SARAH T: PORTRAIT OF A TEENAGE ALCOHOLIC (TV)

Summary

This made-for-television drama film explores the life of fifteen-year-old Sarah Travis as she descends into alcoholism. The program begins with a voiceover discussing grim statistics about teenagers and drinking played over a beer commercial. At a family party, Sarah endures her parents' friends' annoying questions and sneaks sips of alcohol as she collects used glasses, also fending off her stepfather's boss' offer to set her up with his son. The next day, Sarah heads off to her new school and nervously auditions for glee club with Carole King's "It's Too Late," but is not accepted. She attempts to get in touch with her absent father, and later accepts a home delivery from the liquor store, claiming that her mother JoAnne is in the shower and then hiding the bottles in her room. Her father Richard visits and admits to her that he has lost his job again, but promises that he has a solid new prospect. They discuss moving away and sharing an idyllic life together, but he points out that her mother has custody of her. Later, Sarah prepares to go out with a boy, Ken, but is upset to learn that the evening was arranged by her mother. She reluctantly heads out on the "mercy date" and is uncomfortable as they spend time at a party, but she loosens up as she drinks more and everyone, including Ken, is impressed when she sings "It's Too Late" with another student.

Sarah enjoys herself at the party, but her parents are upset when Ken brings her home very drunk. Feeling that she is "easily led" into trouble, her stepfather Matt grounds her for two weeks, but she soon evades her punishment and heads out with Ken, who introduces her to his horse Daisy and kisses her, saying that she is cooler than he previously believed. Sarah enjoys newfound popularity at school after the party, but at home, she is distressed to see JoAnne firing the maid, Margaret, believing that she stole the alcohol that Sarah in fact drank. She again attempts to accept a delivery of booze, but the store owner sees through her trick and lets her off with a stern warning. Ken notices that she is drinking at school and expresses concern, and she promises to stop, but is then hauled into the guidance counselor's office for cutting classes. The counselor talks to JoAnne and points out that Sarah is not adjusting well and is receiving poor grades, but JoAnne dismisses it as normal teen behavior and says that she is being unfairly targeted as a child of divorce. Sarah's older sister Nancy is upset to hear that she is still seeing Ken, "that creep" who got her drunk, but Sarah refuses to discuss the matter. She and Ken ride Daisy to a late-night beach party and Ken observes her drinking heavily again and confronts her, saying that she drank long before the first party and "seems to need that stuff." Sarah claims that she does not have a problem, however, and they share an intimate moment on the beach.

Later, Ken joins Sarah as she babysits for a neighbor's child, and while he agrees that the other night was "special," he clarifies that they are not officially dating. She tells him that she loves him and grows upset when he admits that he is still seeing other girls, and he leaves. Crushed, she begins drinking the neighbors' wine, and the couple comes home to find her passed out while the child cries. JoAnne berates her for embarrassing the family, and when she and Matt threaten to call Ken's parents, Sarah finally admits that she has been drinking almost daily for two years on her own and has stolen and lied to obtain alcohol. JoAnne and Sarah visit a shrink, Dr. Kittredge, but JoAnne remains in denial about Sarah's problem. Kittredge tells Sarah that she must first choose to stop before she can and urges her to attend an A.A. meeting, which she does when Ken voices his support. She is surprised to meet other young people there, including eleven-year-old Bobby, who talks at length about his addiction. Sarah leaves the meeting, clearly affected by his words. At the next session, Kittredge interrupts JoAnne and Richard's squabbling and asks Sarah to speak honestly to her parents, and when Sarah again asks to live with her father, JoAnne surprisingly agrees, saying that a change might be good. Richard backs out of his offer, however, saying that he travels a lot and cannot care for her.

Upset, Sarah attempts to steal from a liquor store but is caught, then asking a group of older boys to buy for her and offering to "do whatever they want" in exchange. Realizing that she is missing, JoAnne calls Richard and they argue anew about their daughter. Sarah ends up at the stables and drunkenly takes Daisy for a ride, and though Ken tries to stop her, she rides into the road and Daisy is badly injured by a car. The cops arrive, and Ken is heartbroken when they are forced to put the horse down. Sarah is taken to the hospital, where she rages at Kittredge that her life is falling apart, and he again tells her to take the first step and admit her alcoholism, at which point she can begin to get better with others' help. JoAnne urges her to forget about the incident and Richard tells her that she can live with him after all, but Sarah declares that things cannot go on "the old way" and finally admits that she is an alcoholic, now ready to accept treatment and begin to change. Commercials deleted.

Details

• NETWORK: NBC
• DATE: February 11, 1975 8:00 PM
• RUNNING TIME: 1:35:10
• COLOR/B&W: Color
• CATALOG ID: B:02603
• GENRE: Drama
• SUBJECT HEADING: Drama; Teenagers; Alcohol abuse
• SERIES RUN: NBC - TV, 1975
• COMMERCIALS: N/A

CREDITS

• David Levinson … Producer
• Stuart Cohen … Associate Producer
• Richard Donner … Director
• Richard Shapiro … Writer
• Esther Shapiro … Writer
• James Di Pasquale … Music by
• Linda Blair … Cast, Sarah Travis
• Larry Hagman … Cast, Jerry Travis
• Verna Bloom … Cast, Jean Hodges
• William Daniels … Cast, Matt Hodges
• Michael Lerner … Cast, Dr. Marvin Kittredge
• Mark Hamill … Cast, Ken Newkirk
• Eric Olson … Cast, Bobby
• Laurette Spang … Cast, Nancy
• M. Emmet Walsh … Cast, Mr. Peterson
• Steve Benedict … Cast, Ray Peterson
• Richard Roat … Cast, Fred Tyler
• Marian Collier … Cast, Mrs. Peterson
• Jessica Rains … Cast, Mrs. Tyler
• Sheila Larkin … Cast, Vice Principal
• Karen Purcil … Cast, Marilyn
• Heather Totten … Cast, Carol
• Dean Franklin … Cast, Boy