A Private Matter (1992)

Directed by

Joan Micklin Silver

Genre

drama film

Country

United States

Runtime

1h 28m

Rating

5.5 of 10 from 6 voters

Elsewhere

IMDb

How it feels

A children's TV host in 1962 seeks a medically recommended abortion. The film follows the harassment she and her family endure as they try to obtain the procedure.

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What happens

A Private Matter is a 1992 American made-for-television drama film based on the true 1962 story of Sherri Finkbine, a resident of Phoenix, Arizona who became known for her decision to have a medically recommended abortion in the first trimester of her fifth pregnancy. Finkbine was the hostess of the locally produced children's television show Romper Room. The film shows the harassment Finkbine and her family went through as they sought to obtain abortion services. The events played a pivotal role in the abortion rights movement and helped shape public opinion prior to the Roe v. Wade decision. After turning down previous offers to adapt her story to film, Finkbine gave permission to producers Bill Pace and Ronnie D. Clemmer in light of increasingly successful legislation on the legality of abortion and her own outspokenness on the right to choose. The movie premiered on HBO on June 20, 1992. It was noted at the time of the movie's release that U.S. network television had shied away from stories dealing with abortion. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

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