception was the American film STREET CORNER (1948), directed by Albert Kelley. A young girl falls pregnant, and becomes involved with an abortionist. Curtis Bernhardt's THE DOCTOR AND THE GIRL (1949) also featured an abortion plot, but handled in a more edifying manner than STREET CORNER. Both these films were the exception, though, rather than the rule in this era for this kind of content. Into the 1950s, films about abortion appeared on a more regular basis in American films.

A PLACE IN THE SUN (1951), directed by George Stevens, had a character who sought an abortion to appease her boyfriend, but it was not distinctly stated. The abortion theme had a larger component in William Wyler's DETECTIVE STORY (1951). In this movie, a hardened detective pursues an abortionist who was suspected of causing a woman's death. PEYTON PLACE (1957), directed by Mark Robson, among its myriad of stories, featured a young woman who was raped by her stepfather, and wanted an abortion to rid herself of his child. More controversial was Philip Dunne's BLUE DENIM (1959). Two young people find solace with each other, and the young girl falls pregnant, which causes them to seek an abortion, which is thwarted by their parents. In contrast, the glossy THE BEST OF EVERYTHING (1959), directed by Jean Negulesco, also had a character who wanted an abortion, but this is avoided in a tragic manner. The 1960s began to have even franker portrayals of abortion on screen than beforehand.

Karel Reisz's SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY MORNING (1960) also had a character considering an abortion, in this realistic account of life in Nottingham. THE TOUCH OF FLESH (1960), directed by R. John Hugh, was about a promiscuous young woman who tries to convince her doctor, being her father, to assist her in having an abortion. In Daniel Petrie's touching A RAISIN IN THE SUN (1961), a character wanted to have an abortion to avoid the financial strain of another child; a different, and tragic angle theretofore not presented until that time in film. Also potent in content was PATTY (1962), directed by Leo Handel. A young woman is raped, and falling pregnant, finds immense difficulty in procuring an abortion, which were still illegal at the time. With Bryan Forbes's THE L-SHAPED ROOM (1962), a young woman is so astounded by her doctor's statement that she either abort her child, or marry its father, she has the child, but remains unmarried. Abortion is a small component of LOVE WITH THE PROPER STRANGER (1963), directed by Robert Mulligan. A young woman falls pregnant to a musician, and both seek an abortion, but do not proceed with this. 

In Jack Clayton's THE PUMPKIN EATER (1964) a woman does go through with an abortion, but also, a sterilization, in order to avoid having more children, one of the many issues causing problems in her marriage. THE YOUNG LOVERS (1964), directed by Samuel Goldwyn Jr., featured a university student falling pregnant to her boyfriend, and thinking about abortion, but not going ahead with it. The lead character of John Schlesinger's DARLING (1965) has an abortion in order to maintain her libertine and bohemian lifestyle, vastly different from other entries such as THE PUMPKIN EATER. In ALFIE (1966), directed by Lewis Gilbert, a character does go through with an abortion, but there are many emotional repercussions for both the woman, and her lover. A high-grossing major movie, Mark Robson's VALLEY OF THE DOLLS (1967), showed a character who underwent an abortion to avoid having a physically impaired child, as her husband suffered from a medical condition. UP THE JUNCTION (1968), directed by Peter Collinson, also had an abortion that had devastating effects for the woman involved. Mark Robson's DADDY'S GONE A-HUNTING (1969) was more sinister in its narrative. A young woman falls pregnant to a man, but aborts the baby when she discovers an unsavory side to him. Marrying another man and giving birth to his baby, she is taunted by her former lover to kill her baby in revenge for her past abortion. Into the 1970s, more challenging depictions of abortion began to appear on screen, aided greatly by the censorship breakdown of the late 1960s.

END OF THE ROAD (1970), directed by Aram Avakian, had a detailed abortion scene that was startling for its time, in this unconventional movie. In Stephanie Rothman's THE STUDENT NURSES (1971) one of the film's titular nurses sought an abortion, and despite some opposition, eventually went through with one. With MAKING IT (1971), directed by John Erman, a young man tries to obtain an abortion for his girlfriend, believing she is pregnant. When it is uncovered that she is not expecting, he instead arranges the abortion for his mother, who undertakes the procedure. Ken Loach's FAMILY LIFE (1971) portrayed parents who force their daughter into abortion when she falls pregnant, and charts the fallout from this event. In TO FIND A MAN (1972), directed by Buzz Kulik, matters were vastly contrary. The efforts of a young man assisting his friend in obtaining an abortion, and their blossoming relationship, are explored in this sensitive movie. 

With Frank Perry's PLAY IT AS IT LAYS (1972) an actress with psychological issues aborts her baby without any recriminations. In UP THE SANDBOX (1972), directed by Irvin Kershner, a woman fantasizes about having an abortion, one of a number of her daydreams in the film. A character dies after having an abortion in Peter Hyams' OUR TIME (1974), which was set in 1950s America, one of many events in the movie. THE GODFATHER II (1974), directed by Francis Ford Coppola, had main character Kay admit of an abortion to her husband, which sabotaged her marriage irreparably. David Miller's BITTERSWEET LOVE (1976) had a character wishing to abort her child for a tragic reason - she has unwittingly married her brother, and they are half-siblings. This was more complex than other narratives, whereby unwanted babies, or rape were not the reason characters wanted to abort their children. More insidious was COMA (1978), directed by Michael Crichton. A patient in a hospital is pronounced brain dead after having undergone an abortion in this suspenseful movie. Into the 1980s, there were other interesting variations on the topic of abortion.

With Alan Parker's FAME (1980) a character considers abortion, a small part of this movie about aspirants in the performing arts. A satirical take on lifestyles, and abortion, was offered by POLYESTER (1981), directed by John Waters. Here a woman aggressively seeks an abortion, and is hindered at every turn, attempting suicide, but eventually miscarries her child. A young woman in Amy Heckerling's FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH (1982) has an abortion after her promiscuity leads to unhappiness, and takes a more celibate approach to her personal affairs as a result. HEAT AND DUST (1983), directed by James Ivory, contrasts two characters with regards to abortion. While one of them has an abortion, the other decides to not go ahead with it, in this tale of life in both 1920s, and 1980s India. The protagonist of Peter Sasdy's THE LONELY LADY (1983) has an abortion when she discovers that her lover does not want any part of her baby. With a more period atmosphere, the main character of RACING WITH THE MOON (1984), directed by Richard Benjamin also obtains an abortion, in this story of love in 1940s America. 

Emile Ardolino's high-grossing DIRTY DANCING (1987) featured a subplot with a character having an abortion which was somewhat overshadowed by the film's romantic and dancing segments, but still has punch. In FOR KEEPS (1988), directed by John G. Avildsen, a young woman finds herself pregnant, and wants to have an abortion. Both her parents, and the parents of her boyfriend, direct the couple to either abort, or adopt the child, with the young woman giving birth to her child in the end. LISTEN TO ME (1989), directed by Douglas Day Stewart, differed from other movies in that a debate over abortion took place during the film by its characters, who were part of a college debating team. Chris Thomson's THE DELINQUENTS (1989) followed the romance of two teenagers in the Australia of the 1950s. Finding herself pregnant, the young girl and her boyfriend run away from their parents, as they want to keep the baby, but police and their parents catch up with them, and force the girl to have an abortion. The 1990s also had diverse presentations on the abortion topic, as with other decades. 

FALLING OVER BACKWARDS (1990), directed by Mort Ransen, had a character who mused about getting an abortion as she is in a new relationship, and pregnant to an old boyfriend. In Phillip Borsos' BETHUNE: THE MAKING OF A HERO (1990), a woman undergoes an abortion as she believes having a child will do nothing for her marriage to her surgeon husband. BITTER MOON (1992), directed by Roman Polanski, had a woman who was coerced into an abortion by her cruel boyfriend, one of a number of indignities she endured in this relationship. Stephen Gyllenhaal's WATERLAND (1992) painted a portrait of a man and his wife who had experienced a bad abortion which left his wife infertile. More pungent was RAIN WITHOUT THUNDER (1993), directed by Gary Bennett. In this science fiction film, women are being convicted, and sent to jail for aborting their babies, which takes a number of twists and turns with the law. In a shorter narrative scope, one of the stories in Clement Virgo's RUDE (1995) focused upon a young woman who had an abortion, with depression an after-affect of this. 

Irreverent could very well describe CITIZEN RUTH (1996), directed by Alexander Payne, and its treatment of abortion. A wayward woman unexpectedly rises to national prominence as she becomes involved in the abortion debate, and many try to manipulate her, but she manages to give as good as she receives in this comedy. In Jeff Abugov's THE MATING HABITS OF THE EARTHBOUND HUMAN (1999), a man and his girlfriend clash over her pregnancy, with him not wanting the baby. He has a change of heart, and finally discourages her from having an abortion, thus ensuring a renewal of their relationship. Guilt about abortion comes to the fore in THE HAUNTING OF HELL HOUSE (1999), directed by Mitch Marcus. This horror film examines the feelings a man experiences after the death of his girlfriend, whom he had pressed to have an abortion, and the unsettling dreams he consequently has of her. The 2000s also featured varied interpretations on the abortion theme for audiences.

Tamra Davis' SKIPPED PARTS (2000), set in the 1960s, was about a young woman who falls pregnant, but considers an abortion. In the end she does not have the abortion, and keeps her child. A truly different take on the abortion theme was presented by PARSLEY DAYS (2000), directed by Andrea Dorfman. A woman does not want to have her boyfriend's child, but does not wish to have an abortion due to the waiting time for one. Her friend suggests she go on a diet of parsley as a way of losing the child. A contradiction is also apparent in the movie as to the attitude of the baby's father to abortion. While he spouts pro-choice ideals, he surreptitiously does not support these, as his actions with his girlfriend during their lovemaking suggest a pro-life stance. In a film about the adult film industry, Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland's FLUFFER (2001), a character has an abortion as she is pregnant, and believes her boyfriend will not be able to help her, as he is mixed up in drugs, and adult movies. With BABY BOY (2001), directed by John Singleton, a reckless and sexually irresponsible young man makes his girlfriend have an abortion, which is symptomatic of his selfishness and lack of concern for anyone but himself. Alejandro Inarittu's 21 GRAMS (2003) had a character whose past abortion was discovered by her husband at a much later date, and this led to a breakup of their marriage with him leaving her, similar to THE GODFATHER II.

PALINDROMES (2004), directed by Todd Solondz, had a complicated storyline which included a young woman who had an abortion, unknowing that she cannot have children after this. There is also a character who despises those who procure abortions, and kills the practitioners who provide them. In comparison, Mike Leigh's VERA DRAKE (2004) was the character study of a woman who assists young women in having abortions, but is imprisoned for her activities, in 1950s London. THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND (2006), directed by Kevin Macdonald, was based upon the life of Idi Amin, whose wife suffered a terrible end after undergoing an unsafe abortion, attempting to hide the result of her extra-marital affair. Jason Reitman's JUNO (2007) has a young woman initially seeking an abortion, but who has a change of mind, with many relationship twists and turns occurring. THE LIFE BEFORE HER EYES (2007), directed by Vadim Perelman, focused upon a woman remembering the abortion she had in her youth. An abortion is seen by the wife in a marriage as a solution as her relationship is on shaky ground in Sam Mendes' REVOLUTIONARY ROAD (2008), but leads to a shocking result for the wife when she performs it on herself. A distinctly radical line on abortion was pursued in MESSIAH COMPLEX (2009), directed by Hale Mednik. A preacher with extreme views on curbing certain freedoms becomes president, with one of these being abortion, in this barnstorming movie. The 2010s, as with preceding decades, brought with it equally gripping variations on the abortion theme in cinema.

Derek Cianfrance's BLUE VALENTINE (2010) had a character who, like many other protagonists, decided to forgo an abortion, and gave birth to a daughter. Abortion played a major role in FOR COLORED GIRLS (2010), directed by Tyler Perry. It is one of several topics the film examines, with a woman recalling her abortion at the hands of a treacherous female abortionist. Michael Fredianelli's THE SCARLET WORM (2011) had a Dutch man who was an abortionist and bordello owner, but who was marked by execution by a wealthy man. OCTOBER BABY (2011), directed by Andrew and John Erwin, followed a more introspective route with its storytelling. A young woman discovers that her birth mother wanted to abort her, but the procedure was unsuccessful, and that she was adopted, which turns her world upside down. A softer, more benign view of abortion was apparent in Gillian Robespierre's OBVIOUS CHILD (2014). When a woman finds out she is pregnant she determines to have an abortion, the film taking the viewer through events in her life, to her final decision of undergoing the procedure. 

GRANDMA (2015), directed by Paul Weitz, followed the story of a young woman who wants to have an abortion, and the various mishaps and relationship issues she encounters along the way. With Stephen Fingleton's science fiction THE SURVIVALIST (2015) a woman attempts to perform an abortion on herself, but baulks at the last moment. A pro-life stance was the crux of VOICELESS (2015), directed by Pat Necerato. A war veteran comes to live in Philadelphia, and voices his vocal opposition to an abortion clinic which has opened across from his residence. In total contrast, Bruce Isacson's SOUTH DAKOTA (2017) involved two characters who became pregnant, and experienced anguish with what to do about their predicaments, the narrative balancing opposing views on abortion within its context. ASK FOR JANE (2018), directed by Rachel Carey, had a major concentration upon the topic of abortion in its narrative. Examining the subject through the eyes of women teaming together to give other women the opportunity of having an abortion, albeit illegally, in 1960s America, it treated abortion in a more exhaustive manner than others of its time. 

Cary Solomon and Chuck Konzelman's UNPLANNED (2019) detailed the life of one-time Planned Parenthood director Abby Johnson, and her subsequent change to being pro-life. Much tenser was SWALLOW (2019), directed by Carlo Mirabella-Davis. A woman's life becomes nightmarish as she attempts to live up to the ideals of her family, and develops an eating disorder. When she falls pregnant, this becomes a point of contention between her husband and herself, finally taking an abortion medication, causing her to abort her baby. A delicate treatment of abortion can be found in Eliza Hittman's NEVER REALLY SOMETIMES ALWAYS (2020). A young woman's odyssey in having an abortion, with her cousin at her side, was unraveled by the director in a telling, and sympathetic manner. THE GLORIAS (2020), directed by Julie Taymor, was the biography of feminist Gloria Steinem, and explored abortion within its filmic boundaries, specifically Miss Steinem's beliefs on the topic, and her own abortion during her fellowship. ROE V. WADE was possibly closer to late 2010s films such as ASK FOR JANE and UNPLANNED in terms of its focus upon an abortionist lead character, but deviated greatly in other arenas.

ROE V. WADE featured a male abortionist, something not uncommon from past pictures such as PLAY IT AS IT LAYS, but where the movie strikes a conflicting note is in the attention it affords this character. While ROE V. WADE has a combination of medical and legal themes, it is also a character study, in its case, of real-life abortionist Bernard Nathanson. Where the other movies treated the abortionist character in a perfunctory manner, specifically someone who just performs the abortion, and does not have a further role in the movie, the life, passions, and loves of Dr Nathanson are left, right and center in ROE V. WADE. This provides ROE V. WADE a point of difference in that the abortionist is given a background, is fully fleshed out, and not a character who falls into the trap of being just either good, or bad. It is admirable that he is presented warts and all, as a person with real flaws, and virtues, unlike the evil abortionist from DETECTIVE STORY. Other facets of ROE V. WADE also made the film edifying viewing.

Aside from Dr Nathanson, the other characters are also three-dimensional, making clear their motivations in the film, and what makes them tick. This is one of the refreshing qualities of ROE V. WADE, in that the characters are relatable. One main example stands out in the movie. It is fascinating how there are snippets, in the case of attorney Sarah Weddington, who fights for the right for womens' access to abortions, and her personal connection to this issue. This can also be said of Dr Nathanson, as the movie intimately follows his views on abortion, and how events over time change his mind on the topic. The film has an emotive quality without ever going too far, making the viewer feel for its characters, and not resorting to cheap melodrama to present its points. There are no cardboard villains or do-gooders, which raises the film's credibility. A respectable example of a multi-character narrative, showing the impact of abortion on different people, ROE V. WADE is a quality addition to the ongoing debate about the issue, bringing with it moments of enlightenment.

Overview: For directors Nick Loeb and Cathy Allyn, ROE V. WADE marks their directorial debut. Mr Loeb has credits in acting and producing, while Miss Allyn has producing and writing credits. As this is the inaugural film for both directors, and there is no other film as yet in their filmography to which it can be compared, this review shall closely examine ROE V. WADE. With ROE V. WADE, Mr Loeb and Miss Allyn have made an auspicious first film. They have crafted a movie which tackles the sensitive subject of abortion in a thought-provoking, fluent manner. In the main, there is a balancing of both sides of the topic, being both the the pro-choice, and the pro-life groups. In this respect there were neither large gaps, nor staginess present in the film, with the scenes evenly distributed in terms of telling a good story in an effective manner. There is an easy combination present of pathos, tragedy, drama and, surprisingly, lightly comic moments, in the movie. The humor was not antic-based in its intentions and delivery, and provided an appropriate reprieve from the more emotion-filled sequences. Aside from this, there are other reasons why ROE V. WADE works as a movie. A movie which has its foundations in both legal, and medical territory may have become bogged down in difficult mumbo-jumbo that would put off its intended audience. ROE V. WADE, though, has been written in a way to make it understandable to a wide audience, not only those familiar with legal and medical terminology. While the film has a great number of virtues, there are some ellipses which stand out when considering the movie as a whole.

The introduction of Dr Nathanson's first wife is abrupt, and something which takes one aback when she first appears. There was no prologue or prelude to her introduction, which is surprising as the movie has generally been careful with such details. The viewer has just witnessed the death of Dr Nathanson's girlfriend several minutes prior, and he is now married to another woman. There are some other scenes which are incongruous in ROE V. WADE, and slightly confusing. Dr Nathanson's wife, in addition to the above, did not have a clear opinion of her husband's occupation after her first scenes. Without a clearly defined role, her character served a small purpose, minus a voice, which would have added some complexity to the movie. Having the couple converse more about his job would have revealed further insight about the doctor's personal life, and what impact it had on his professional life. While the film has not as such delved deeply into Dr Nathanson's private life, it would have been revealing to have seen his wife's thoughts on his work. Another scene in ROE V. WADE seems out of place when looking at the film in its entirety.

The sequence with Dr Nathanson and his partner Larry on the beach, speaking with two women, was jarring. While it gave both characters a chance to boast about their achievements in their field, which gave depth to the doctors, it posed a number of questions. Who exactly were these women, and why were Dr Nathanson and Dr Lader admitting these things to what seemed like strangers in the context of the movie? It could be inferred that these women were mistresses of the doctors, but there was no explanation as to their role. Aside from this, there is another lapse which must be mentioned. On the whole the film had a balance between both sides of the abortion debate, but in the last half-hour it seemed to be slanted towards the pro-life movement. While ROE V. WADE was faithful to Bernard Nathanson's life, and how many things changed irrevocably after a certain event, it would have been good to have seen more of the pro-choice group, consisting of Larry Lader, Betty Friedan, and Sarah Weddington. This would have given the film more uniformity in terms of covering both sides of the abortion spectrum. All in all, though, some things can be said about ROE V. WADE. It is an ambitious, thoughtful, compelling film that is a credit to its first-time directors, and it would be interesting to see more stimulating motion pictures from them in the future.

Acting: ROE V. WADE has a number of performances which deserve recognition. Nick Loeb, as Dr Bernard Nathanson, the movie's lead protagonist, projects sincerity as the doctor who has a lot going on both personally, and mentally. He does an excellent job with his character, who is a mixture of sympathy, greed, self-deceit, charm, and guilt, to name a few emotional traits. As Dr Mildred Jefferson, Stacey Dash is thoroughly convincing as the determined, upright doctor. It is interesting how Miss Dash says so much with her eyes without uttering a word; one can understand exactly how she feels, so forthright is her performance. On the other hand, Greer Grammer was great as Sarah Weddington, one of the two attorneys responsible for winning women the right to an abortion in the United States. A lovely actress with an easy manner, Miss Grammer also brings pathos in the scenes which examine why Sarah Weddington was so adamant about legal abortions. Four other actors likewise make an indelible impact in ROE V. WADE.

As Justice Warren Burger, Jon Voight lends his considerable presence to his role as a judge with major qualms about abortion. While Mr Voight does not have a lot of screen time, he nevertheless makes his mark, his concern about abortion deeply etched on his face. Tom Guiry, as Father James, representing the religious side of the abortion debate, does a wonderful interpretation of the well-meaning, thoughtful priest. An actor of energy and passion, it would have been lovely to have seen more of him in the movie. Joey Lawrence, as Robert Byrn, also falls into this category. As the pro-life university professor, Mr Lawrence offers a savvy performance, seeming at home in the lecture theatre. The final acting of note in ROE V. WADE was by Lucy Davenport as Betty Friedan. An engaging actress who brings Bette Davis to mind with her acting, Miss Davenport was highly watchable as the unique quirky Betty Friedan, pushing boundaries with a lazy smile, and an inimitable way about herself.

Soundtrack: ROE V. WADE has an unobtrusive musical score throughout the entire movie which works to give the film a pensive, contemplative aura. Properly emphasizing what is taking place onscreen without ever being overpowering, it adds an appropriate touch of urgency to the movie.

Mise-en-scene: Cinematography by Alan McIntyre Smith bathes ROE V. WADE in a warm orange light, which suggests the 1970s, when the majority of the film's action occurs in a subtle, appropriate manner. Period atmosphere is also pleasing, with costuming another highlight, the cast well-adorned in garments of the time. Sets, such as Dr Nathanson's home, also are of the era without being heavy-handed, with homewares and accessories appearing authentic.

Notable Acting Performances: Nick Loeb, Stacey Dash, Greer Grammer, Tom Guiry, Jon Voight, Joey Lawrence, Lucy Davenport.

Suitability for young viewers: No. Adult themes.

Overall Grade: B

Link: IMDB Page

Trailer