The 1960's ushered in an era of films that increasingly portrayed the family as a single-parent constellation, in sharp contrast with the "nuclear family" typically seen on the silver screen during the 50's and before. The Parent Trap is one of the first of the modern era of films concerning families that are in the process of separation/divorce. Since then, the number of films portraying "non-traditional" families has increased proportionately with the divorce rate. Some of these films deal with the subject of divorce as a primary theme; others utilize the unique characteristics of the single-parent family to introduce tensions into an otherwise unrelated plot. This second use is quite interesting, as it's peripheral, device-like role in movies demonstrates how the problems of the single-parent family have become predictable stories or scripts in modern America.

 
 

Many of these films have concerned males, which may or may not be related to the perception that males react more negatively to divorce and single parenting than do females. One of the most acclaimed contemporary films in the urban genre, Boys N The Hood, begins with a transfer of custody from mother to father of a bright but feisty adolescent male. This initial scene dramatizes the finding that boys tend to be less oppositional in father-custody (see divorce research section). The most famous film of the group, Kramer Vs. Kramer, involves a custody battle over an upset 6 year old boy. Thus, many of these films seem to concern themselves with the difficulties males face in post-divorce families.

On the other hand, Robin Williams' Mrs. Doubtfire involves a family with a sister and brother, as does Bye, Bye, Love. These films focus more on the parents' subjective experiences of custody issues, perhaps suggesting that agreeing on custodial arrangements can be stressful for parents irrespective of the gender or number of children in question. The Parent Trap is about two sisters. In the mid-90's, there have actually been several films about girls in single-parent and step-families: My Girl, Little Giants, and Simple Twist of Fate. Perhaps the film industry is catching up with the fact that 50% of the children in single parent families are female.

Films About Divorce

Kramer Vs. Kramer This multiple Academy-Award winning film deals with the prickly issue of child custody in a poignant drama. A businessman with no time for his family (Dustin Hoffman) is placed in a difficult situation when his wife (Meryl Streep) leaves him and their 6 year old son. Although resentful of the sudden domestic responsibilities placed on him, he slowly begins to appreciate being a father. He puts his work in jeopardy by fulfilling his new parental responsibilities. Father and child bond, a novel sociological message to America at large at that time in the late 70's/early 80's: men are capable of being good primary parents. And then, the mother returns on the scene, demanding custody of the son. The crux of the movie is resolved, ironically, twice. First, the court rules in favor of the mother, despite her irresponsibility at leaving the family without a word some months earlier (using the "tender years doctrine" as judicial reasoning). However, in the final scene, the mother herself decides that the best place for the child is actually with Hoffman, and rescinds her custody rights.

The movie marks the beginning of a social movement of the 1980's which led to reform of the tender years doctrine. It was becoming clear that with the divorce rate running rampant, and the effects of divorce on children's mental health coming to public awareness as a result of the well-publicized Wallerstein research, that some reforms needed to be made to help children. Society was coming to the conclusion that some fathers could do the job as custodians. The outcome in Kramer Vs. Kramer and the arguments made by the father in favor of himself forecast the eventual adoption of the "best interests of the child" doctrine in family law, which does not contain any gender-specific preferences for choosing a custodial parent, but rather focuses on who would be the best "psychological" parent to the child.

Boys N The Hood A significant commentary on the role of the father in the psychological development of teenage boys in the inner city. A mother gives up trying to control a difficult adolescent son (Cuba Gooding, Jr), and she sends him to live with his father (Lawrence Fishburne). Fishburne is a steady hand at the tiller as his son learns by example to harness his aggression, apply himself to studies, and act responsibly in male-female relations. His compatriots (including Ice Cube) without fathers experience considerable difficulty. Ice Cube gives what has been called a "slow burn" performance as he engages in vices ranging from drugs to drive-by shootings. Protected by the invisible auspices of Fishburne's authoritative parenting, Gooding, Jr. can only watch as his friends play out scripts which are strongly suggested to arise from their family backgrounds.

Bye Bye Love Parallel stories of several families going through divorce and negotiating various sorts of custody arrangements. Can't say I enjoyed the humor particularly, but there is something to be said for the movie. Interesting subplot: teenage daughter wants nothing to do with her non-custodial father, who tries everything to maintain some kind of presence in her life.

Mrs. Doubtfire Robin Williams is funny in this divorce-oriented film that depicts a man who cannot obtain custody of his children and decides to masquerade as a nanny in order to spend time with the children at his wife's house. A funny show that actually touches, through it's comedy, on the important issue of visitation limitations that can greatly interfere with relations between children and non-custodial parents, especially in acrimonious divorces.

Radio Flyer Two sons of a divorced mother become unwitting victims of their abusive step-father. Deals mainly with the subject of physical child abuse, but portrays a not-unrealistic image of the disorganization that plagues many divorced/single-parent families.

The Parent Trap The first of the modern era of divorce oriented films (which has recently been remade). Two sisters conspire to trick their separated parents to reunite. A Disney classic, certainly a family film, but funny and significant for it's pioneering place in the genre. The major problem with this film is that it is directed towards a child-audience, and yet it's theme promotes what has been called "reconciliation fantasies". These are common wishes among children that their parents will somehow become reunited. Such a reunion is neither likely nor desirable in most cases; therefore, the movie is essentially promoting a poor resolution to the problems kids face when their parents divorce. Parents watching this movie with their kids might do well to point out that reconciliation fantasies are not realistic.

Man Of The House Chevy Chase stars in this film about a step-father who is reluctantly welcomed by his step-son. This is actually a pretty funny film, and also hits on two important themes: divorced single parents can develop overly intense relationships with their kids that may resist the inclusion of a new household member (step-parent or boyfriend). However, in the end, step-parents appear to have a positive impact on children, particularly boys.

E.T. -- It may come as a surprise that E.T. makes the divorce movie list, but the fact is that the major plot device that makes Elliott (the 10 year old main character) need E.T. is the fact that Elliott does not have a father around. This is set up very early in the movie, before Elliott ever meets E.T.: Elliott and his mother have a confrontation over his choice of language at the dinner table, and his mother points out Elliott would not talk like that if his father were still around. At several points thereafter, Elliott or his siblings express sadness that dad isn't there for Elliott. So, why does Elliott need E.T.? Because E.T. is a replacement father. Someone who can do neat stuff and who also cares for + can bond with Elliott. In the end, their bond is almost literal, as Elliott and E.T. come to share the same emotions. And, the loss of E.T. in the final scene hurts just as much as the loss of dad must have felt after the divorce. True, not many people have looked at E.T. this way before. But, the plot devices are all right there for the adult world to see; I have discussed this at length with some fellow psychologists, and most agree that the divorce/loss of father theme is in fact the underlying force that drives the movie.

More Movies Depicting Single-Parent Households

Paradise This American remake of the French Grand Highway stars Don Johnson and Elijah Wood. A son of a single mother (Wood) is left with friends in a small town when the mother is pregnant. Wood, a preadolescent, is left with Johnson and his wife. One way of looking at the film is that the boy (Elijah Wood) attempts to form his own "nuclear family" by transforming Don Johnson and his wife into dad and mom for the summer. This reflects, perhaps, the tendency to seek some form of a 2-parent family on the part of children raised by single parents.

The Man Without A Face A 13 year old comes of age in this dramatization of the children's book of the same name. The son of a multiply divorced mother who has not had a stable father figure decides to find his own in an unlikely neighborhood pariah (Mel Gibson). As with Paradise, this film depicts the quest for a substitute for a missing parent, a common theme among children of divorce.

A Perfect World The son of a single mother is inadvertently kidnapped by ex-con Kevin Costner. While initially skeptical of his captor, the boy soon warms to him and refuses the opportunity to return home. Again, a major theme of the film is that the desire to have a male-role model is strong in boys living in single-mother families, strong enough to allow a very shy boy to bond with an unstable crook.

Second Best A tale of a single man attempting to adopt a preadolescent. Portrays the problems that men in the US and UK can face with regard adopting children. The film focuses on biases against men as primary custodians in the foster/adoption system. In addition, this film deftly shows the ups and downs of an unfolding relationship between an adoptive parent and an older (~11 years) child. Having worked with foster children myself, I must commend the filmakers for their accurate portrayal of the touchy issues that these children bring with them into all new relationships.

Films Concerning Children Who Have Lost a Parent

Lost In Yonkers Two children are left with their grandmother during WWII while their widowed father works for the American industrial/military complex to make ends meet for his family in this cinematic version of Neil Simon's autobiographical play. Different characters take different family roles as the movie progresses (the aunt at times like a sister and at time like a mother to the boys; and the boys fluctuate between acting like kids and acting like grown-ups, taking care of each other and their extended family; grandma is a tough patriarch; and father is the primary caretaker). A great, funny, original slice of family psychology in a single parent family.

Sleepless In Seattle A widowed father (Tom Hanks) searches for a new wife with much encouragement from his school-age son in this humorous, bittersweet film. Once again, the theme of this movie underscores the natural gravitation of children towards the  2-parent family environment.

Jack the Bear Kind of a downer. Danny DeVito is a widowed father of a two boys. There are family ups and downs, DeVito is a bit unstable, but ends up being a good father + the kids do fine. The family is beset by a variety of uncommon stressors, including a kidnapping of the younger son, a breaking-and-entering, etc. It seems as though the screenplay originally was going to focus on the dynamics of the single-father family, but that the writers eventually resorted to a bunch of cheap plot devices instead. Too bad. As a result, the movie does not provide much of a contribution to the understanding of normal child development in single parent families.

My Girl 2 A family film that is inadvertently touching as a result of the complex family dynamics that underlie the main action. A young teenage girl goes to Los Angeles to find out about her dead mother's past and stays with her uncle. The interactions between her and her father, supportive but not completely on the same wavelength, and her uncle and his girlfriend, who act more like parents to her in the movie than her real ones, illustrate the complexity of the girl's experience as a result of the lack of her "real" mother. Intended as a feel-good family movie, it actually provides numerous moments that illuminate some issues surrounding non-traditional families for girls.

My Life As A Dog A child of a sick single-mother comes of age over a period of a year that he intermittently spends with his aunt and uncle in the country as his mother convalesces. The boy's solution does not involve the creation of a father-figure or any other version of a substitute family. Instead, he alternately reaches out to his peers for support, and withdraws inside himself. The movie ends on the positive note suggesting that the peer support aspect has won out. The book that it is based on does the opposite, depicting a very troubled young man. As a student of psychology, it strikes me that the boy maintains a close primary attachment to his sick mother during this year of estrangement that differs from the responses of children in similar movies (eg. Paradise). The boy's inability to really bond with another adult seems to be closely related with his adjustment problems.

Other "Family Films" Portraying Divorced or Single Parent Families

These films were additions suggested to me by readers of this page.

Three Wishes, The Sandlot, Irreconcilable Differences, Bad News Bears Breaking Training, One Fine Day, Liar Liar, The Champ, Little Giants, Simple Twist of Fate, The Full Monty, The Good Son

Animated Films

A reader of this page insightfully noted that many Disney animated films portray single parent families, either focusing directly on the issue (as in Snow White and Cinderella) or using the structure of the single parent family as a plot device. Here are the films that she mentioned:

Snow White, Cinderella, Dumbo, Pinnochio, Toy Story, Aladdin, Little Mermaid, The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Changes last made on: March 3, 1999