The 1972 TV movie The People offered an interesting sci fi tale that delivered plenty of twists, and it could have turned into a pretty good series if given a chance.
What Is It?
A young woman named Melodye Amerson goes to an isolated community to take over as teacher for the children. Despite it being the 1970s, the people here live a very basic, Amish-like existence with little in the way of modern conveniences. Melodye finds her students to be secretive and odd, refusing to participate in any fun activities. She meets and befriends another outsider–Dr. Curtis, who comes from time to time to assist with medical needs–and he has also noticed the odd behavior of these people. But they will soon discover that the secret The People hide is much deeper than either could expect.
Aired: ABC, January 22, 1972
Created By: Zenna Henderson, James M. Miller
Starring: Kim Darby, William Shatner, Diane Varsi, Dan O’Herlihy
Legacy:
This TV movie offers an interesting genre tale that has twists and turns and avoids many of the standard television tropes while emerging as a standout sci fi entry that could have turned into a pretty good series.
A Closer Look:
(Warning, mild spoilers ahead) The People came out back in the day of the TV movie-of-the-week, but sadly it never garnered the attention that it deserved. Based on the Zenna Henderson sci fi stories, the film starts out with a Children of the Corn vibe and certainly seems to be headed into standard TV horror movie territory early on. But it takes a turn when we learn that the people of this small village are
and that because of their tragic past, they live a very reclusive life. The film could have gone in any of a number of directions with its story, but the creative team apparently decided not to crank out yet another by-the-numbers TV movie. Most interesting is the fact that there is no violence and no predicaments to force drama, and ultimately the conflict is resolved by the differing sides learning to work together. The film is really somewhat of a breath of fresh air and it still holds up today, with even the modest special effects still looking rather good.
William Shatner had a co-starring role in the film, but his onscreen time is rather limited (he was pretty much taking any part he could get at this low point in his post-Star Trek career). Whether he would have played more of a part if this had gone to series (more on that below) is uncertain. Kim Darby does a good job with the lead role and sadly was never able to establish herself as much more than a supporting actress throughout her career. The always enjoyable Dan O’Herlihy adds some creepiness at first but also enough substance to indicate that there is more going on with his character. And the rest of the cast do a stand-up job as well. Sadly, this movie has been mostly forgotten and it is rare for it to make the rounds in reruns these days. But it was a very good piece of sci fi TV that had the potential to carry on into a series, and it is definitely worth searching out.
Cancelled Before It Began?
Perhaps. I have not seen a confirmation that this was definitely intended as a pilot for a TV series, but it certainly was open-ended enough that the story could have carried on. And the source material definitely provided plenty more to work with (more on that below). But the broadcast networks had soured on sci fi at that point, and this one would not be a clean fit in a Prime Time schedule filled with sitcoms, police shows, and variety hours. If done right, it actually could have turned into a stand-out sci fi drama and perhaps been a game-changer for genre TV at the time. Alas, network television was not interested in taking those type of risks then, and this excellent film faded into TV obscurity.
The Story Continues
If you watch The People and enjoy it, then you should certainly seek out the stories written by Zenna Henderson. The movie combines elements of two of her short stories, and while it takes some liberties, it sticks closely to the spirit of her work. She started writing the tales in the 1950s (and they were pretty progressive for their day) and continued into the late 1970s. They have a sense of hope and a positive atmosphere, despite the fact that the main characters are outcasts, and you can see where these influenced later science fiction works. All of the stories have been collected in the volume Ingathering: The Complete People Stories, and that one is certainly worth seeking out.
Should It Be Rebooted?
Yes. The original movie provides the perfect template and the additional stories by Henderson offer further direction. The film/series could be remade with new actors, or it could be a sequel, checking in on how The People have progressed into modern times. There is plenty of substance here and this could still become an excellent sci fi drama with a since of hopefulness in contrast to the many dark genre shows out there these days. The 1972 film never attracted much of a following and Henderson’s stories are not well-known either, so there may not be much interest in the property. But a series could be produced on an economical budget–rather important in the current cost-cutting environment–and if one of the networks or streaming services took a flyer on The People, it could turn into a sleeper of a sci fi series.
Interesting Facts:
If you feel a sense of deja vu in the scenes where William Shatner and Kim Darby are together, it is not just a glitch in the Matrix. These two previously teamed up on the first season Star Trek episode “Miri” with Darby playing the title character. It’s doubtful that the casting team were trying to pay homage to the Gene Roddenberry series, both actors just happened to be available for the parts. But it is nice seeing the two together again in the film.
The People stories were originally published in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction between 1952 and 1980 and the full collection was published in 1995 twelve years after Henderson passed away. That book was a second-place finalist in the 1996 Locus Award for Best Collection.
Where Can You Watch It?
This has been released on DVD by Video Yesteryear, but the Amazon reviewers take exception to the poor transfer, claiming it is bootleg quality. It is available for streaming on Amazon’s Prime Video, but the quality of that is not the greatest either. Still, it is worth a look.
