Love Leads the Way: A True Story is a 1984 television film that originally aired on the Disney Channel on October 7, 1984. It was later re-aired on The Disney Sunday Movie on ABC on May 4, 1986 as Love Leads the Way. The telefilm was directed by Delbert Mann and written by Henry Denker and Jimmy Hawkins.
Synopsis[]
A recently blinded man becomes one of the first American users of a seeing eye dog and must fight to remove the legal barriers impeding its use.
Plot[]
Morris Frank is a young man who lives in Nashville, Tennessee, he has great friends, is engaged to a young lady named Beth. One day, while at the boxing gym, he is hit really hard in his eyes. The doctor tells the Frank Family the sad news, Morris is now blind, which Morris and his parents are shocked to hear. Despite being blind, Morris is determined to be independent which is not easy as he cannot tell where he is going anymore unless he has help. Eventually he becomes insecure about being blind and ends up pushing Beth away, eventually he learns from a newspaper article about a woman in Switzerland named Mrs. Eustes is working with a dog trainer, training German Shepards to help guide blind people. Hearing this Morris decides to write to her knowing this would be a step to getting his life back. Mrs Eustes writes back to Morris explaining he would be coming to Switzerland for training and given special training to help. Morris soon arrives in Switzerland and while eager to start they ask that he adjust to altitude and learn what is necessary before the training can begin.
Cast[]
- Timothy Bottoms as Morris Frank
- Susan Dey as Beth
- Glynnis O'Connor as Lois
- Richard Speight Jr. as Jimmy
- Arthur Hill as Mr. Frank
- Patricia Neal as Mrs. Frank
- Eva Marie Saint as Mrs. Eustes
- Bill Ewin as Emmett (the postman)
- Ralph Bellamy as Sen. Christi
- Ernest Borgnine as Sen. Brighton
- Pilot as Buddie - the dog
- Michael Anderson Jr. as Hank
- Gerald Hiken as Jack
- Richard Roat as Proprietor
- Stephen Young as Mike McShane
- Eugene Pidgeon as Nate
- Henry O. Arnold as Bus Driver
- George Wallace Blind as Institute Director
Historical Differences[]
While did follow several historical accuracies to the story, there were several differences:
- When Morris Frank loses his sight, his eyes are closed, in the film his eyes are open even after he loses his sight.
- Morris Franks mother was also blind but in the film she has perfect eye sight.
- Prior to being partnered with Buddy, her name was originally Kiss, after meeting her Morris changed her name to Buddy.
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