Nell

The dilemmas involved in socializing a socially isolated individual are explored in this moving drama set in the Smokey mountains. Nell is not a "feral" child. She lived an isolated life in a remote mountain cabin beside a quiet lake with her mother, a hermit who suffered a series of strokes. She is discovered by Jerome Lovell, a doctor, who begins to observe her in secret. He is intrigued by her strange language which was influenced by her mother's aphasia. He is also intrigued by her hostile behavior when she is faced with strangers. His observations are interrupted by the intrusion of psychologist Paula Olsen. Together they work towards socializing Nell with the sad realization that their actions will steal Nell's innocence.