The Children Nobody Wanted

6.3
1981 1 hr 40 min Drama , TV Movie

True story of Tom Butterfield and his crusade to provide family life for homeless children, becoming not only the first bachelor caretaker, but the youngest single adult to become a legal foster parent in the state of Missouri.

  • Cast:
    Fredric Lehne , Michelle Pfeiffer , Matt Clark , Noble Willingham , Anne Haney , Barbara Barrie , Jerry Hardin

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Reviews

Stometer
1981/12/05

Save your money for something good and enjoyable

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UnowPriceless
1981/12/06

hyped garbage

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Humaira Grant
1981/12/07

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

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Maleeha Vincent
1981/12/08

It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.

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ella_great
1981/12/09

Please can this film be released on DVD. A true heartwarming ambassador to human kindness. If only we could all be like this man. Please please I need the book /dvd. It is madness to think how children throughout time have been thrown away, unloved, uncared for, if only they could all have a tom Butterfield. This story has every emotion on edge. But most of all a true overwhelming sense of love. It opened my heart to a true love story between Mr and Mrs Butterfield.the love and support of friends. Most of all the love the boys had for each other. We forget how growing up within a family is so important. This film shows that money does nor Bring happiness but love. Nurture is greater than nature. I think everyone should watch this film, it may open peoples eyes and hearts to each other. Hale sir tom Butterfield a true saint. God bless you and your family

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donnabateman
1981/12/10

This movie is the true story of my uncle, Tom Butterfield. I wanted to clarify that the reason the black character was introduced in the movie, is because there really was a black boy that Tom adopted into the boys ranch. Tom truly had a heart for all youth, and never even considered their race to be a factor. I even met the "real" black boy while visiting the ranch, and he was such a joy. So please know that when watching this film, it was not a fake scene just to be politically correct. The Butterfield Youth Services in Marshall, Missouri, still exists today, and has expanded into several more group homes that also include boys and girls ranches and inpatient/outpatient treatment centers. Even though my uncle Tom is in heaven now, his legacy continues to live on. Thank you for continuing to pay tribute to him by watching this film. He worked so hard to get this story out so that others would be helped, that might have been forgotten. Thank you for listening.

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Nicholas Rhodes
1981/12/11

I am surprised that there are not more comments about this film, and indeed it does not appear to have been the object of an issue on DVD or VHS. I have a copy on tape which I have watched two or three times, unfortunately it is dubbed into French, which spoils it considerably and some of the voices are almost laughable ! This considerable handicap aside, the story itself is more than laudable and I was very touched by this young man's determination to go ahead with his plan to harbour orphaned and brutalized children in spite of the various authorities trying to gum up the works at every possible opportunity. Michèle Pfeiffer ( who appears very very young ) is very beautiful and provides welcome support for our friend Butterfield who is at times a little too tied up with his kids to the point of neglecting his dear girlfriend ! At times the film is just too moralistic and politically correct ( seems typical of Hollywood films nowadays ) for my liking, we see one of the kids ticked off for smoking in the basement as if it was some terrible crime, completely ridiculous and there's the introduction of a black kid into the family presumably to be even more politically correct and to show that Butterworth was not racist ! It all seems a little artificial ! These misgivings aside, the whole work makes for most enjoyable watching and all of the kids are cute, it says it is based on a true life story, if this is really the case, all I can say is Bravo ! I think an issue on DVD may well help the film to become better known as the subject matter is quite original and is likely to touch a large number of hearts !

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g-bpearse
1981/12/12

We seen the movie by Tom Butterfield The Children Nobody Wanted.we really enjoyed the movie, My shows that I like to watch are of true stores and that was just a wonderful movie It sure would be nice if we could get to buy the movie.

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