Sullen and forlorn 14-year-old incorrigible runaway Chris Parker (a touching and terrific performance by Linda Blair) gets declared a ward of the state. She's placed in a juvenile reform school where she not only begins to feel even more dejected and alienated because of the cold bureaucratic system, but also runs afoul of nasty, disturbed Denny (chillingly played by Janit Baldwin) and dumpy, aggressive lesbian Moco (the equally scary Nora Heflin). Director Donald Wrye, working from a gritty and uncompromisingly realistic script by Gerald Di Pego, relates the grimly plausible and compelling story in an admirably straightforward and nonexploitative manner. The uniformly fine acting from a top-notch cast qualifies as another substantial asset: Joanna Miles as concerned, caring counselor Barbara Clark, Allyn Ann McLerie as strict, but compassionate house mother Emma Lasko, Richard Jaeckel as Chris' stern, volatile, overbearing father, Kim Hunter as Chris' neurotic, ineffectual mother, Mitch Vogel as Chris' supportive, but unhelpful brother Tom, Tina Andrews as the friendly, spunky Josie, and Sandra Ego as the depressed, suicidal, pregnant Janet. Fred Karlin's beautifully moody'n'melancholy score and David M. Walsh's plain, yet polished cinematography are likewise solid and impressive. But what truly gives this hard-hitting made-for-TV drama its considerable impact and poignancy is the welcome and commendable sense of restraint, conviction and raw honesty evident throughout. The potentially lurid plot stays on a steady and tasteful course (although the infamous plunger rape scene is indeed quite shocking and disturbing, its thankfully more suggested than shown), sharply revealing plenty of bleak truths about troubled teens in the process and culminating in a hauntingly downbeat ending. A real powerhouse.

Linda Blair, immediately following her triumph in ''The Exorcist'' was cast in this then controversial TV movie. Christine Parker is a young runaway from an abusive home whose parents hand her over to the state. She finds herself in a detention home, where she discovers the even harsher realities of the young girls who reside there - unloved, troubled, and angry, who have the tendency to vent all their aggression onto newcomers. She finds herself as the target of their rage on evening in the shower room, where five of her fellow inmates gang up on her and violate her with a toilet plunger handle. Considered overly graphic at the time of its original airing in 1974, the scene was cut for later airings, but has been restored on DVD. Blair's nipple can be briefly seen for a few moments and that may explain why the scene was cut in subsequent TV broadcasts. As disturbing as it is, the rape is essential to the film's plot and adds to the anguish that Chris and her peers experience. When she has the chance to go home for a brief stay, her abusive father (Richard Jaeckel, magnificent) slaps her and her mother, leading the teen to run away again, taking her right back to where she started. Kim Hunter is effective as the passive, meek mother who endures her husband's insensitivity and mistreatment. Blair went on to give some more great performances in the late 70s, such as another TV movie, "Sarah T: Portrait Of A Teenage Alcoholic" and the theatrical releases "Sweet Hostage", "Summer Of Fear" and "Hell Night". Not long after, she found herself in exploitation flick hell. She is an outstanding actress, giving her all to every project, and it would have been nice if she had found some more mainstream material. Joanna Miles as the compassionate teacher, is the voice of reason and perhaps of caring in a system that does not want to take a bigger step towards actually considering the welfare of these troubled youths. Allyn Ann McLerie, as the well-meaning but ineffectual housemother Lasko, conveys the frustration and defeatist attitude of a woman who keeps things together but can't bring herself to actually make a difference in the lives of her girls. The portrayals of the other adolescents are right on target, a diverse group who all share the same pain, so much so that they become bonded in a hardened, indifferent way. Chris becomes one of the gang, and in a sadly realistic conclusion, has lost sight of any goals or aspirations she may have had to change her life.Worth viewing, still relevant today.

Growing up, The book, Born innocent stirred me and the movie version was pretty good as well. I agree with many on how controversial this is, there are some scenes(one in particular) that are brutal to the point of almost being unwatchable. Yet this movie is very intense and emotionally moving, as is the book. SPOILERS THROUGHOUT: The transformation of Chris Parker from a frightened young woman to hardened and tough is frustrating and sad. The rape scene I could have very happily lived without, I was just a kid when I viewed this and it was pretty upsetting. But I don't think it was there for shock value, that scene was also present in the book and was, I guess, almost necessary for the whole story.The movie shows what can happen to a kid who gets lost in the system-it is unusally powerful and though it stands as a TV movie this was a movie I have no problem with seeing it made for the big screen. The performances/acting were great.This is not a pleasant movie to watch, as many really good movies aren't. It is however, a well done, frighteningly real story that will tug at your heartstrings. Any fan of Blair's or of this type of movie in general should check it out. It affected me then and would probably stand the test of time and affect me now, were I to view it again.

Linda Blair giving a post Exorcist turn as a troubled teen who has the bad habit of bolting every time her father belts her. Funny, seventies, almost exploitation movie. Best quote: Teacher" What do girls want to do with your lives" Girl "I want to get high!" Classic.