For the Love of Nancy

For the Love of Nancy is a 1994 American made-for-television drama film directed by Paul Schneider. The film, based on a true story, deals with anorexia nervosa. Lead actress Tracey Gold was actually recovering from the disease while making the movie and used her own life experience for the portrayal of Nancy.

For the Love of Nancy
DVD cover
Genre	Drama
Written by	Carol Evan McKeand Nigel McKeand
Directed by	Paul Schneider
Starring	Tracey Gold
Music by	Dan Slider
Country of origin	United States
Original language	English
Production
Executive producers	Vin Di Bona Lloyd Weintraub
Producer	Harry R. Sherman
Production location	Vancouver
Cinematography	Eric Van Haren Noman
Editor	Andrew Cohen
Running time	100 minutes
Production company	Vin Di Bona Productions
Original release
Network	ABC
Release	October 2, 1994 (1994-10-02)

Plot

Nancy Walsh is a high school graduate who is apprehensive about the future. She fears change, growing up and losing her familiar life. She gets her wisdom teeth removed the day after prom and loses weight due to not being able to eat solid food. She notices changes in her body after her older brother compliments her weight loss. She weighs herself and realises she lost 6 pounds, which gives her a high, and she becomes obsessed with her physical appearance. When she begins college, she becomes withdrawn and remains conscious about her weight. She embarks upon a regimented exercising routine, hardly eats and rarely interacts with anybody. At college, she spends most of her time in her room, where she obsesses about keeping her living space in meticulous order.

Her friend Debbie and Debbie’s mother seemed to have noticed her drastic weightloss and suspect she's anorexic. Her mother, however, only sees Nancy in baggy clothes and believes she looks good, ignoring the changes. During a birthday dinner, Nancy lies about eating and her brother Patrick calls her out, while her brother Tommy remarks how her watch no longer fits her. Patrick looks concerned for a moment before looking annoyed when Nancy snaps back with a rude remark towards Tommy claiming he stuffs himself like a pig. Patrick is the first one to truly confront her about it on Thanksgiving when they are tidying up the dinnerware and he shows her, her uneaten plate of food. Her mother finally notices the severity of her problem when she accidentally walks in on Nancy half-naked and sees her skeletal figure. She confides in her husband and son about Nancy’s gaunt figure, remarking “all the baggy clothes must’ve hid it, I don’t think she could weigh 100 pounds. She's like a skeleton, every bone, every rib. My god, what is happening to her?" Later on when she makes an entrance at a Christmas party, everyone is shocked by how thin she looks. Her brothers awkwardly stare at her, and the guests appear uncomfortable. The following day, her parents confront her and she promises them that everything is going to be okay. Her mother believes her, but her uncle convinces her that if they remain complacent, Nancy could die.

Soon Nancy admits to being anorexic, revealing that she does not know how to stop the disorder. She is reluctant to be taken to the hospital, but mother is keen for her to get help to ultimately recover. She enters a group session, but feels she doesn't belong there. Nevertheless, she refuses to eat and even goes as far as hiding food, to fake her progress.

She is soon caught, and the doctor decides to connect her to a feeding tube. After a while, she makes progress, gaining six pounds. This upsets her, and because she is over eighteen, she is able to sign herself out of the hospital. Upon her return home, she continues starving herself, much to the distress of her mother. When she finds plates with food under her bed, she confronts her and realizes that Nancy is lying.

Nancy resists any attempts at help and doesn't even respond when she is forced to eat. Her mother asks her in tears why she is doing it, but she doesn't explain. Tommy is afraid that she will soon die. Meanwhile, she becomes extremely sick from malnutrition, and is eventually hospitalized because of a kidney disease. Her parents feel that they can't do anything but watch her die.

Desperate, her mother asks Nancy' doctor how their family can help Nancy. The doctor informs her that Nancy needs to have someone become her medical guardian. Nancy's father decides to go to court against Nancy for the guardianship. Realizing that her parents are only trying to help her, Nancy gives in and lets her father become her guardian. Tom sends Nancy back to the hospital, where Nancy admits having anorexia nervosa and in the end gains weight and starts to regain a normal life. She now feels open to talk about her anorexia.

Cast

• Tracey Gold as Nancy Walsh
• Jill Clayburgh as Sally Walsh
• Cameron Bancroft as Patrick Walsh
• Mark-Paul Gosselaar as Tommy Walsh
• Deanna Milligan as Debbie
• Michael MacRae as Uncle Tommy
• William Devane as Tom Walsh
• Garwin Sanford as Dr. Partana
• Michael Buie as Mike

External links

• For the Love of Nancy at IMDb