Abuse
“Meet Thomas Carroll. He's fourteen, gay, and in danger of becoming a child abuse statistic.”
Synopsis
Brutally abused by his parents, teenage Thomas finds comfort in associating with a film director who is making a documentary about physical child abuse. The two fall in love, and the elder is faced with the decision of either running away with Thomas or focusing on his career and thereby letting the boy possibly be beaten to death.
Top Cast
Explore Star Directory →Richard Ryder
Larry Porter
Raphael Sbarge
Thomas Carroll
Steve James
Dr. Bennett
Kathy Gerber
Kathy Logan
Jack Halton
Prof. Rappaport
Mickey Clark
Laura
Maurice Massaro
Mr. Carroll
Susan Schneider
Mrs. Carroll
Luba Mason
Sara
Kathy Giotta
Elaine
Tracy Vivat
Amy
Billy Lux
Aaron
Paul Peterson
David
David Schachter
Mark
Jean Garrett
Dean Kinkaid
Pamela Poitier
Samantha
Jeffrey Olmstead
Richard Blake
Carol Siskind
Telephone Operator
Release History & Theatrical Window
Berlin International Film Festival
Festival / Special Debut
April 15, 1983
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Arthur J. Bressan, Jr.
- Screenplay & Story
- Arthur J. Bressan, Jr.
- Original Score
- Shawn Phillips
- Original Title
- Abuse
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 34m
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Arthur J. Bressan, Jr.
Arthur J. Bressan, Jr.
Shawn Phillips
Douglas Dickinson
Arthur J. Bressan, Jr.
Steven McMillin
Department Leadership Roster
Arthur J. Bressan, Jr.
Director
Arthur J. Bressan, Jr.
Writer
Shawn Phillips
Original Music Composer
Steven McMillin
Producer
Douglas Dickinson
Director of Photography
Arthur J. Bressan, Jr.
Editor
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
NR: Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
International Certification Matrix
Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Abuse.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Abuse.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Abuse
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Abuse about?
Brutally abused by his parents, teenage Thomas finds comfort in associating with a film director who is making a documentary about physical child abuse. The two fall in love, and the elder is faced with the decision of either running away with Thomas or focusing on his career and thereby letting the boy possibly be beaten to death.
Who directed Abuse?
Abuse was directed by Arthur J. Bressan, Jr..
Who stars in Abuse?
The principal cast of Abuse includes Richard Ryder, Raphael Sbarge, Steve James, Kathy Gerber, Jack Halton.
When was Abuse released and how long is it?
Abuse was released in 1983 with a total runtime of 1h 34m.
Who composed the musical score for Abuse?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Abuse was composed by Shawn Phillips.
What is the age rating and content advisory for Abuse?
Abuse holds official age classifications: US: NR (Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.).