In March 1970, a U.S. Army officer arrived at the Iowa farm of Peg and Gene Mullen and informed them that their son Michael had been killed in Vietnam by "friendly fire." Their determined attempts to learn more about the circumstances of their son's death are the subject of this true account film.
Acting
Burnett's devastating pivot from comedy queen to grieving mother.
Writing
Refuses easy catharsis—the truth doesn't fix anything.
Director
David Greene
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Premiered on ABC in 1979 during peak Vietnam cultural reckoning, when TV movies carried serious political weight.
The real Peg Mullen refused to cooperate with the production, calling the film exploitative; she later admitted Burnett's performance moved her.
US
