The Babymaker: The Dr. Cecil Jacobson Story
Encyclopedia
The Babymaker: The Dr. Cecil Jacobson Story, also released as Seeds of Deception, is a 1994 television film directed by Arlene Sanford
. The film is based on the true story of Cecil Jacobson
, who used his own sperm to impregnate patients, without informing them. The film was criticized for not giving a clear portrayal of Jacobson, but George Dzundza
was praised for his performance.
. She is directed there by her friend Nita, who also had an artificial insemination
. Greg isn't enthusiastic about the idea, but Mary convinces him to talk to Dr. Jacobson, explaining it might be their only chance. Greg has trouble accepting the insemination requires an anonymous donor and admits he isn't ready to be a father.
Mary's mother instincts make her decide to still have the insemination and yet again, Dr. Jacobson uses his own sperm samples. Meanwhile, Mary's friend Sue thinks she is thirteen weeks pregnant, when she suddenly bleeds. She contacts Dr. Jacobson, but he assures her there is nothing wrong and he even shows her the shape of the baby on the ultrasound
. Sue, still doubting that there is something wrong, contacts a second doctor, who reveals that she is not pregnant and that the so-called shape of the baby is actually fecal matter
. She finds out that there are cases of several people who have gotten a false-positive pregnancy test at Dr. Jacobson's facility. She wants to confront him, but her husband pressures her to pretend as if nothing has happened. to see how far Dr. Jacobson will go with the lies. She does inform Mary, however, but she is reluctant to believe her, because she had just gotten a pregnancy confirmed.
Sue and Bill later confront Dr. Jacobson, and he blames the false claim on the equipment. However, he does insist that there is fetal matter
in her body, which means that she was indeed pregnant. Sue warns Mary about the doctor, but she refuses to believe her and they are soon estranged. It turns out that Mary was pregnant and she eventually gives birth to a boy. Five years later, Dr. Jacobson is charged with making people believe that they are pregnant. Mary thinks that they are false charges and blames it on Sue and Bill. A court trial ensues and soon rumours are spread that he used his own sperm for inseminations. Mary is determined to find out if he is the donor and soon starts to notice similarities between her son and the doctor.
Greg advises her to leave it behind her, explaining he doesn't want their son Jesse to get involved with the trial. The hatred Mary feels for Dr. Jacobson starts to grow, but Greg forbids her to testify against him. She doesn't listen to him, however, and with the help of Sue, she goes to court in disguise. After giving an emotional testimony
, Dr. Jacobson admits to the charges, but insists he did it for health reasons. He is eventually found guilty in all charges. In the end, Mary and Greg make up and Sue announces that she is pregnant. In the aftertitles, it is announced that Dr. Jacobson was sentenced to jail for five years after being found guilty on 46 counts of fraud and 6 of perjury and was recently freed on bail pending appeal and that Sue gave birth to a healthy boy.
Arlene Sanford
Arlene Sanford is an American film and television director.Sanford has directed for several notable television series and several motion picture and television films which include A Very Brady Sequel , I'll Be Home for Christmas and Twelve Men of Christmas .Sanford has been nominated for two...
. The film is based on the true story of Cecil Jacobson
Cecil Jacobson
Cecil Byran Jacobson is a former fertility doctor who used his own sperm to impregnate his patients, without informing them.-Baboon impregnation:...
, who used his own sperm to impregnate patients, without informing them. The film was criticized for not giving a clear portrayal of Jacobson, but George Dzundza
George Dzundza
George Dzundza is an American television and film actor.-Personal life:Dzundza was born in Rosenheim, Germany, to a Ukrainian father and Polish mother who were forced into factory labour by the Nazis. He spent the first few years of his life in displaced persons camps with his parents and one...
was praised for his performance.
Plot
The film starts in 1985. Cecil Jacobson is a successful doctor, running his own reproductive genetic center. He is earning respect of all doctors and is even nicknamed 'The Babymaker'. Nobody knows that he secretly uses his own sperm to impregnate his patients. One of his patients is Mary Bennett, a woman desperate to have a baby. She is unable to become a mother, however, because her husband Greg underwent a vasectomyVasectomy
Vasectomy is a surgical procedure for male sterilization and/or permanent birth control. During the procedure, the vasa deferentia of a man are severed, and then tied/sealed in a manner such to prevent sperm from entering into the seminal stream...
. She is directed there by her friend Nita, who also had an artificial insemination
Artificial insemination
Artificial insemination, or AI, is the process by which sperm is placed into the reproductive tract of a female for the purpose of impregnating the female by using means other than sexual intercourse or natural insemination...
. Greg isn't enthusiastic about the idea, but Mary convinces him to talk to Dr. Jacobson, explaining it might be their only chance. Greg has trouble accepting the insemination requires an anonymous donor and admits he isn't ready to be a father.
Mary's mother instincts make her decide to still have the insemination and yet again, Dr. Jacobson uses his own sperm samples. Meanwhile, Mary's friend Sue thinks she is thirteen weeks pregnant, when she suddenly bleeds. She contacts Dr. Jacobson, but he assures her there is nothing wrong and he even shows her the shape of the baby on the ultrasound
Echocardiography
An echocardiogram, often referred to in the medical community as a cardiac ECHO or simply an ECHO, is a sonogram of the heart . Also known as a cardiac ultrasound, it uses standard ultrasound techniques to image two-dimensional slices of the heart...
. Sue, still doubting that there is something wrong, contacts a second doctor, who reveals that she is not pregnant and that the so-called shape of the baby is actually fecal matter
Feces
Feces, faeces, or fæces is a waste product from an animal's digestive tract expelled through the anus or cloaca during defecation.-Etymology:...
. She finds out that there are cases of several people who have gotten a false-positive pregnancy test at Dr. Jacobson's facility. She wants to confront him, but her husband pressures her to pretend as if nothing has happened. to see how far Dr. Jacobson will go with the lies. She does inform Mary, however, but she is reluctant to believe her, because she had just gotten a pregnancy confirmed.
Sue and Bill later confront Dr. Jacobson, and he blames the false claim on the equipment. However, he does insist that there is fetal matter
Fetus
A fetus is a developing mammal or other viviparous vertebrate after the embryonic stage and before birth.In humans, the fetal stage of prenatal development starts at the beginning of the 11th week in gestational age, which is the 9th week after fertilization.-Etymology and spelling variations:The...
in her body, which means that she was indeed pregnant. Sue warns Mary about the doctor, but she refuses to believe her and they are soon estranged. It turns out that Mary was pregnant and she eventually gives birth to a boy. Five years later, Dr. Jacobson is charged with making people believe that they are pregnant. Mary thinks that they are false charges and blames it on Sue and Bill. A court trial ensues and soon rumours are spread that he used his own sperm for inseminations. Mary is determined to find out if he is the donor and soon starts to notice similarities between her son and the doctor.
Greg advises her to leave it behind her, explaining he doesn't want their son Jesse to get involved with the trial. The hatred Mary feels for Dr. Jacobson starts to grow, but Greg forbids her to testify against him. She doesn't listen to him, however, and with the help of Sue, she goes to court in disguise. After giving an emotional testimony
Testimony
In law and in religion, testimony is a solemn attestation as to the truth of a matter. All testimonies should be well thought out and truthful. It was the custom in Ancient Rome for the men to place their right hand on a Bible when taking an oath...
, Dr. Jacobson admits to the charges, but insists he did it for health reasons. He is eventually found guilty in all charges. In the end, Mary and Greg make up and Sue announces that she is pregnant. In the aftertitles, it is announced that Dr. Jacobson was sentenced to jail for five years after being found guilty on 46 counts of fraud and 6 of perjury and was recently freed on bail pending appeal and that Sue gave birth to a healthy boy.
Cast
- Melissa GilbertMelissa GilbertMelissa Ellen Gilbert is an American actress, writer, and producer, primarily in movies and television. Gilbert is best known as a child actress who co-starred as Charles Ingalls's second daughter, Laura Ingalls Wilder, on the dramatic television series Little House on the Prairie...
as Mary Bennett - Shanna ReedShanna ReedShanna Reed is an American dancer and actress, best known for her roles on television and movies. She is best known for playing Polly Cooper McGillis on Major Dad....
as Sue Castellano - George DzundzaGeorge DzundzaGeorge Dzundza is an American television and film actor.-Personal life:Dzundza was born in Rosenheim, Germany, to a Ukrainian father and Polish mother who were forced into factory labour by the Nazis. He spent the first few years of his life in displaced persons camps with his parents and one...
as Dr. Cecil Jacobson - Tom VericaTom VericaTom Verica is an American actor and director, known for his role of Jack Pryor on the NBC drama American Dreams. He played Astronaut Dick Gordon in the HBO miniseries From The Earth To The Moon...
as Greg Bennett - Shannon Lawson as Nita
- Geoffrey Bowes as Dr. Mason
- Michael Charles Roman as Jesse Bennett
- R. H. ThomsonR. H. ThomsonRobert Holmes "R. H." Thomson, is a Canadian television, film and stage actor.Thomson was born in Richmond Hill, Ontario. He studied at the University of Toronto, and the National Theatre School. His own play The Lost Boys was staged at the Great Canadian Theatre Company in March 2000 and at...
as Bill Castellano