When the Bough Breaks

When the Bough Breaks

1986 · 100 min · ★ 6.4 · Crime, Drama, Thriller, TV Movie

A Los Angeles psychiatrist testifies for the prosecution in the trial of an accused child molester. Later the defendant, who is out on bail, is found dead in the psychiatrist's office, in what appears to be a suicide. Shaken, the psychiatrist moves to the mountains outside of L.A. Not long afterwards a detective he knows comes to him for help. A seven-year-old girl saw someone kill both of her parents, but is so traumatized by the event that she can't remember anything, and the detective wants the doctor to help jar her memory. Soon, however, the doctor and the detective discover that the parents' murder and the pedophiles "suicide" may be linked to a shadowy group of wealthy and influential pedophiles, and that the child isn't the only one whose life is in danger.

Directed by Waris Hussein · Written by Phil Penningroth

Your Rating

Where to Watch

Streaming

Provider data from JustWatch via TMDB →

Cast

Ted Danson Alex
Richard Masur Milo
Rachel Ticotin Raquel Santos
James Noble Dr. Warren Towle
Kim Miyori Kim Hickle
Merritt Butrick Tim Kruger
David Huddleston Vicar McCaffrey
Charles Lane Van der Graaf
Scott Paulin Rick
Deborah Harmon Lisa
Marcie Leeds Melody Quinn
Tom Williams Stuart Hickle

More from Waris HusseinSee all →

Thirteen Against Fate

Thirteen Against Fate · 1966

Thirteen Against Fate

Thirteen Against Fate is a series of thirteen hour-long episodes based on the novels of Georges Simenon. Noted for the sound psychology of his characters, Simenon's stories deal with many nationalities and are set in numerous European cities and villages. There are sequences filmed in these locations integrated into the episodes. In each of the novels chosen for this series, Fate plays a leading role in the development of the story and the characters.

Hallmark Hall of Fame

Hallmark Hall of Fame · 1951

Hallmark Hall of Fame

Long-running anthology program sponsored by Hallmark Cards. Beginning in 1951 and continuing into 2019, the series received 80 Emmy Awards, 24 Christopher Awards, 11 Peabody Awards, 9 Golden Globes, and 4 Humanitas Prizes. Early seasons were a weekly live drama, eventually transitioning to videotaped and then filmed productions broadcast as occasional specials.

Doctor Who: Origins

Doctor Who: Origins · 2006

Doctor Who: Origins

MovieDocumentary

A 55-minute documentary, detailing the creation of Doctor Who, including a rare interview with creator Sydney Newman, and new interviews with producer Verity Lambert, directors Waris Hussein and Richard Martin, actors William Russell and Carole Ann Ford, title sequence designer Bernard Lodge, and TARDIS sound effect creator Brian Hodgson

Doctor Who Confidential

Doctor Who Confidential · 2005

Doctor Who Confidential

SeriesDocumentary

Doctor Who Confidential is a documentary to complement the revival of the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. Each episode was broadcast on BBC Three on Saturdays, immediately after the broadcast of the weekly television episode on BBC One. The running time of the first two series was 30 minutes, being extended to 45 minutes in the third. BBC Three also broadcast a cut-down edition of the programme, lasting 15 minutes, shown after the repeats on Sundays and Fridays and after the weekday evening repeats of earlier seasons.

Doctor Who

Doctor Who · 1963

The adventures of The Doctor, a time-traveling humanoid alien known as a Time Lord. He explores the universe in his TARDIS, a sentient time-traveling spaceship. Its exterior appears as a blue British police box, which was a common sight in Britain in 1963 when the series first aired. Along with a succession of companions, The Doctor faces a variety of foes while working to save civilizations, help ordinary people, and right many wrongs.

Daphne Laureola

Daphne Laureola · 1978

Daphne Laureola

A young man becomes infatuated with the exotic Lady Pitts whose much older husband is not pleased.

Richard Burton: Wild Genius

Richard Burton: Wild Genius · 2025

Richard Burton: Wild Genius

MovieDocumentary

The son of a Welsh miner, Richard Burton became a Hollywood star and is considered one of the greatest British actors ever. He lived a big life in a short time. This is his epic story, from the village of Pontrhydyfen to global icon, and from the teacher in Port Talbot spotting his talents and transforming his life to being offered $7 million for seven movies and a scandalous love affair with Elizabeth Taylor that captivated the world.

Princess Daisy

Princess Daisy · 1983

The lovely Daisy is the daughter of a Russian prince and an American movie star. After her parents are killed, she flees from her half-brother Ram. She fights her way to the top of the modeling profession and falls in love with a company president. But then, her half-brother arrives on the scene, ready to blackmail and destroy her.

Copacabana

Copacabana · 1985

MovieComedyMusic

In 1948, aspiring songwriter Tony works as a bar pianist; he meets aspiring star Lola, and is immediately smitten. At Manhattan's Copacabana lounge, they both start finding fame. However, fate steps in and she is swept to Havana to work in a splashy nightclub act where she is convinced she will find her stardom. Instead, she finds Rico, a suave gangster and the club owner.

Screen Two

Screen Two · 1985

Series of single made-for-television dramas.

Melody

MovieComedyDrama

Two youngsters declare to their parents that they want to get married. Not sometime in the future but as soon as possible.

Cult People

Cult People · 1989

MovieDocumentary

In interviews, various actors and directors discuss their careers and their involvement in the making of what has come to be known as "cult" films. Included are such well-known genre figures as Russ Meyer, Curtis Harrington, Cameron Mitchell and James Karen.

Macready's Gala

Macready's Gala · 1966

Macready's Gala

The Headmaster and governors of a boarding school are accidentally locked in the new memorial room with the convicted Great Train Robbers.

ITV Playhouse

ITV Playhouse · 1967

ITV Playhouse is a British comedy-drama TV series that ran from 1967 to 1983, which featured contributions from playwrights such as Dennis Potter, Rhys Adrian and Alan Sharp. The series began in black and white, but was later shot in colour and was produced by various companies for the ITV network, a format that would inspire Dramarama. Actors appearing in the series included Leslie Anderson, Gwen Nelson, Ricky Alleyne, Pat Heywood, Michael Elphick, Ian Hendry, Edward Woodward, Margaret Lockwood, Jessie Matthews and Lloyd Peters.

Remembers…

Remembers… · 2022

SeriesDocumentary

What are the secrets of our favourite TV shows? Famous names from both sides of the camera reflect on making some of the most popular and influential programs of all time.

Laurence Olivier Presents

Laurence Olivier Presents · 1976

Laurence Olivier Presents

Laurence Olivier Presents is a British television series made by Granada Television which ran from 1976 to 1978. The plays, with the exception of Hindle Wakes, all starred Laurence Olivier. Some of the plays were based on productions staged at the National Theatre during the period when Olivier was Artistic Director. In addition to distinguished English actors, the casts assembled for these productions included several Hollywood stars, such as Natalie Wood, Robert Wagner, Joanne Woodward and Maureen Stapleton.

More Like This

The Eye 2

The Eye 2 · 2004

MovieThrillerHorror

Pregnant Joey teeters on the brink of madness after several fruitless suicide attempts. She's the unwilling recipient of an influx of shadowy images that haunt her pervasively. In an attempt to quell this disturbing phenomenon, she looks up with her secretive ex-lover Sam, who may be able to shed some light upon the mysterious twilight world descending upon Joey.

The Memory of a Killer

The Memory of a Killer · 2003

The Memory of a Killer

MovieCrimeThriller

Vincke and Verstuyft are one of the best detective teams of the Antwerp police force. When they are confronted with the disappearance of a top official and the murder of two prostitutes, the trail leads to the almost retired assassin Angelo Ledda. Since Ledda starts showing symptoms of Alzheimer's, it's getting more and more difficult to complete his contracts. When he has to murder a 12-year old call-girl, he refuses and becomes a target himself. While Vincke and Verstuyft are chasing him and counting the corpses, Ledda is taking care of his employers.

Imaginary Heroes

Imaginary Heroes · 2004

Imaginary Heroes

MovieComedyDrama

Matt Travis is good-looking, popular, and his school's best competitive swimmer, so everyone is shocked when he inexplicably commits suicide. As the following year unfolds, each member of his family struggles to recover from the tragedy with mixed results.

Scum

MovieDramaCrime

Carlin is a new reform school inmate with a reputation as a hard case. The authorities encourage gang leader Pongo to humble Carlin, but Carlin overtakes Pongo as Daddy of the ward. The guards institute a reign of terror and neglect, with Carlin emerging as an unlikely leader.

First Reformed

First Reformed · 2018

A pastor of a small church in upstate New York starts to spiral out of control after a soul-shaking encounter with an unstable environmental activist and his pregnant wife.

Crocodile

Crocodile · 1996

Under the Han River lives Crocodile, a rugged member of the lumpenproletariat who exists from schemes and stealing. His position as a scavenger of society undermines South Korea’s boasts of its newfound economic position as an Asian Tiger. One day, Crocodile finds a girl floating in his river.

Bullet Ballet

Bullet Ballet · 1998

MovieDramaThriller

After his girlfriend commits suicide, a man becomes embroiled in gang warfare attempting to obtain a gun in hopes to kill himself.

According to Greta

According to Greta · 2009

According to Greta

MovieDramaRomance

Dumped on her grandparents for the summer by her indifferent mother, acerbic and self-destructive teenager Greta disrupts the elderly couple's staid life on the Jersey Shore. Eventually, a romance helps Greta face down her demons.

The Celebration

The Celebration · 1998

The Celebration

The family of a wealthy businessman gather to celebrate his 60th birthday. During the course of the party, his eldest son presents a speech that reveals a devastating secret that turns the night into a battle of truth and denial.

Rate this film

Your ratings make Midnight smarter