The Stepford Husbands
The Stepford Husbands | |
---|---|
Fred Walton | |
Starring | Donna Mills Michael Ontkean Cindy Williams Sarah Douglas Louise Fletcher |
Original language | English |
Production | |
Executive producer | Edgar J. Scherick |
Producer | Mitch Engel |
Running time | 90 minutes |
Production company | Victor Television Productions |
Original release | |
Network | CBS |
Release | May 14, 1996 |
Related | |
|
The Stepford Husbands is a 1996 American
Plot
In the prologue, a docile man suddenly kills his wife in a violent method and then commits suicide.
Several months later,
Caroline subtly manipulates the Davisons and drugs Mick at a party. When Mick reacts to the drug, Jodi is convinced that her husband has serious problems and commits him to the Stepford Institute for a cure. Mick is given mind-altering
Caroline has learned of the Davisons' plan to leave town. With the other residents, Caroline captures them in their own house. Mick is returned to the Institute for reconditioning while Jodi is forced to escape to rescue Mick. Benton allows Jodi to find Mick in the Institute but, with Dr. Borzage, plans to kill her. Borzage, however, is alarmed by the out-of-control ethics and kills Benton with a hypodermic needle meant for Jodi. Borzage then allows the Davisons to escape.
In the epilogue, the fate of the town is not revealed, but Jodi and Mick have returned to New York City. Mick has written a book about the experience and a movie will soon be made.
Production
The film first aired on CBS on May 14, 1996. It was filmed in North Carolina.
It is the third sequel in a string of stories based on the original concept of the novel. The first sequel, Revenge of the Stepford Wives (1980), starred Don Johnson, Sharon Gless, and Julie Kavner and suggested a similar drug-induced compliance. The second sequel, The Stepford Children, (1987) starred Barbara Eden and hewed closer to the original. The third sequel basically reverses the roles, with the women being the oppressors. Louise Fletcher's role, in particular, recalls the role of Dale "Diz" Coba, the Men's Association president, in the original.
The executive producer for the film is
Reception
The Hollywood Reporter said "it's hard to care since this is about as shabbily done as you can get with a good-and-scary, tried-and-true idea. Flat and dull, without passion, a sort of Stepford script."[1]