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Meg Tilly in In the Best Interest of the Child (1990)

Quotes

In the Best Interest of the Child

Edit
  • [last lines]
  • Judge Dunham: Do you understand that you are now facing a charge of felony kidnapping?
  • Jennifer Colton: [defiantly] Yes, Your Honor, I understand.
  • Judge Dunham: And are you aware that your willingness to cooperate with this courtroom will directly affect the manner in which the district attorney chooses to prosecute those charges?
  • Jennifer Colton: Yes, Your Honor.
  • Judge Dunham: Mrs. Colton, I believe you are an honest woman and a concerned mother, and I believe you were certain in your view. But I cannot let that judgment affect the rules of law that all citizens must live by. Do you understand that?
  • Jennifer Colton: I do.
  • Judge Dunham: I will give you one more chance to perhaps diminish the circumstances in which you are currently trapped. Where is your daughter?
  • [Jennifer goes silent and defiant still]
  • Judge Dunham: Please, Mrs. Colton, answer the question. Where is your daughter?
  • Jennifer Colton: I'm sorry, Your Honor, I cannot answer that question.
  • Judge Dunham: Cannot or will not?
  • Jennifer Colton: [turns and looks at him] I would say both, Your Honor.
  • Judge Dunham: Then you do know of her whereabouts at this time?
  • Jennifer Colton: I will not answer that question.
  • Judge Dunham: Have you had recent contact with her?
  • Jennifer Colton: [repeats, enunciates calmly] I will not answer that question.
  • Judge Dunham: Then you give me no choice but to inform the district attorney of your unwillingness to cooperate with this court.
  • [Jennifer lightly nods]
  • Judge Dunham: One last time, Mrs. Colton: Do you understand that you are now facing a felony kidnapping charge?
  • Jennifer Colton: I tried to follow the law in everything I did. But the law doesn't work, and if the law doesn't work, then it ought to be changed. But that would take time, and Mandy couldn't afford to wait.
  • [the next scene shows Jennifer back in prison being escorted to her cell by the warden]

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