''The Stepford Children'' is a 1987 American

made-for-television A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie, telefilm, telemovie or TV film/movie, is a film with a running time similar to a feature film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a Terrestr ...

horror Horror may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Genres *Horror fiction, a genre of fiction **Psychological horror, a subgenre of horror fiction **Christmas horror, a subgenre of horror fiction **Analog horror, a subgenre of horror fiction * ...

science fiction Science fiction (often shortened to sci-fi or abbreviated SF) is a genre of speculative fiction that deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts. These concepts may include information technology and robotics, biological manipulations, space ...

thriller film Thriller film, also known as suspense film or suspense thriller, is a broad film genre that evokes excitement and suspense in the audience. The suspense element found in most films' plots is particularly exploited by the filmmaker in this genre. ...

inspired by the

Ira Levin Ira Marvin Levin (August 27, 1929 – November 12, 2007) was an American novelist, playwright, and songwriter. His works include the novels '' A Kiss Before Dying'' (1953), '' Rosemary's Baby'' (1967), '' The Stepford Wives'' (1972), '' This Perf ...

novel ''

The Stepford Wives ''The Stepford Wives'' is a 1972 satirical "feminist horror" novel by Ira Levin. The story concerns Joanna Eberhart, a talented photographer, wife, and young mother who suspects that something in the town of Stepford is changing the wives fro ...

''. It was directed by Alan J. Levi with a

screenplay A screenplay, or script, is a written work produced for a film, television show (also known as a '' teleplay''), or video game by screenwriters (cf. ''stage play''). Screenplays can be original works or adaptations from existing pieces of w ...

by Bill Bleich and starring

Barbara Eden Barbara Eden (born Barbara Jean Morehead; August 23, 1931) is an American actress and singer, who starred as the title character in the sitcom ''I Dream of Jeannie'' (1965–1970). Her other roles included Roslyn Pierce opposite Elvis Presley in ...

, Don Murray,

Tammy Lauren Tammy Lauren is an American film and television actress. She starred in the 1997 horror film '' Wishmaster.'' Career As a child actress, Lauren's acting debut was in the role of Melissa Turner on the one-season television series '' Who's Watch ...

Randall Batinkoff Randall Matthew Batinkoff (born October 16, 1968) is an American actor, director, and producer. He began his career in commercials at the age of eight before transitioning to film and television. He gained recognition for his role opposite Molly R ...

and

Pat Corley Pat Corley (June 1, 1930 – September 11, 2006), born "Cleo Pat Corley," was an American actor who portrayed bar owner Phil on the CBS sitcom ''Murphy Brown'' from 1988 to 1996. He also had a recurring role as Chief Coroner Wally Nydorf o ...

. It is the second in a series of sequels inspired by the 1972 novel and the original 1975 film ''

''.

Plot

Laura and Steven Harding (

and Don Murray) move with their children to the town of Stepford, Connecticut where Steven had lived with his first wife who had died mysteriously. While Laura is occupied with passing the

bar exam A bar examination is an examination administered by the bar association of a jurisdiction that a lawyer must pass in order to be admitted to the bar of that jurisdiction. Australia Administering bar exams is the responsibility of the bar associat ...

, Steven is disturbed by their children, athletic but unfocused David (

) and free-spirited, music loving Mary (

). Steven joins the Men's Association, which is still assimilating their wives into robots. This time, they have begun to turn their out-of-control teens into robots as well. Once they are assimilated, the children are obedient, homework-loving, accomplished droids, but with little personality. The Hardings befriend the Gregsons: Laura with sloppy and high-spirited mom, Sandy (Sharon Spelman), and David dates their sly-humored daughter, Lois (Debbie Barker), with whom he shares a love of

motorcycle A motorcycle (motorbike, bike; uni (if one-wheeled); trike (if three-wheeled); quad (if four-wheeled)) is a lightweight private 1-to-2 passenger personal motor vehicle Steering, steered by a Motorcycle handlebar, handlebar from a saddle-style ...

s. Laura is confused when the principal discourages her plans to establish a PTA, and Mary feels unnerved by her passive classmates as well as (unknowingly) the methods used to collect her image, hair, and body information. At the school's Parents' Night, Laura becomes aware of the disconnection between her and Steven's parenting styles. She allows the children space, while he has become obsessed with a perfect image. On the night of a dance, David, Mary, and Lois become suspicious when Sandy seemingly has changed, having become obsessed with cleaning and

Bundt cake A Bundt cake () is a cake that is baked in a Bundt pan, shaping it into a distinctive donut shape. The shape is inspired by a traditional European cake known as , but Bundt cakes are not generally associated with any single recipe. The style of mo ...

s. They make the best of the dance, playing

rock music Rock is a Music genre, genre of popular music that originated in the United States as "rock and roll" in the late 1940s and early 1950s, developing into a range of styles from the mid-1960s, primarily in the United States and the United Kingdo ...

over the local choice of

big band A big band or jazz orchestra is a type of musical ensemble of jazz music that usually consists of ten or more musicians with four sections: saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and a rhythm section. Big bands originated during the early 1910s and ...

and

easy listening Easy listening (including mood music) is a popular music genre and radio format that was most popular during the 1950s to the 1970s. It is related to middle of the road (MOR) music and encompasses instrumental recordings of standards, hit s ...

beautiful Beautiful, an adjective used to describe things as possessing beauty, may refer to: Film and theater * ''Beautiful'' (2000 film), an American film directed by Sally Field * ''Beautiful'' (2008 film), a South Korean film directed by Juhn Jai-h ...

music, but cause a riot as the children dance awkwardly (never having been programmed to dance freestyle). The kids are arrested, but then released on Steven's and Mr. Gregson's vows to do something about them. Lois calls David, upset, asking him to help her as all the men in town have gathered at her house and are "coming for her". They escape on their motorcycles, but Lois crashes when a car tries to run them off the road. David goes to the hospital where Lois lies entirely wrapped in bandages. When he sneaks into her room, he sees one of her limbs is missing in an unnatural manner as well as her vacant eyes, and he runs in fear. The next day, Lois appears back to normal—but she is now a mindless double who dates a boy she previously had dismissed. David and Laura visit the Gregsons where she witnesses the change in Sandy as well. Next, Laura finds that Mary has also changed after an evening's "shopping trip" with Dad, losing all her individuality and even doing some ironing. Laura digs open the grave of Steven's first wife and finds an android in the coffin. Returning home, Laura learns Steven has taken David out for a "shopping trip" just before Mary's duplicate attacks her with a knife, but Laura is able to thwart the duplicate; as she throws it to the floor, it malfunctions. Laura goes to the Men's Association to find David; while investigating a greenhouse, she discovers the true Mary strapped to a table. They are surrounded by Steven and the other Men's Club members, as well as the bodies of the town's children, who are going through a bizarre bio-organic process to make them into docile drones. They are then replaced by their robot doubles during the procedure. Having escaped from his father earlier, David bursts in on his motorcycle and causes a diversion, allowing Laura and Mary a reprieve. As the Hardings escape, damage to the machines causes an

explosion An explosion is a rapid expansion in volume of a given amount of matter associated with an extreme outward release of energy, usually with the generation of high temperatures and release of high-pressure gases. Explosions may also be generated ...

, which destroys the Men's Association, its members (including Steven), and the half-processed children, although two of them survive the explosion. Laura and the kids race out of town.

Cast

as Laura Harding * Don Murray as Steve Harding *

as Mary Harding *

as David Harding *

as Sheriff Weston *

Ken Swofford Kenneth Charles Swofford (July 25, 1933 – November 1, 2018) was an American film and television actor. With his burly build and distinctive red hair he was often cast in villain, police officer or 'everyman' roles. Between 1962 and 1995, ...

as Frank Gregson *

Richard Anderson Richard Norman Anderson (August 8, 1926 – August 31, 2017) was an American film and television actor. One of his best-known roles was his portrayal of Oscar Goldman, the boss of Steve Austin (Lee Majors) and Jaime Sommers (Lindsay Wagner) in ...

as Lawrence Denton *Sharon Spelman as Sandy Gregson *

Raye Birk Raye Birk (born May 27, 1943) is an American film and television actor. He appeared as Pahpshmir in the first and last of the '' Naked Gun'' movies, and his television appearances include ''The Wonder Years, The Golden Girls, Wings,'' and ''Ch ...

as George Larson * Debbie Barker as Lois Gregson *

Dick Butkus Richard Marvin Butkus (December 9, 1942 – October 5, 2023) was an American professional football linebacker, sports commentator, and actor. He played football for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL) from 1965 to 1973. He w ...

as Tom Wilcox *

James Coco James Emil Coco (March 21, 1930 – February 25, 1987) was an American stage and screen actor. He was the recipient of a Primetime Emmy Award, a Drama Desk Award, a Cable ACE Award and three Obie Awards, as well as nominations for a Tony Award, ...

as Mr. Jamison *

John Cameron Mitchell John Cameron Mitchell (born April 21, 1963) is an American actor, playwright, screenwriter, singer, songwriter, producer and director. He is known as the writer, director and star of the 2001 film ''Hedwig and the Angry Inch (film), Hedwig and t ...

as Kenny Moreland *

Judith Baldwin Judith Lee Baldwin (born March 26, 1946) is an American film and television actress. A life member of the Actors Studio, Baldwin amassed 46 screen credits between 1969 and her leading role in 2005's ''Every Secret Thing''. In 1978, she replaced ...

as Kimberly Summer *Peter Elbing as Mr. Peterson *Pam Newman as Lorraine Moreland *James Staley as Mr. Moreland *Toni Sawyer as Stepford Wife *Jacqueline Lovejoy as Stepford Wife *

John Hostetter John Hostetter (October 6, 1946 – September 2, 2016) was an American actor and visual artist. He played John, the stage manager on the fictional FYI newsmagazine, on the CBS sitcom ''Murphy Brown'' starring Candice Bergen; he appeared in 65 of ...

as Swimming Instructor

Production notes

Judith Baldwin had a role in the original 1975 version of ''

''. John Cameron Mitchell, who played Kenny, the boy kidnapped on the lake early in the film and then assimilated, would later become famous as the director and star of ''

Hedwig and the Angry Inch Hedwig and the Angry Inch may refer to: * ''Hedwig and the Angry Inch'' (musical), 1998 ** ''Hedwig and the Angry Inch'' (soundtrack), 1999 * ''Hedwig and the Angry Inch'' (film), 2001 {{disambig ...

''. The robots evolved from the original depiction in the first film, who closely resembled

mannequin A mannequin (sometimes spelled as manikin and also called a dummy, lay figure, or dress form) is a doll, often articulated, used by artists, tailors, dressmakers, window dressers and others, especially to display or fit clothing and show off dif ...

s or the

animatronics An animatronic is a puppet controlled electronically to move in a fluent way. Animatronics are the modern adaptation of the automaton and are often used for the portrayal of characters in films, video games and in theme park attractions. Anim ...

found at

Disneyland Disneyland is a amusement park, theme park at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. It was the first theme park opened by the Walt Disney Company and the only one designed and constructed under the direct supervision of Walt Disney, ...

. The advanced versions resemble "the Visible Man" toy, and this design was similarly recreated in the 2004 remake of ''

''. Like the sequel ''

Revenge of the Stepford Wives ''Revenge of the Stepford Wives'' is a 1980 American made-for-television science-fiction thriller film inspired by the Ira Levin novel ''The Stepford Wives''. It was directed by Robert Fuest with a screenplay by David Wiltse and starring Sharon ...

'', the film was shot in California, as evidenced by "Canyon Road", which is ''not'' in Connecticut.

Home media

The film was released on VHS under the Worldvision European label in the PAL format. In 2016, CBS Home Entertainment released the film as a burn-on-demand DVD in the U.S..

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Stepford Children, The 1987 films 1987 television films 1980s psychological thriller films 1980s science fiction thriller films American science fiction thriller films American sequel films Films about androids Films based on science fiction novels NBC original films Films based on works by Ira Levin Films set in Connecticut Films shot in California Television sequel films Films directed by Alan J. Levi 1980s American films 1987 science fiction films