In 1977 Francine Hughes (Farrah Fawcett) was arrested for burning her husband alive. Surely, she deserves to go to prison? Who could be so sadistic as to burn someone alive?
No. That's not the right question. A more appropriate question is: what could a husband do to drive his wife to burn him alive?
Francine met her husband Mickey Hughes (Paul LeMat) in 1963. He didn't exactly sweep her off her feet whereas he just badgered her to death. Of course, he had to have some endearing qualities for her to agree to marry him. It wasn't long though after she married him that he bared his fangs. The abuse came early and often. Then came the pattern of running away only to be reeled back in. It was a vicious game that began with promises and ended in worse and worse beatings.
As much as, or even more than the violence from Mickey, I was enraged by the complacency and acceptance of those around Francine. It seemed like a culture of accepting abuse. Her mother, her in-laws, and even the police--to a degree--tacitly approved of the abuse she suffered. It was like: if she wound up dead all you'd get from everyone was, "Well, Mickey just had a little drinking problem that's all. He was a good ol' boy that made a mistake."
One of the most angering lines of the movie was when Francine's mother said, "You have to take the bitter with the sweet," like all she had to deal with was him leaving his dirty underwear around the house. The bitter was her getting her face bashed in while the sweet was him maybe buying her a scarf. That is not a bitter I'd want to take.
Watching the same mini-movie within this movie play out over and over I was screaming, "Don't go back!!!!" I'm saying, "Forget the kids, forget his promises, forget his lousy parents that keep trying to guilt trip you! Save yourself!" And invariably she would go back to him telling herself whatever reason she had to in order for it to be acceptable.
I remember feeling the same rage while reading "I, Tina," the autobiography of Tina Turner. I was furious and I didn't know who I was most furious with: Ike or Tina. Ike for his abuse or Tina for constantly returning.
I'm a man and I'm learning more and more. The women that return feel compelled to do so.
"It's for the kids."
"I still love him."
"This time it'll be different."
"I have nowhere else to go."
"He'll find me."
Or, like in the case with Francine, she has pressure from her own family to return.
I'm training myself to understand these facets. I've always simply said, "just leave!" but it's not that simple. Francine finally realized that there was no real escape, especially with kids involved.
So, to answer the question at the beginning: who could be so sadistic as to burn someone alive.
The answer: a woman that's faced 14 years of face-altering abuse.
No. That's not the right question. A more appropriate question is: what could a husband do to drive his wife to burn him alive?
Francine met her husband Mickey Hughes (Paul LeMat) in 1963. He didn't exactly sweep her off her feet whereas he just badgered her to death. Of course, he had to have some endearing qualities for her to agree to marry him. It wasn't long though after she married him that he bared his fangs. The abuse came early and often. Then came the pattern of running away only to be reeled back in. It was a vicious game that began with promises and ended in worse and worse beatings.
As much as, or even more than the violence from Mickey, I was enraged by the complacency and acceptance of those around Francine. It seemed like a culture of accepting abuse. Her mother, her in-laws, and even the police--to a degree--tacitly approved of the abuse she suffered. It was like: if she wound up dead all you'd get from everyone was, "Well, Mickey just had a little drinking problem that's all. He was a good ol' boy that made a mistake."
One of the most angering lines of the movie was when Francine's mother said, "You have to take the bitter with the sweet," like all she had to deal with was him leaving his dirty underwear around the house. The bitter was her getting her face bashed in while the sweet was him maybe buying her a scarf. That is not a bitter I'd want to take.
Watching the same mini-movie within this movie play out over and over I was screaming, "Don't go back!!!!" I'm saying, "Forget the kids, forget his promises, forget his lousy parents that keep trying to guilt trip you! Save yourself!" And invariably she would go back to him telling herself whatever reason she had to in order for it to be acceptable.
I remember feeling the same rage while reading "I, Tina," the autobiography of Tina Turner. I was furious and I didn't know who I was most furious with: Ike or Tina. Ike for his abuse or Tina for constantly returning.
I'm a man and I'm learning more and more. The women that return feel compelled to do so.
"It's for the kids."
"I still love him."
"This time it'll be different."
"I have nowhere else to go."
"He'll find me."
Or, like in the case with Francine, she has pressure from her own family to return.
I'm training myself to understand these facets. I've always simply said, "just leave!" but it's not that simple. Francine finally realized that there was no real escape, especially with kids involved.
So, to answer the question at the beginning: who could be so sadistic as to burn someone alive.
The answer: a woman that's faced 14 years of face-altering abuse.