A Will of their Own is a 1998 American

Cinema of the United States

The cinema of the United States, also known as Hollywood, has had a profound effect on cinema across the world since the early 20th century. Its history is sometimes separated into four main periods: the silent film era, classical Hollywood cinema, New Hollywood, and the contemporary period...

 television mini-series directed by Karen Arthur. The film follows six generations of females within one family, and their struggle for power and independence in America. The film debuted on October 18, 1998 on the NBC

NBC

The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...

 network to strong critical reviews. It was released to DVD late 2003.

Plot

The film begins in the 1890s and ends in the 1980s.

Annie Jermaine (Aylesworth) immigrates from Europe to America where she becomes a housemaid for a wealthy doctor. She breaks class restrictions when she marries the doctor's son and begins training as a nurse. However, she is unable to utilize her knowledge due to the popular belief that women were not capable of practicing medicine.

Amanda Steward (Thompson) is a young woman who aspires to become a photographer but is turned down because she is a woman. She goes through life in trying to help women and make them stronger.

Sarah (Jefferson) faces difficulties being the wife of a powerful U.S. senator.

Susan (Ross) is a hippie who becomes a doctor and later opens up a health clinic for battered women.

Jesse (Braga) is a farm worker who walked the fields of the San Joaquin Valle for nearly half a century. She is the first female organizer for the United Farm Workers. Seeing those around her struggle and sometimes die because of poor living and working conditions, she wanted to help and joined Caesar Chavez to make a change.

Cast

• Lea Thompson.....Amanda Steward
• Ellen Burstyn.....Veronica Steward
• Faye Dunaway.....Margaret Sanger
• Thomas Gibson.....James MacClaren
• Sônia Braga
  Sônia Braga
  Sônia Maria Campos Braga is a Brazilian actress. She has been nominated for both a Golden Globe Award and an Emmy Award.-Early life:...
  
  .....Jesse Lopez de la Cruz
• Reiko Aylesworth
  Reiko Aylesworth
  Reiko M. Aylesworth is an American film, television and stage actress, best known for her role on the television series 24 as Michelle Dessler.-Life and career:...
  
  .....Annie Jermaine
• Paris Jefferson.....Sarah
• Charlotte Ross
  Charlotte Ross
  Charlotte Ross is an American actress, who is perhaps most widely known as a cast member of NYPD Blue from 2001 to 2004.-Early Years:...
  
  .....Susan
• Eric McCormack
  Eric McCormack
  Eric James McCormack is a Canadian American actor, musician, writer and producer. Born in Toronto, he began his acting career performing in school plays at Stephen Leacock Collegiate Institute High School...
  
  .....Pierce Peterson
• John Shea
  John Shea
  John Victor Shea III is an American actor and director who has starred on stage, television and in film. He is best known for his role as Lex Luthor in the 1990s TV series Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman and also starred in the short lived 1990s TV series WIOU as Hank Zaret...
  
  .....Dr. Jonathan Abbott

Awards and nominations

Motion Picture Sound Editors

Motion Picture Sound Editors

Founded in 1953, Motion Picture Sound Editors is an honorary society of motion picture sound editors. The society's goals are to educate others about and increase the recognition of the sound editors, show the artistic merit of the soundtracks, and improve the professional relationship of its...

• Nominated, "Best Sound Editing - Television Mini-Series - Dialogue & ADR unknown"
• Nominated, "Best Sound Editing - Television Mini-Series - Music unknown"