To Save the Children (1994 TV Movie) User Reviews (2)

David's „Biggie" – sensible account of a true drama

[manuel-pestalozzi · 8/10 · 24 July 2006]

The main protagonist of these true events, David Young, is a mixture of Charlie Manson and Sonny Wortzig, the bank robber in Sidney Lumet's Dog Day Afternoon. One of the most quoted lines of that movie is Wortzig's partner Sal's answer to his question in which country he would like to flee. It's Wyoming.

The drama in this movie actually takes place in Wyoming. The plot does bear a certain resemblance to Dog Day Afternoon. David Young assembles a small gang for his surefire plan to get rich. Only on the big day, referred to by David as „the biggie", do the others learn, what the plan is – get hold of a grammar school and ask the president of the United States a ransom of 2 million US dollars for each kid. He not only wants to transport a huge amount of firearms into the building but also a bomb with a dead man's switch he had already tested on an (empty) school bus. Although his two partners are quick to refuse to take part in this mad scheme and his daughter after some hesitation decides to follow them, Young puts his plans into action together with his wife – with the foreseeable tragic results.

This movie really works very well, the whole cast is outstanding, all the children's performances really are terrific, too, which makes it all the more believable and moving. David Young clearly is at the center of the narrative. He is played by Richard Thomas whom I remembered as the sweet teenager in the Waltons TV series. His is a great and convincingly scary performance of a weird, funny, dangerous and also strangely pitiable man. Young clearly is a man who should have been in medical treatment or institutionalized. He has developed a weird philosophy and is given to long ramblings which do not loose their effect on weak, impressionable characters. This results in his being a kind of a feverish guru with the appeal of a Charles Manson. The movie takes account of the comic as well as the tragic aspect of the situation with excellent pacing and also with respect for all the characters.

Women take an important part in the story. The teachers face Young with remarkable coolness, consoling and disciplining the kids, trying to prevent disaster. On the other side there is Young's loyal wife who is probably not very intelligent but in her way tries to do the same as the teachers. Outstanding for me was the part of Young's daughter, Joanne Vannicola is excellent in that role. The teenage girl is in a coming of age phase and is clearly torn between the loyalty toward her father and the insight that he is simply mad. The scene where she stands in the school corridor with an armful of rifles, looking truly miserable and finally deciding to stand up to her father was for me the highlight of this very watchable movie.

A Miracle did happen that day, and this movie shows it

[joshfedderson · 10/10 · 19 August 2017]

This is a movie based on actual events that took place in Cokeville Wyoming in 1987. All three of my sisters who grew up in the 80's remembers hearing about it on the news that day it happened, it shocked her and the rest of my family.

A mad man named David Young plans to take over Cokeville Elementary school and to perform his "biggie" as it is called. He was a former town marshal for Cokeville in 1977 and has returned. He claims he wants to create a "Brave New World" where he can rule over intelligent children and be a god like figure to them. This man, obviously insane, thought he could save the children from political and religious brainwashing schemes. This movie tells the story of what happened at the Cokeville Elementary school on May 16th 1987.

This movie touched me in ways I can't explain. Plus it really did happen, I wasn't born at the time but I have siblings and a mom and dad who remember this event all to well. How can a man do this to innocent children, studies have shown that David Young was very self centered and insane. But what amazes me is the fact that everyone survived that day and the only people to lose their lives where David and his wife Doris. I truly believe that divine intervention saved all these kids that day, and this movie shows the courage of the kids and teachers.

I would encourage you to watch the film, it shows that even a mad man such as David Young, who was a real person and was truly insane, cannot break the bonds of faith and courage. I give "To Save the Children" a 10 all the cast did great, especially Richard Thomas who played the mad man David Young.