I can't believe it.
A -year-old girl drops out
of school because she's pregnant
and her classmates
are making fun of her.
I mean, years old.
What's going on with kids today?
It's just a different world today.
Sex is being thrown at them
all the time, movies, television.
Their bodies just get ahead
of their minds.
They know what's going on,
all right.
I mean, you don't get pregnant
from eating candy.
Oh, come on.
How much did you know about sex
when you were or ?
Come on, how much did you know?
Things were different
when I was a kid.
We didn't talk about sex,
let alone see it on television
every time you turned around.
I thought that's what I just said.
Where we going, anyway?
To see some of those kids
you were just reading about.
They look like babies.
- They are babies.
- No, I don't mean the babies,
I mean the mothers,
they look like babies.
Hello.
- I'm Joyce Blair.
- Hi, I'm Jonathan Smith,
- this is Mark Gordon.
- How are you?
We're not used to having men
on the premises,
but now that it looks like
the new wing is going to be built,
it's time we get used to
a few men around.
You could not have called
at a better time, Mr. Smith.
You mentioned on the phone
something about
clearing brush and so forth.
Yeah, the whole place
is a little rundown.
We've been too busy
planning the new wing
and running the daycare centre
to clean up outside.
You run a daycare centre?
Yeah, we started a few years ago
when the high schools
became concerned about
the horrendous dropout rate
among teenage mothers.
So many of the girls
want to keep their babies,
but keeping a baby and
going to school, it's not easy.
Especially when there's
little family support.
So, what we do is, if a girl
wants to stay in high school,
we take care of her baby
and if possible,
even get her transportation
to school.
Joyce.
- Yeah? What is it, Sandy?
- Johnny's running a little fever.
- Do his glands feel swollen to you?
- Oh, let me see.
Let me see.
Sandy's one of our mothers
who lives here in the home.
She's our prize student.
She's up for a scholarship
to college.
Congratulations.
Well, I haven't got anything yet.
But whatever happens,
I owe it to Joyce and this place.
If it weren't for them,
I don't know where we'd be.
I think he's okay.
Did you give him something
- for his fever?
- Yeah.
Just keep an eye on his fever
and I'll look in on you later, okay?
Thanks.
Okay, come on.
- Let me show you around the place.
- All right.
The worst is right over here.
Honey. Oh, sweetheart.
Come here, darling.
Yeah, honey. All right.
There we go.
Andrea.
She won't stop crying,
and I had to do my nails
for class tonight. Do you think
- this is a good colour for me?
- Babies need attention.
They're not dolls you put in the corner
when you're finished playing.
I've told you before, Andrea,
Pemberton is not a place
for party girls.
It's a place where young mothers
learn to be good mothers.
Now, take her to the nursery,
she needs to be changed.
You think I was too hard on her,
Mr. Gordon?
I mean, they're so young,
you know.
She's almost years old.
Compared to the rest of the girls
around here, she's an old woman.
She's restless, she thinks only
about herself. She acts like a baby.
The difference is
she happens to be a mother.
Well. If you'll start clearing
along this side of the house here,
and work your way to the back...
There's a television newsman
coming out to interview me today
about the new wing and I want
the old place looking good.
There's some rakes and things
in the shed.
The girls started a garden,
but they stopped it last year
when it looked as if the place
might be foreclosed on.
Why would anybody wanna foreclose
on a place like this?
A real-estate developer who wanted
to build condominiums.
If the community
hadn't come to the rescue,
half the babies you saw today
would be in foster homes or worse.
Well, I'll let you get started.
Okay.
Oh, and good luck
with your interview.
Thanks, I'll need it.
Try not to be nervous.
- Charley?
- All right, everybody quiet.
Let's keep it down.
How many mothers do you have
here at Pemberton, Miss Blair?
With the new wing,
we'll be licensed for ,
and there's a waiting list.
What is it that you and the others here
want to accomplish with these girls?
Well, we make sure
that the young women realise
that their baby is a person,
a human being
just like themselves,
who need to be loved
and looked after,
and we teach them parenting skills
to show them
how to love and look after
their children.
We also have sex education
so that the young women
won't make
the same mistakes again.
We try to teach them that
sex is not a sport nor a game
and that the consequences
can be very real.
Well, this is primarily
a residential neighbourhood.
How do you get along
with your neighbours?
It wasn't easy
for the first year or two.
When Mrs. Pemberton
left us the house,
I think some of the neighbours thought
that she was taking revenge on them.
But over the past few years,
some of our largest contributors
are from this area.
As the home's director,
you're also in charge of fundraising,
- aren't you?
- Yes, I am.
And you're also in charge
of the construction
for the new wing, aren't you?
Yes, along with the board.
Isn't it true, Miss Blair, that recently
you've been dating Mr. Clint Wheeler,
owner of Wheeler Construction,
the same firm that you chose
to build the new wing?
I could hardly call it dating.
Have you or have you not been out
with Mr. Wheeler in the evening?
Yes, to--
To discuss the construction.
Miss Blair, isn't it true that you were
once arrested for grand theft?
What?
Well, I have here
a copy of a police report.
It says that you stole $
from a social agency
you once worked for.
That was a mistake.
I didn't steal that money,
I borrowed it.
I didn't have time to get a voucher.
Under the circumstances, Miss Blair,
don't you think it would be better
if you let someone else
be in charge of fundraising
here at Pemberton?
That would be up to
the board of directors.
From the Pemberton Home
for Young Mothers,
this is Dan Rivers,
Channel News.
Charley, that's it.
Thanks for your time, Miss Blair.
Have you or have you not been out
with Mr. Wheeler in the evening?
Yes, to--
To discuss the construction.
Miss Blair, isn't it true that you were
once arrested for grand theft?
What?
I have here
a copy of a police report.
It says that you stole $
from a social agency
you once worked for.
She didn't have a chance
once I pulled out that arrest report.
You're terrific, Dan.
You gotta always keep the subject
off balance and on camera.
Mr. Rivers.
- How did you get in here?
- It doesn't matter.
Look, Joyce Blair would like
to clarify a couple of her answers.
That's why I came, to find out if
you could come back out to the home,
or Joyce could come
to the studio if you'd like.
I'm sorry, pal.
Television news isn't like the movies.
You only get one take here.
Is that why you're in here
dubbing over your questions?
- Nobody's perfect.
- Shut up, Charley.
All right, all right,
what's the game here?
There's no game.
Joyce Blair spent most of her life
helping the people in her community.
She deserves a chance
to defend herself.
All she did was borrow money
to help a couple of starving families.
She paid it right back,
the charges were dropped.
This is a news station,
it's not a public-relations firm.
Now, the lady ran a large charity
in this community,
she was arrested for grand theft,
she dated the contractor,
and I think the public
has a right to know these facts.
That's why we have
the First Amendment in this country.
No, the First Amendment
guarantees freedom of the press,
not freedom to report gossip
and half-truths as facts.
Well, I've been sued before,
usually by lawyers, not gardeners.
The good news is that I have yet
to back off a story.
Look, all she is asking is the right
to tell her side of it.
Another day can't make any difference,
except to the girls at Pemberton.
I told you, she's had her chance.
The story runs tonight.
Now, please,
why don't you get out of here?
Will you be quiet?
Who are you seeing tonight?
A friend, someone fun,
not like this nunnery here.
What about Yolanda?
She'll cry herself to sleep
soon enough.
I thought maybe
you could watch her for me?
Yeah? Okay.
Thanks.
Not bad for an old lady, huh?
Andrea, what would you do
if you didn't have Yolanda?
Well, I wouldn't be hanging
with those losers at night school.
How about you? What would you do
if you didn't have Johnny?
I'd be going to parties,
worrying about what to wear,
fighting with my mom.
It seems so long ago.
I love Johnny so much.
I should be back by ,
unless I get lucky.
- Be careful.
- What difference does it make now?
It's kind of late to be going to school,
isn't it?
I have a pass.
Just asked.
I'm going to vocational school.
I'm going to be
the world's fastest court reporter.
Court reporters make good money.
So who watches Yolanda
while you're in school?
She mostly sleeps.
There's a counsellor there
and I have friends check up on her.
Come on, girl, let's go.
We're running out of time.
There's my tutor.
I'll see you later, Mr. Gordon.
Miss Blair, isn't it true that you were
once arrested for grand theft?
What?
Well, I have here
a copy of a police report.
It says that you stole $
from a social agency
you once worked for.
That was a mistake.
I didn't steal that money,
I borrowed it.
I didn't have time to get a voucher.
Under the circumstances,
Miss Blair,
don't you think it would be better
if you let someone else
be in charge of fundraising
here at Pemberton?
That would be up to
the board of directors.
From the Pemberton Home
for Young Mothers,
this is Dan Rivers,
Channel News.
Well, here we go.
Hello.
Yes, Mrs. Hiller.
But the charges were dropped.
Yes, I understand, Mrs. Hiller, but--
I'm sorry too, Mrs. Hiller, but--
That was Mrs. Pemberton's sister.
She's withdrawing her contribution
from the building fund.
Hello.
Hello, Clint.
Oh, look, I know that's not why
you went out with me.
Look, I know you're married.
What are you yelling at me for?
It's my reputation too.
I think I better take that
in my office, huh?
Mrs. Willens, would you tell the staff
there's going to be an emergency
board meeting tomorrow?
What's gonna happen, Mr. Smith?
Is the home gonna close?
I don't know, Sandy.
I just don't know.
- How you doing, Tim?
- Do I know you?
No, not really.
My name's Jonathan Smith.
I work out at the Pemberton Home.
Pemberton?
That's the home
for young mothers, right?
Yeah, that's right.
I'd like to speak to your dad
for a minute, if I could.
I'm sorry, Mr. Smith,
my father doesn't like
to be disturbed on weekends.
Well, this is pretty important, son.
You tell him it can't wait, okay?
What's this?
It's a man from Pemberton.
Pemberton? Who are you?
This is Jonathan Smith.
Timmy, I told you
I had some work to do.
It wasn't the boy's fault.
- I told him it was urgent.
- Oh, you did, huh?
Run along, Timmy.
I said I'd take care of it, Timmy.
Well, now that you've interrupted me,
Mr. Smith,
what is it you want
that seems so urgent?
I want you to see to it
that the Pemberton Home stays open.
What makes you think I can do that,
even if I wanted to?
Because you control the mortgage
on the property.
Who told you that?
I have sources in very high places.
You do, huh?
Well, if your sources are so good,
you must also know
that I've been trying to develop
that piece for the last two years.
And from what I heard
on television last night,
I'm finally gonna get my chance.
Oh, come on. Don't you think
there are some things in this world
more important than money?
Name one.
Family.
That's why I make money, Mr. Smith,
to provide for my family.
And believe me,
I take very good care of them.
There's a lot of girls in that home
who don't have a family
to take care of them.
I'm in the real-estate business, mister,
not the family business.
We're all in the family business,
Mr. Brent.
We're getting no place
and I've got work to do.
Since when are you so interested
in my affairs?
No answer, huh?
I want you to show Mr. Smith out
right now.
Thank you.
There was a girl from our school
who I think went to Pemberton.
Her name's Sandy, Sandy Clark.
Oh, sure, Sandy, she's doing fine.
She's one of Pemberton's
best students.
She always was smart.
She's got a beautiful baby boy.
His name's Johnny.
He must be growing pretty fast.
Why don't you go out
and see for yourself?
I'm sure Sandy would like to see
an old friend from school.
I'd like to.
It would be nice to see her
and the baby.
Timmy,
you wanna go to that ball game,
you get in here right now
and finish your homework.
I know she'd love it
if you came out to see her.
I'll try.
Maybe next week.
I gotta go.
- Here you are, Mark.
- Thank you.
- Are they still in the board meeting?
- Yeah.
Been in there for over an hour.
No, I think...
You cannot justify...
What happened?
The board is going to do its best
to keep Pemberton.
What about you? Are you all right?
I'm going to be stepping down
as its director.
You can't leave us, Miss Blair.
I'll still see you,
but I can't stay here.
No, if we're going to stand a chance
of saving Pemberton,
it can't be with me as its director.
Excuse me.
I saw a friend of yours today,
Tim Brent.
He said he wanted
to come out and see you.
Tim says a lot of things.
How's he doing?
Oh, he's doing just fine.
I went out there to talk to his father.
He controls the mortgage
on this property.
Mr. Brent controls a lot of things,
including Tim.
- Tim seems like a nice guy.
- I suppose.
Joyce is a good person.
That Rivers
shouldn't have done that to her.
He shouldn't be allowed
to do things like that.
They should have to pay.
So the guy says,
"I got a great new hearing aid."
And he says, "What kind is it?"
"Eleven-thirty," he says.
Hey, there's my drink.
Well, well, if it isn't the gardener.
I just came down to tell you
Joyce Blair resigned this morning.
I'm glad to hear
Pemberton's board shares
my opinion of her qualifications.
Well, the board doesn't, but a lot
of the community donors do now.
Pemberton lost about half
of their financial support
after your story ran last night.
Hey, wait a minute, friend.
Dan reported the facts.
He's a reporter, that's his job.
Oh, come on.
He reported a tip from a developer
who wanted the home closed
so he could build some condos.
Looks like that developer's
gonna get his wish now,
and unwed mothers
are gonna be out on the street.
I thought you told me the tip on the
Pemberton lady was on the level.
It was. I checked it with
the police department.
If you checked
with the police department,
then you also know that all the charges
against Joyce were dropped.
Well, where there's smoke,
there's fire.
You knew the charges
were dropped?
- Yeah, I knew.
- Well, why wasn't that in the story?
Harvey, you keep on screaming at me
about ratings.
I'm giving you ratings,
so don't you start giving me ethics.
Hey, little mother,
what are you doing?
Saving the home.
How are you gonna do that?
You'll find out.
Would you look after Johnny
for me?
Thought you might like
to see this, Dan.
Came in this morning's mail.
A copy has been sent
to every station in town.
What's it say, Charley?
It says that Danny boy here
has a young friend
out at the Pemberton Home.
Seems he gave a lecture
at her high school
and invited her down
to the station for a tour.
Evidently, she was very impressed.
You don't really believe that I'm
the father of this girl's child, do you?
Come on, it's obvious that the director
of Pemberton put her up to this.
You've been known to have your share
of pretty young admirers.
I wouldn't miss
that press conference
for all the names
in your little black book, Rivers.
You guys aren't really
gonna go out there, are you?
You'd do the same for us,
wouldn't you?
Come on, guys. I mean,
this is a phoney, you know it is.
Our job is to inform the people,
no matter how distasteful the story.
See you out there, Dan.
Don't tell me I can't see her.
I said I'm gonna talk to her,
I'm gonna talk to her.
- You're the one behind this.
- Behind what?
Don't play games with me.
Now, where is that girl, Sandy?
- Sandy Clark?
- That's right. I invite her to the station,
- she's trying to ruin my career.
- What are you talking about?
This. And don't tell me
you don't know what this is about.
Oh, my God.
That's right.
It's on all the radio and TV stations.
Now, I demand,
I demand to see that girl
before her press conference
this afternoon.
Jonathan, I have to talk to Sandy.
Would you please escort Mr. Rivers
off the property?
You won't get away with this. I'll take
a blood test, I'll prove I'm innocent.
Come on, Mr. Rivers.
You, of all people, ought to know how
difficult it is to prove your innocence
once the press has found you guilty.
Oh, Jonathan.
She's not in her room.
Do you think she's telling the truth?
No, I think she's doing this
to hurt Dan Rivers.
Somehow, she thinks
it's gonna save the home.
We have to find her.
- We have to stop her from doing this.
- I'll look for her.
Why don't you stay here,
just in case she comes back?
What you're doing isn't gonna
save the home, you know.
It's not gonna get Joyce
her job back either.
It's gonna hurt Dan Rivers, all right,
but is it really worth it
just to get revenge?
What I said in those letters is true.
Dan Rivers is the father of my baby
- and he deserves to be hurt.
- Come on, that's a lie and you know it.
Come on, Sandy, listen to me.
Look, think about
what that lie is going to do to you,
to your baby, to your parents.
My parents?
When I told my parents
I was pregnant,
they worried more about
what the neighbours would think
than they did about me.
They wanted me to have an abortion.
I told them I wouldn't,
they sent me to Pemberton
and they told people
I was away at boarding school.
I can't defend your parents,
they're gonna have to do that
for themselves.
All I'm saying is that hurt and anger
are no excuse for what you're doing.
When Johnny was born,
they didn't even come to the hospital
until the third day. Nobody did.
If it weren't for Joyce
and the people here...
If Pemberton closes, Mr. Smith,
there's no place for us to go.
But to accuse an innocent man,
no matter how guilty he is
of other things,
that just isn't the answer.
What if there is no answer?
Oh, come on, Sandy,
you're a good student.
Look, the answers in life
are not that much different
from the answers on a test.
You work and you study hard
and you learn.
If you cheat and you give up,
every test after that
is that much harder.
Please don't do this.
I appreciate what you're saying,
but I'm meeting those reporters
at : .
From what I make of
the county records and your records,
there's a good chance
you're not the father.
- Well, you see, I told you I wasn't.
- But there's a slight chance.
Yeah, but a slight chance
isn't good enough here.
That's the first intelligent thing
you've said all day.
Look, boss, I admit
I did offer to drive her home,
but I swear to you,
I did not touch her.
Half-hour ago,
you said you thought she was older.
Well, she was.
I mean--
I mean, I thought she was.
I don't know what I think anymore.
What I think is you better get
this mess cleared up by : ,
or you're gonna be out of here.
Well, wait, I'm innocent.
Damn it, you can't condemn
someone who's innocent.
Never stopped you.
Hey, Tim.
Mr. Smith.
They're having a big press conference
later this afternoon at Pemberton.
Sandy is gonna name Dan Rivers
as the father of her baby.
What?
Yeah, she thinks it's the only way
to save the home.
She feels she has
no other place to go.
That's crazy.
If you care about her,
you better get over there
before that press conference.
Of course I care about her.
I always have.
She knows that.
Saying you care about someone
is easy, son.
Showing you care
takes a little more effort.
I know that.
It's just that my father, he...
If he ever found out...
Don't you think it's a little late
to be worrying about
what your father thinks?
You're a father now too, son.
Hey, Tim, you coming, bud?
I gotta go.
I'll see you.
Why do you keep asking me that?
I told you before.
I was afraid to tell you.
You damn well should be.
I've given you everything,
everything you ever wanted.
I asked for one thing in return,
that you respect this family.
Dad,
I love her.
Well, if you love her so much,
why did you get her pregnant?
Look, son...
...you know what she's trying to do?
She's trying to get you to step forward
and say you're the father.
She's trying
to put the squeeze on you.
Besides, how do you know this
Dan Rivers
isn't really the father, huh?
You...
You really have people pegged,
don't you, Dad?
Well, let me tell you something.
I am the father.
Because neither one of us
had been with anyone before.
And, yeah, we made a mistake.
And, yeah,
I can walk away from this,
just like you said.
But you know what?
I'm not going to.
Well, don't you expect
any help from me.
You got yourself into this.
You wanna know something else?
There's gonna be no college this fall.
You're gonna be working
your butt off in some little job
just to pay the rent for you,
you and your bastard.
- You're right.
- You better believe it.
You're right,
just like you always are, Dad.
Except for one thing.
I'm gonna work my butt off
for my son.
And no matter
what he does with his life,
no matter what mistakes he makes,
he's not gonna be afraid
to come to his father.
He's not gonna be afraid.
He won't be afraid.
- He hasn't shown up yet, huh?
- No, no sign of him.
What's Sandy doing?
She's up in her room with Andrea.
- What time is it?
- It's about five of.
Why are you doing this?
You know why.
You're crazy, you know that?
I mean,
everything's going great for you
and now you're gonna go blow it.
And what for?
How do you know it's gonna
save the school or Joyce's job?
I don't know,
but he's not gonna get away with it.
He's hurt a nice person,
the only person
that ever really cared about me.
But he's not the father,
they're gonna find that out.
- How do you know he's not?
- Because I know, that's all.
He isn't your type.
- Oh, really? What's my type?
- I am.
He's beautiful.
He looks just like you.
Oh, I don't think so.
I think he looks more like you.
Oh, come on, look at him.
He's got the same mouth.
The same beautiful face.
He's the spitting image of you.
Maybe a little.
Maybe a lot.
She's lucky.
He loves her.
Hell, I don't blame him.
She's a good person, she's real.
She deserves to be happy.
- Doesn't everyone?
- No.
- I don't.
- Why not?
Because I am who I am.
It's never too late to change.
You got your whole life ahead of you.
So does your baby.
He said he loved me!
He said he didn't think of me
as a little girl.
I thought I was so grown up.
A man loved me.
Then he found out I was pregnant.
Now I just want anybody to love me.
Anybody.
Somebody does love you.
Yeah? Who?
God.
God loves you, Andrea.
- Jonathan.
- Yeah?
Would you tell them I apologise?
That it was all a mistake.
Tell them I'm sorry.
- You bet I will.
- Thank you.
Andrea, I'm getting married.
I'm so happy for you.
Sandy.
Sandy.
Fathers.
Hello, Dan.
What the hell are you doing,
calling a press conference?
I didn't.
Come on, Sandy,
what do you mean you didn't?
Sandy! You don't even know
my name. I'm Andrea.
Do you think I want the world to know
you're my baby's father?
She deserves better than you,
and so do I.
That means
you're not gonna say anything?
That depends on you, Dan.
Look, Andrea,
I made a mistake.
I know how you feel.
I'll set up a trust fund for the kid,
I mean, I'll take care of him.
- Her.
- Her.
And don't you worry.
I'll take care of her.
I never want you near her.
What do you want?
I want you to go up there
and publicly apologise to Joyce Blair.
I want you to tell them that you knew
all along that she was innocent,
you just did it to score points
for yourself.
Andrea, come on, I mean...
Look, I'm sorry.
I'm sorry it happened, all right? But--
May I have your attention, please?
May I have your attention?
The press conference
has been cancelled.
- Why?
- What did he do? Who is this?
I'm sorry for the inconvenience,
but I can't answer any questions.
Thank you.
But why not?
Go up there now, or I swear
I'll get up there and tell them.
Andrea, give me a break, will you?
You're history, Dan.
Okay, okay.
Will everybody hold it a minute?
I've got something I want to say.
Nobody wants to hear "I told you,"
Danny boy.
That's not what I'm up here to say,
Charley.
I want to apologise to Joyce Blair.
I did an interview
on the news with Miss Blair
where I accused her of wrongdoing.
At the time of the interview,
I knew she was innocent.
I did it...
I mean, I did it because
I thought it would make
a more sensational interview.
For that, I'm deeply sorry.
Come in.
- Hi.
- Hi.
Is she asleep?
No, but at least she's not crying.
She sure is a cutie.
Hey, how come
you're not downstairs?
Big celebration going on, you know.
Yeah, I know.
I'm kind of far behind in my work.
I've been goofing off a little.
But no more.
You knew it was Dan, didn't you?
Yeah, I knew.
You know, all this time
I thought I was nothing.
Like I wasn't good enough for him
because he threw me away like that.
And when I talked to him today,
I realised it wasn't me
that wasn't good enough.
Oh, yeah, I was stupid
and I was wrong,
but I was good enough.
I am good enough.
Someday
the right guy will come along,
but until then,
I'm gonna make the best mother
and best courtroom reporter
you ever saw.
Because you were right.
Somebody does love me,
somebody very special.
I'll see you in court, Mom.
Goodbye.