Set in 1968 Chicago, “Call Jane” sees Elizabeth Banks playing Joy, a surburban housewife whose ordinary life gets turned upside down when her pregnancy leads to a life-threatening heart condition. In our exclusive clip of the Phyllis Nagy-directed drama, Joy petitions the (all-male) Board of a hospital to permit her an emergency termination of her pregnancy, which is putting her own life in danger.
The group proceeds to decide Joy’s fate as if she’s not even in the room. Any chance that she can survive the pregnancy seems to be enough to convince them that an abortion isn’t an option. As Joy observes, a “healthy baby” is all that matters to the men, who simply have “no regard” for her life.
Joy’s search for help leads her to become involved in an underground abortion network.
Nagy is best known for penning the Oscar-nominated screenplay for 2015’s “Carol,” a period romance starring Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara.
Banks was last seen in “Mrs. America,” FX’s acclaimed drama about conservative activist Phyllis Schlafly’s fight against the Equal Rights Amendment. As a director, her credits include “Pitch Perfect 2” and “Charlie’s Angels.” She also acted in those pics.
Penned by “The Resident” alumni Hayley Schore and Roshan Sethi, “Call Jane” hits theaters October 28. Its cast includes Sigourney Weaver, Wunmi Mosaku, and Kate Mara.
