My Son Johnny

American TV series or program

My Son Johnny
Genre	Drama
Written by	Peter Nelson
Directed by	Peter Levin
Starring	Michele Lee Rick Schroder Corin Nemec Rip Torn
Music by	Dana Kaproff
Country of origin	United States
Original language	English
Production
Executive producers	David R. Ginsburg Carla Singer
Producers	Paul A. Mones Michael O. Gallant
Cinematography	Ron Orieux
Editor	John A. Martinelli
Running time	90 minutes
Production companies	ABC Productions Citadel Entertainment
Original release
Network	CBS
Release	November 10, 1991 (1991-11-10)

My Son Johnny is a 1991 American fact-based made-for-television drama film starring Michele Lee, Rick Schroder and Corin Nemec, directed by Peter Levin. It was originally broadcast on CBS as The CBS Sunday Movie on November 10, 1991.

Plot

Johnny Cortino is a 21-year-old hoodlum returning home to Baltimore after a stint in California; exactly why he's back is not clear and, when confronted for details, Johnny is able to fast-talk his way out of every corner he is backed in to. Yet, it is clear that his widowed mother Marianne is glad to see her son that - despite his problems - is still the apple of her eye. And it is equally clear that 17-year-old Anthony is terrified that his older brother is back in the house.

As soon as Johnny returns home, the war of intimidation quickly resumes, and Anthony finally reaches the breaking-point when, after a particularly nasty beating by Johnny, he pulls a gun on his brother and shoots him to death. With Anthony facing a life sentence for murder, Marianne has one chance of saving him: following years of denial about Johnny's bullying, she is torn between upholding his memory and defending her younger offspring, but also realizes she must confront the terrible truth about Johnny and, before the eyes of the world, admit there has been a lifetime of sibling violence. In the end, the verdict is read and Anthony is found not guilty.^[1]