No One Would Tell is a 1996 NBC Made-for-TV Movie film that tells the story of a teen couple's troubled relationship. Directed by Noel Nosseck, the film was based on a 1991 incident in Beverly, Massachusetts.
Shy 16-year-old Stacy Collins (Candace Cameron Bure) can't believe that the most popular guy in school, an attractive athlete named Bobby Tennison (Fred Savage), is interested in her. At first, she is flattered by his constant attention, but then he becomes possessive and jealous — telling her who she can speak to, where she can go, and what she can wear.
Threats escalate into violence when Bobby thinks Stacy has stepped out of line. Both Stacy's friends and her mother Laura try to convince her to break up with Bobby after seeing her bruises and how he treats her. Stacy claims that he only acts that way because she is being stupid, and that Bobby really does love her. Soon, however, she is walking on eggshells and living in fear of him.
A remake of the film aired on Lifetime in 2018. While it has a different plot, it is still based on the same incident.
Tropes used in the film:
- Affably Evil: Bobby. Everyone seems to think he's a great guy until the school dance, when his true behavior around Stacy begins to show.
- Alpha Bitch: Downplayed. Carla doesn't outright bully Stacy or her friends but she shown to be jealous of Stacy's relationship with Bobby. She tries to steal him away several times and even attempts to defend him during his trial all while blaming Stacy for his behavior.
- An Aesop: The judge's ending speech after Bobby's sentence, lecturing Stacy's friends for not helping her while she was being abused. Technically a
Broken Aesop since she rejected their help the entire time anyway. - Big Damn Heroes: Just when all hope is lost during the search for Stacy, Vince suddenly steps in with a hint of her location and what happened to her.
- Bittersweet Ending: Very, very bitter, though. Stacy is killed by Bobby, and there's a very prominent feeling that it could've been prevented. However, Bobby does get his comeuppance by getting sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
- Crazy Jealous Guy: Bobby gets extremely upset at the idea of Stacy hanging out with any of her male friends and threw a fit when some of his own friends complimented her.
- Darker and Edgier: The 2018 remake. Rob is even more abusive to Sarah, and there are far more scenes of him hitting her or verbally attacking her.
- Domestic Abuse: The basis of the film's drama, centered on how Bobby eventually treats Stacy.
- Even Bad Men Love Their Mamas: Bobby may be violent towards Stacy, but he does have a soft side for his mom.
- If I Can't Have You…: What ultimately leads to Stacy's murder. It's even quoted verbatim by Bobby after he does the deed.
- Mama Bear: Laura was pissed to know what happened to Stacy and wanted Bobby to come forward.
- Mass "Oh, Crap!": At the dance, Bobby’s true nature is seen.
- My God, What Have I Done?: The look in Bobby's eyes after Nicki confronts him about Stacy's "disappearance".
- Nice Guy: Nicki’s boyfriend, Tony, meets this because he’s just as worried about what will happen. The same goes with Steve.
- Not Good with Rejection: After Stacy breaks up with Bobby, he gets enraged, and later kills her by slitting her throat.
- Police Procedural: The police get involved when Stacy goes missing.
- Scary Black Man: Detective Anderson becomes this when he has Bobby at the station in order to get him to come forward with what happened to Stacy. Considering his job, who can blame when there’s criminal act has been committed.
- Shower Scene: There is one scene of Stacy showering, and it's quite disturbing since the camera mainly focuses on showing all of the bruises on her.
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech: The judge hands this out after Bobby is convicted of murdering Stacy.
- The Remake: Lifetime released one in 2018 as one of its movies of the week.
- Very Loosely Based on a True Story: Based on an actual domestic abuse case in 1991; much like what happens to Stacy, it ended fatally.
- Yandere: Bobby turns out to be a male version of this trope, getting very defensive when he sees Stacy talking with other guys and killing her in the name of If I Can't Have You….
