Child Bride of Short Creek

Child Bride of Short Creek

DVD cover
Written by Joyce Eliason
Michael Fessier Jr. (story)
Directed by Robert Michael Lewis
Starring Diane Lane
Theme music composer John Cacavas
Country of origin United States
Original language(s) English
Production
Producer(s) Paul Monash (producer)
Lawrence Schiller (producer)
Editor(s) John J. Dumas
Michael Economou
Cinematography Gary Graver
Running time 120 min.
Production company(s) Schiller-Monash Productions
Distributor NBC
Release
Original network NBC
Original release December 7, 1981

Child Bride of Short Creek is a 1981 American drama television film written by Joyce Eliason, starring Diane Lane, Helen Hunt, Christopher Atkins, and Dee Wallace. The film is a dramatization of the lives of the people of Colorado City, Arizona, and Hildale, Utah, United States, collectively known as "Short Creek," a community of members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, a group that practices child marriage and polygamy.

Plot

Jessica Rae Jacobs (Diane Lane) and her friend Naomi (Helen Hunt) grow up resigned to be victims of a patriarchal polygamist group.

Secretly listening to the radio after school one day, Jessica becomes confused over lyrics that describe love. Her mother, Sister Jacobs, one of her father's three wives, tells her that she is happy because she is very close to her 'sister' wives. Soon after, Jessica prepares to welcome 19-year-old Isaac King, a son of the community's leader, home from the Korean War.

Isaac and Jessica show an attraction towards each other and happily dance outside with the rest of the community. Meanwhile, President King calls a meeting with the Brethren to claim that God has told him to take another wife. Jay Jacobs is disturbed to find that President King is referring to his carefree daughter Jessica, but puts aside his worries as it is 'God's will'.

The next day Isaac shows up late for church and stares at Jessica throughout the service. As the community file out after dismissal, President King advises Jessica to start thinking about marriage and she shows slight shock. Later she catches Naomi kissing a boy behind a shed. She shares her worry that she will be married off to an old man, and Naomi claims she will escape to Las Vegas to become an actress. On a plum-picking outing, Isaac shows anger when teenagers in a passing car call him a "plig" (polygamist) and ask if Jessica and Naomi are his wives.

Naomi then attempts to leave Short Creek. After walking for a while she naively accepts a ride from two men and tries beer for the first time. The two men attempt to rape her, but are stopped by President King who was following Naomi, having been aware of her wild nature for a while, and he drives a crying Naomi back to Short Creek.

The next morning Isaac's mother tells him that his father has decided to marry Jessica. Isaac is furious, not only because of his feelings for her, but because of her youth and the fact that his mother will be further neglected. He angrily confronts his father, saying he doesn't want the Kingdom of Heaven, and his father disowns him. One morning, after tearfully trying on an old wedding dress, Jessica has been secretly married off to an old man to tie her down. Jessica runs to Isaac and confesses her love for him. The two kiss, then plan to leave during the next afternoon's Pioneer Day celebrations.=----

The community members peacefully cooperate, leaving the authorities to feel guilty as they split the many families up, including a pregnant Naomi. Jessica sadly boards a school bus with her mother and siblings, ready to be taken to an army barracks to be re-educated.

Two years later, we see the women at the barracks boarding the buses to return to Short Creek. Jessica is wearing clothes more suited to a girl her age, plus Isaac's dogtags around her neck. As she looks around, she sees Isaac standing outside a little blue car. Her mother tells her to "Run, while you still have a chance" and Jessica hugs her mother goodbye, promising to write. She shyly approaches Isaac, who hands her her box of clay animals which he has kept for two years. They happily embrace and drive away together.

Cast

External links

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