In a Child's Name watch online HD

This movie epitomizes two telefilm genres (the Sunday Night Tearjerker and the Lifetime Movie) but towers above most examples of both. It aired as a two-parter; the first half told the story of a woman's murder by her husband and his eventual arrest for the crime, while the second concerned the custody battle over the couple's son between her sister (Bertinelli) and his parents (Huddleston and Fletcher).

The first half retains an admirable level of tension throughout, though the crime isn't ever really a mystery. Thankfully, the actual crime is not shown, though the filmmakers found a better way to convey its brutality: the final shot of the first half of the show is one of the most shocking sights I've ever seen on television.

The custody battle in the second part is less suspenseful but raises several interesting questions. The cultural bias by the killer's parents against the evil, urban, ethnic (Italian) family of the victim had some resonance in their son's marriage. Not to overgeneralize, but a friend of mine was married to a man from rural Indiana and his family was a LOT like the people in this film. The filmmakers clearly sided with wife's family on this point--the "moral" Hoosiers are both unattractive and unpleasant. The question of how their "heartland values" produced their monster of a son is never really addressed.

The performances are uniformly excellent and often surprising. Bertinelli and Chris Meloni as her husband prove to be far more than a couple of (very) pretty faces, as does Michael Ontkean as the cold blooded killer. It is important that this not get lost by being lumped in with the scores of similar but inferior TV movies.

I think this movie is one of my most favorite movies on lifetime. I have seen it about 3 or 4 times on lifetime and always wondered when they will release it on DVD. I am amazed how Valerie Bertinelli played a grieving sister who wants to put away her sisters husband and also get custody of her sisters son. She is a wonderful actress, who wont let nothing or no one in her way of getting what should be done. The law enforcers also played a good deed for the grieving family. This movie shows how the law works sometimes, and as for Valerie Bertinelli's character, she did not stop til she and her family won all the way. This movie will have you teary-eyed and thinking how a person could do this to his wife and have his parents believe what he said. I think his family should serve time for helping their son. After you see this movie, you will still think about this movie, you will talk about this movie to your friends. I admire everyone who played in this movie and think they are good actors and actresses.

I was at some of the filming of this movie (in Wilmington, NC)and it was great. I was also involved in the investigation of this crime.

People always want to know if the book (made first) and the movie are as what actually happened. My answer is that both are Very Close to the actual facts in the matter.

There are some minor differences between the book and the movie but nothing of any value that would drastically change anything. If you have seen the movie - get the book and read it. The book has some of the trial of Dr. Taylor and the movie covers almost nothing of the trial. A forensic pathologist (Doctor)testified at the trial - and the same Dr. testified in OJ's trial.

Questions? Let me know. Bob

This is a wonderful made for TV movie that I would highly recommend. It is a tearjerker, so be sure to have a box of Kleenex handy. All though it is long (four hours with commercials) it is worth watching every moment of it over and over again. Valerie Bertinelli's portrayal of a grieving sister is one that should have gotten her at least a nomination for an award, if not won it. The supporting cast is amazing in ever sense of the word as well. This movie cannot be truly appreciated unless you've seen it with your own two eyes. In A Child's Name manages to tap every emotion known to man--sadness, anger, fear and joy. It is certainly a movie that will instantly become a favorite. I am patiently awaiting its release on DVD (hopefully).

This movie is heartwarming and a real tearjerker. I have a copy of it on tape, and I watch it all the time. I never get tired of watching the Taylor's get what they deserved. I really enjoyed watching it over and over again.

as Angela Cimarelli, the concerned sister who realizes something is awry with her sister's "perfect" marriage.

Her sister marries Michael Ontkean- (what families of low income may have considered a prize) he is a dentist, with great future potential earnings. He cheats on her, has several affairs, and when she returns from Acapulco after the honeymoon, she has already been physically abused. Only Angela has the first instinct: something is wrong.

This is a haunting tale because it is based on a true story. At first the family is in denial. Louise Fletcher is Ontkeans mother. ..."Dear God they live here?"... she intones as she meets the future daughter in law (Cimarelli family in NY). Apparently Ontkeans family is from Indiana. Whether or not they actually drove an over-sized RV to the wedding (I would question that fact) but the differences in family background (religion and social strata) are delineated at the outset.

Ontkean eventually buys the obligatory over-priced house, has a thriving practice, and is finally in control (he thinks) he can even pop home at lunchtime- do a few lines of cocaine and go back to his work as an oral surgeon. His life is perfect.

Then his wife informs him she is pregnant. (Stop the cameras, his reaction is priceless) Apparently this did not fit into his plans. His wife has the baby but clearly this is a mere inconvenience to him.

The scenes where he disposes of the body, and the inter-actions between the sisters are very emotional. The scenes with the police, and when they investigate the home where the murder has been committed, using Luminol, are disturbing and effective. Louise Fletcher (Ontkeans Mom) asks the police why the bedroom is "glowing". ..."Because of the blood and DNA stains, M'am" ...the police factually answer. She still denies that her son is capable of murder. UNREAL.

It is sad that the baby lost her mother, but Bertinelli (the Cimarelli family) eventually adopt the child. A positive outcome in a truly disturbing true story. Best thoughts and prayers go out to the Cimarelli family and the pain they must have lived through. Stories like this NEED to be told. 8/10.

Although it's a messed up story, it is the most memorable true story movie I have ever watched. I remember watching it when it first aired when I was 12 with my mom, and have watched it several times since. It is a movie that once you watch it, you never forget it. And it's was a two part movie so it is almost 3 hours long. You are on the edge of your seat the whole time. Such a great cast too & they did such a good job. I haven't read the book yet but look forward to reading it. At least at the end, he gets what he deserves! This is not your typical Lifetime movie. If you like watching true story movies like I do, this is definitely one to watch :)

I've read some complaints about how this movie is "4 hours of my life I'll never get back." But trust me, these are 4 hours you will NEVER forget. This is a story about a woman named Teresa who meets a seemingly perfect male specimen named Ken. They meet, fall in love, he woos her traditional Italian family and they waste no time in getting married - Teresa's first marriage, Ken's third. But Ken is not all he seems. Not very long into the movie, we see that he's a substance abuser, he cheats on his new wife and is physically abusive towards her. Teresa, blinded by her seemingly perfect new love, defends him, regardless of her battered state. But Teresa's sister, Angela (an AMAZING Valerie Bertinelli), suspects otherwise and alerts her husband (a GORGEOUS pre-receeded hairline Chris Meloni of Law&Order SVU fame) and family that something sinister is hiding under Ken's "Perfect Man" facade. Eventually, Teresa becomes pregnant with her first child - something that was NOT in Ken's plans, and he is visibly irritated by the news. Brilliantly acted and completely riveting to the viewer, "In a Child's Name" will have you on the edge of your seat, anxiously awaiting what will happen next. This movie takes you on a roller-coaster ride of emotions - fear, anger, love, hate - and it literally makes you want to jump through the screen and knock Ken Taylor in the teeth. Called one of the most "disturbing" screen-shots in ALL of cinema history - that's right, not "Lifetime" history - CINEMA history, the famous "Luminol" scene will stay with you long after the movie is over. (PS: I know for a fact that the Luminol scene is completely accurate. My grandfather was a detective on this case, as my family lives in Staten Island, where the Cimarelli's lived, and he was physically in the room when this happened. He said its totally dead-on accurate... which kinda makes it all the more scarier!) If you want a movie that will tap into every human emotion possible, and make you stand up and cheer at the end, then this is the movie for you. Valerie Bertinelli should of been nominated for best actress in this role, and the rest of the cast is stunning as the 2 families battling for custody of the murdered wife's newborn son. This film is a shining example of what a substantial movie-watching experience should be.

This is a very engrossing TV movie, well worth watching. The performances are uniformly good. This movie also contains, in my opinion, one of the best scenes ever seen on television. Not to give anything away, I'll just say watch when the girl's parents go to bed in her house! Absolutely sensational.

It's interesting that actors who used to be known as "good guys" like Gregory Harrison and Michael Ontkean (who is one of the stars of this film) go on in the next part of their careers to play sleazes. Guess it's their good looks, but Ontkean is very good as the husband.

I also liked the Italian background present in the film - and the grandfather's reaction to Ontkean!

... because the film's depiction of a sociopath is just too realistic, the government case workers are overworked but care and try to be fair within the constraints of the law, the attorneys work hard for their clients but are not about to stick out their necks, and the judges are a mixed bag. Some are truly impartial, others are easily influenced by the good old boy system. If this wasn't a true story and the Lifetime channel writers had gotten a hold of it, the ending would be the villain busting out of prison, doing a commando style raid on the heroine's home in the middle of the night, and her ironically killing him with one of his own barbells. But I digress.

This film is basically in two parts and is a long film but one that keeps your interest. The first half of the film is how Teresa Silvano, of Italian Catholic background and a dental hygienist, gets mixed up with soft spoken dentist Ken Taylor, with those Ken doll looks. He's big on shows of affection, and in the midst of a divorce, and after a whirlwind courtship, he marries Teresa. But all is not well. You see Ken has two ex-wives not one, is still bedding the soon to be second ex whenever she will allow it, calls 900 numbers for sex talk, is an embezzler, main lines cocaine, and is always trying to seduce other women to build up his ego. In short, Ken is a sociopath, and a pretty good one at that.

The trouble really starts on the honeymoon in Mexico though. There Teresa is assaulted while she is sleeping, and almost beaten to death. Ken is initially jailed for it. He claims to the angry Silvano family that three guys in ski masks burst in on their hotel room and assaulted and robbed them. He claims the Mexican government arrested him because they are corrupt. In fact, he probably paid them off and they let him go because they are corrupt. The Silvanos can't get over how Teresa is a swollen broken mess requiring a lengthy hospital recuperation and Ken only has a couple of wounds. From this point forward Ken is tolerated by the Silvanos only because Theresa says Ken could not have done this thing and she remembers nothing of the attack.

Teresa has a baby, and when he is five months old she finds evidence that proves Ken was the person who beat her up on her honeymoon. Plus Ken's just under the surface explosive temper that just smolders keeps her on edge. Heck it kept me on edge too. So you just know one day he is going to erupt and finish the job he started in Mexico. He does. Yet he never blows his cool in front of the audience. He's always got some smooth answer for everything. Well, even in the days before DNA, the police have seen plenty of guys like pretty boy Ken, and they are having none of his story after Teresa's body is found, which Ken didn't really even try to hide when he left it by the side of the road in Pennsylvania. It's like he's been smooth talking his way through life this long and just thinks he can keep on doing this forever. The justice system metes out a 30 year sentence. And now the question is what to do about Teresa and Ken's baby.

Thus begins the second half of the film. The real star of the show, Valerie Bertinelli as Teresa's little sister Celeste. begins a legal battle over custody of Teresa's baby with Ken's parents, who are the only people on the planet that believe Ken has been unjustly convicted, that he killed in self defense - with nine blows with a barbell? - because to believe otherwise is to believe they raised a monster on milk and cookies. The just world syndrome just won't let them do that. So how does this work out? Watch and find out. And don't think that Kenny boy is through messing with people's lives just because he is behind bars either.

From this point on, and to some extent all through the film, this story has been just not about crime and custody, but about rural versus urban America, Protestants versus Catholics, essentially red versus blue America more than a decade before that phraseology entered the vernacular. Ken's family are small town Protestants from Indiana, and the Silvanos are Italian Catholics from Staten Island, each with all of the culture and the support of their communities that come with it, and they just don't get one another. Highly recommended. It will very much keep your interest. This is not just another chick flick.

Finally, note the continually supportive husband of Celeste - eighth billed Christopher Meloni as Jerry Cimarelli. With his long hair and still 20-something looks I barely recognized him. He is now probably the most visible member of the cast with his long time role on Law and Order SVU as Elliot Stabler.

There is nothing better than seeing someone who is straight up evil and heartless get what is coming to them. This movie was a tragic story but one that had a great ending. A man marries a young woman and beats her almost to death on their honeymoon, although the wife vows he didn't do it, only to find out for sure later that he did. After having a son with this man, he precedes to beat her to death, cleans up the murder and drives around with her body in his car for a week. Once he is found out, he makes up an outlandish story about why he did what he did. His sister-in-law (Valerie Bertinelli) fights to get her nephew back and to prove that he is trying to keep her from doing that. Pregnant and losing her sister she is emotional but she is strong and angry and knows exactly what this man is about, hes a liar. Hes a wife beater and she isn't going to let it go. Sharing custody with his parents they fight with everything they have, finding a lawyer to actually help their cause and get her nephew back. In the end thats exactly what she does. Getting custody and raising her nephew along side her own new daughter. Its a true story of a sister fighting for what she knows is right. Fighting for what she knew her sister would have wanted for her child. She doesn't give up and she doesn't quit. Its a touching movie, a sad movie and a horrendous sight a how someone could brutally kill another the way her husband did. He paid for what he did and he will never see his child again. A good movie, a must see.

I thought this miniseries was an excellent because it shows how much the judicial system can be corrupt. It also showed what families go threw when fighting for a child where a husband has killed his wife and tries to get custody after he has done a horrible crime.

This is not your standard underdeveloped Lifetime movie fare. There is nothing superficial about this movie. The characters are fully developed. Let's face it. The best movies on Lifetime are the ones that are two parters. When you are dealing with this kind of material, you need that extra time to develop the plot and characters fully. Valerie Bertinelli is at her best in this. I kind of almost got the impression that she was really just playing herself. The aspect that I found most interesting in the second half of the movie, was the exploration of the Midwestern "Family Values" of the Heartland versus the evil New York/New Jersey devils represented by the Silvanos. Kind of makes you wonder!

I usually don't watch the junk on Lifetime, but I'm on a Valerie Bertinelli binge. (I'm just recovering from my Deborah Kerr binge.) This is what so-called "women's television" should be -- a compelling story (Whether it's "true" or not has never been a selling point with me.), very well-drawn characters, and a solid script. If you'll pardon the screenwriter's lingo, the set-up was one of the best I've ever seen. The Silvano family was colorful without being a parody of Italian-Americans. Each member was presented as an individual as well a part of the whole. Finally, I first realized Valerie Bertinelli (VB) was (and is) one darn good actress when I saw her in "The Haunting of Helen Walker." Another exception to the usual Lifetime TV fare, I was floored by VB's performance -- solid, subtle without being underacted, giving her own interpretation to a well-known character. In "In a Child's Name," VB gives another very good performance, presenting a well-rounded character -- recognizable and one-of-a kind at the same time. Yep, one darn good actress...

This is one of Lifetime's best true story murder stories because it's followed by a custody battle.

The point of view is from the sister of a woman who marries a dentist who murders her. The dentist blames the victim but goes to jail. Then his hateful parents fight for custody of the couple's baby with the dead woman's sister.

There is a memorable scene involving luminol. The actors are good. Valerie Bertinelli is sympathetic as the sister fighting for custody. Chris Meloni plays her husband. Michael Ontkean is so good as the murderous man that this image comes to mind in his subsequent roles. The woman who plays his mother is effectively hateful.

Still good after many years.

I saw this movie many yrs ago and I thought it was so heart wrenching. the cast was great. The story really hits home with me now my daughter died March 16th 2009 hiking in Eagle creek on the trail. She fell to her death 100 ft. Her whole entire family including her friends thinks her boyfriend pushed her. They share a child together and he was living in Portland close by to me and my daughter and the baby. since she's passed he's taken the baby to live in Bend with his parents who I think are evil people. He's limiting my time with my grand daughter and is now trying to get my 19 yr old daughter to be with him and he took out a life insurance policy on her 3 months before she died for more than what he insured himself for. This is all I'm going to say about it. I love my daughter very much and I know she would want me to raise her child. I'm going to fight with everything I have to get custody of her.

I was a NJ resident when this case broke in 1984. I remember the story as relayed on the pages of the Asbury Park Press and the conversations around the office. When the Sunday article was published by Peter Maas, I felt a sigh of relief for the family. I later purchased the book by Maas and read it a few times. When the movie first aired, I was married with three children. All of the detailed portrayed in the movie was right on the money.

I recently re-acquired my book (it was stowed in a storage facility up north, along with my DVD) and have re-read it. Domestic violence doesn't go away - it stays with you forever! In reading this book again, I realized that the "child" is now a young man of 25 - the same age his mother was when she was murdered.

This movie is timeless, in so much as there are still women killed by their husbands in such a violent manner, that it begs one to question the existence of a "civilized" society.

This movie had a great impact on my life, when you think about it, anyone of us can be a victim of someone as mentally disturbed as Kenneth Taylor. The charm of a Narcissist Psychopath which we find everyday. There are so many sick people out on the loose, it's scary. I saw this movie as a teenager and never forgot about it. The book by Peter Maas is incredible, I bought it through the internet and highly recommend it. I am currently studying Psychology and this character is a very good subject for study. If anyone out there knows where I can purchase this film, I would highly appreciate it. Please send me any information regarding this film to [email protected] Thank you.

this movie was really good i have watched it a million times and every time i watch it i cry. i feel sorry for the family because they had to go through all this the courts, wondering if the Taylor's were going to take the daughter and sisters baby but they didn't get to. i feel for the family i am going through the same thing right know and we all are scared. no body deserves to be treated the way Teresa was and the family does not deserve to be put through this either. and there son now has to grow up with out his real mom but he will always have Angela and her husband to be there for him. Teresa will not be able to meet her daughter in law or her grandkids she will not be able to see her son graduate. she will not be able to be there for Angela's kids or meet them since they have grown up. Teresa's parents will not be able to talk with her or see her laugh they don't get to spend Christmas or thanksgiving with her or there b-days or her b-day with her anymore

Based on a true story."This Child Is Mine!"recalls the trouble marriage of a drug addicted and murderous dentist.Who kills his wife and then turns over the custody of his infant son to his crazed bible touting parents.And they cover up the fact that their son is guilty of killing his wife and messing around with other women.Valerie Bertinelli doesn't come into the film's plot until the latter half of the first part of the story.She plays the dead woman's sister.Who fights to gain proper custody of her newphew.But she is thwarted by her corrupt in laws and the equally crooked law enforcers of the south.But by the end of the second part of this minni series.Valerie and her family and law enforcers of the north foil her dangerous and crooked in laws and she finally becomes the child's guardian.With some support from her father(played by the late John Karlan..best remembered by tv viewers as "Harvey Lacey Sr"on CBS Tv's and Barney Rosenweig's:"Cageny & Lacey")and David Huddleston as the evil father in law of the insane dentist."This Child Is Mine"is one of the better tv movie thrillers.

This is the incredible true story of a man Named Kenneth who just got divorced and marries another woman name Teresa and were in engaged,but sooner or later he abuses his wife for Murder and His Wife's Family has to fight against his family The Taylors for abducting The child name Andrew away from them cause,they didn't care for their daughter-in-law Teresa's death ,but Kenneth's sister-in-law Angela hates to see that but She hires a lawyer against her Sister Teresa's death against Kenneth for murder and The Child to be held in custody.

Oh where do I begin... It is possible for a cheesy movie to still be good. Some movies, while corny, are delightfully so. This movie has a cheese factor that could beat out the entire state of Wisconsin. Now don't get me wrong, this movie will hook you with the whole "plight to save her dead sister's child from the husband who murdered her" storyline, but that doesn't mean you should sit through it to find out who gets the kid. I happened upon this stereotypical Lifetime movie on a perfectly useful Saturday morning and by the time the film was over, so was the day. It's called a Lifetime movie because it takes a lifetime to watch... For a "based on a true story" movie, it was ridiculously unrealistic. The crime scene was so outrageous and the idea that relatives would be allowed to live in the house while it's under police investigation is so unbelievable it's almost laughable. Sitting down to watch this will mean at least four hours of your life that you will never get back.

This movie was about my aunt's (Janice Miller) case. She recounted what happened for me and the movie followed the events very truthfully. I thought it was great for being on T.V. I thought they portrayed my uncle unfairly and spelled his last name wrong( it's gAUdio not gUAdio) but he is not central to the story. The actors had brilliant performances and you had to feel bad for the family of the child. Well that's about all I have to say on this movie. I still cannot believe this movie was actually about my aunt's case. It's nice to see that a relative finally gets recognition for their hard work.I only wish i could find a copy of this that i could buy.

Michael Ontkean ("The Rookies") reeks with evil as a wife abuser who kills his third wife, then attempts to thwart the efforts of his sister-in-law to gain custody of her late sister's baby. Valerie Bertinelli ("One Day At A Time") plays the sister-in-law who's determined to not to let her nephew be raised by the murderer's family. She's able to get her brother-in-law put behind bars for murder, but she and her family are taken for a roller-coaster ride as they go through one legal battle after the next for custody of the baby. You'll be rooting for Bertinelli to win all the way. Louise Fletcher also turns in a good performance as Ontkean's rigid mother.