A dark secret from her past and a newly discovered medical condition combine to plague Amber Tamblyn's character in "The Russell Girl."

"The twist in the story was what made it unique for me," said Tamblyn, who stars in CBS's Hallmark Hall of Fame two-hour production. "There is something lovely about her, that in the face of something terrifying, she has to go back and see things that were never faced before. It's a beautiful part of life, to try and move yourself forward."

The original teleplay by script-writer Jill Blotevogel follows Sarah Russell (Tamblyn), a buyer for a Chicago department store, whose busy life turns upside down when she receives a disturbing medical diagnosis. Sarah impulsively drives back to Staunton, the small Illinois town where she grew up, hoping to draw comfort from her parents by sharing her shattering news.

But her return stirs up memories of a baby-sitting tragedy in the home of her former neighbor Lorraine (Jennifer Ehle). Both women hint at the heartbreak, but details of the accident are not revealed to viewers until a series of flashbacks later in the film.

Sarah "definitely has a strange, very secretive identity, from the moment you see her," Tamblyn said. She and director Jeff Bleckner liked the idea of intriguing the audience "by keeping Sarah as secretive as possible as long as possible. We found a lot of ways to do that," Tamblyn said.

Sarah's parents (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio and Tim DeKay) and brother (Daniel Clark) mistakenly believe Sarah has come home to announce her acceptance to medical school, and they begin planning a party to celebrate her success.

Sarah puts off telling her family of her diagnosis. She ignores calls from her doctor, reconnects with an old boyfriend and mentally relives the tragic event from years earlier.

"She thinks that what happened is her fault," Tamblyn said. "When the person it happened to won't forgive you, that is part of the guilt."

Sarah repeatedly approaches Lorraine, who rebuffs every advance by the person she blames for her grief.

"There is no reason for her to keep going over there, because it is very clear the woman doesn't want to talk to her," Tamblyn said. But Sarah persists, asking Lorraine, who restores antiques, to refinish a small box for her.

"By working with her hands, Lorraine has found something nurturing to do with her days, which otherwise seem quite empty," said Jennifer Ehle of her character. "She has an emotional wound that she hasn't allowed to heal. Lorraine hasn't known how to do that. And it's high time."

The two-time Tony Award winner and veteran of theatrical films said she was drawn to the story because "any interesting puzzle that comes along is worth doing."

"Lorraine was not a picnic to play," Ehle said. "She is in a lot of pain, but I don't blame her. I liked her a lot. She doesn't let anybody in."

And Lorraine, with her distant attitude toward Sarah, "is the only one who notices she is sick," Ehle said.

Tamblyn said she and Ehle discussed how their scenes together, from confrontation to crying, should be staged.

"When you deal with a story line that involves two different generations of women, you have to be careful," Tamblyn said. "You don't want one of them to be the victim. The question for Jennifer and me was how to play it, how to achieve that subtlety, because it is so dramatic, with a lot of emotions being processed."

Tamblyn said she hopes the audience will relate to her portrayal of the troubled woman.

"You have to keep it honest but realistic," she said, "so that when the really phenomenal life-changing moment happens to the character, the audience will feel it, too."