O.K., perhaps sweet isn't the right word for what John Travolta goes through in this T.V. movie that ranks up there with the best of them from the 1970's. It was a big deal in 1976, and while today's audiences might either look at Travolta as an aged joke or view sentimentality as dated as rotary phones, but that aside, this was a daring view of a potentially tragic story that needed to be told.
Playing the supposed real life Todd Lubitch (actually fictional) who spent years in a totally germ free and sanitary environment while trying to live life like a normal teenager. Falling in love with next four neighbor Glynis O'Connor, he decides to try to go to school, all the while hoping for some kind of release. Health scares involving lack of air, causing more concerns for his guilt ridden and overly devoted parents (Robert Reed and Diana Hyland).
As far from his early successes on T.V. and in movies as he could be, Travolta shows tremendous vulnerability. It's easy to see why he got the breaks he did. Ralph Bellamy gives a sincere performance as his lifelong doctor, with future "mama" Anne Ramsey in a small role as his prickly, sherry drinking nurse. There's one scene in a hospital with another boy in a plastic bubble that has unintentional gay connotations as they broach the subject of masturbation. This ends up being a nail biter towards the end because it never is clear as to what the worst that could happen would be. This was said to be a true story but evidence has proved that not to be true, although there were similar cases with younger real children. That doesn't diminish the impact even though it did provide false hope for the real life victims of similar ailments.
Playing the supposed real life Todd Lubitch (actually fictional) who spent years in a totally germ free and sanitary environment while trying to live life like a normal teenager. Falling in love with next four neighbor Glynis O'Connor, he decides to try to go to school, all the while hoping for some kind of release. Health scares involving lack of air, causing more concerns for his guilt ridden and overly devoted parents (Robert Reed and Diana Hyland).
As far from his early successes on T.V. and in movies as he could be, Travolta shows tremendous vulnerability. It's easy to see why he got the breaks he did. Ralph Bellamy gives a sincere performance as his lifelong doctor, with future "mama" Anne Ramsey in a small role as his prickly, sherry drinking nurse. There's one scene in a hospital with another boy in a plastic bubble that has unintentional gay connotations as they broach the subject of masturbation. This ends up being a nail biter towards the end because it never is clear as to what the worst that could happen would be. This was said to be a true story but evidence has proved that not to be true, although there were similar cases with younger real children. That doesn't diminish the impact even though it did provide false hope for the real life victims of similar ailments.