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Movie Info & Details
Release Year1979
Runtime1h 58m
LanguageEnglish
CertificationPG
GenresDrama
Votes11
DirectorJerome Hellman
WritersLoring Mandel
TypeFeature Film
Rating5.9 out of 10
Cast9 credited
Also Known AsPromises in the Dark
About Promises in the Dark
A young doctor, Alexandra Kendall, seeking change while recovering from a recent heartbreak, moves from Chicago, Illinois to Hartford, Connecticut. She joins the West Hartford medical practice of Dr. Walter McInterny, a doctor approaching retirement age. 17-year-old Elizabeth "Buffy" Koenig is a precocious student at West Hartford's William Hall High School. Her boyfriend Gerry is a football player at Hall High. While Dr. McInterny is away on vacation, longtime patient Buffy hurts her leg while harmlessly kicking a soccer ball during Gerry's nearby football practice. At the hospital, Dr. Kendall finds that not only is the leg broken, but the bone was also weakened by cancer. Dr. Kendall treats Buffy and the two develop a bond that extends beyond the doctor-patient relationship; Dr. Kendall is drawn to Buffy's humor and raw honesty.
Directed by Jerome Hellman, Promises in the Dark leans on a strong ensemble — Marsha Mason, Ned Beatty, Susan Clark — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.
The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 1979.
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