I Sing the Body Electric - Recap

Three children, Tom, Anne, and Karen, listen in as their Aunt Nedra talks to their father George, insisting that it's been a year since his wife died and the children aren't doing well. Anne is lacking guidance and Nedra's feels she won't be getting better. Nedra notices the children and tells them that she's not pleased with how things have been going in the house. She informs them all that she'll be in touch, particularly Anne. George admits that he might be too busy and the sitters and nurses haven't been right. He asks if they're unhappy and they deny it, but he wonders how he can provide them with the continual guidance and care that they need. Tom finds a scientific magazine article with an advertisement for a company named "Facsimiles Unlimited." The ad promises that they have developed an electronic processing system in the shape of an elderly woman, "I Sing the Body Electric," and that "she" can give love and care to a family.



The family goes to the offices where the salesman offers them their choice of eyes, hair, ears, arms, and torsos. The children pick out the features they prefer, including the voice. Anne asks if they can duplicate their mother, then says that she doesn't want anything that reminds her of her mother. Tom and Karen prefer a grandmother who looks like their mother and pick out the characteristics they want. Later, the facsimile arrives at their home and introduces herself. They name her "Grandma" and she offers them a key and then plays back their conversation from the office. She then extends string from her body to help them fly their kite and creates marbles for Tom. However, Anne refuses to be with her and goes inside.



Later as Grandma settles in, George returns early to be with his children but Anne is staying in. He thanks Grandma for how she's helped with the family but is worried about Anne. Grandma assures him that Anne will eventually come around. Anne comes down and insists that she doesn't want Grandma there and never did. She hates her mother for lying, and hates Grandma too. She runs out and Grandma runs after her. In the park, Grandma confronts the girl who admits that she hates her mother for leaving her, and Grandma is just like her. Upset, Anne walks into the street and a van drives toward her. Grandma sees the danger and shoves her out of the way, but the van hits her. Fortunately she gets up, unharmed by what would have killed a human. She plays back Anne's words to her and assures her she's okay, and Anne hugs her. Grandma notes that George's mother died young as well, but she'll live forever and never leave them. She takes them home... together.



Eight years later, the three children are going off to college and Grandma assures them that they no longer need her. She'll go back to Facsimiles Unlimited and sent to another family, or taken apart and her parts distributed. But her mind will go into a room of voices with all the other voices of electrical grandmothers where they will discuss what they learned from their families. She hopes that perhaps after three hundred years, she may gain the gift of life but the children assure her she's always been alive to them. She bids them farewell and leaves, her job done.



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