Themes: Journey of Self-Discovery, Death of a Partner, Mothers and Sons
Main Cast: Jessica Lange, Chris O'Donnell, Arliss Howard, Kathy Bates, Joan Cusack, Charlie Korsmo
Release Year: 1989
Country: US
Run Time: 120 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG13
Plot
Weighed down by her late husband's debts, widow Beth Macauley (Jessica Lange) is compelled to sell her home and move to a less costly locale. She relocates in Baltimore with her resentful sons Chris (Chris O'Donnell) and Matt (Charlie Korsmo) and takes a job at a ramshackle gourmet food store managed by Lisa Coleman (Kathy Bates). Men Don't Leave offers in Beth an extremely vulnerable, easily discouraged person who can't seem to get a grip on her reduced circumstances. Even so, she and her sons eventually pull themselves together, despite many side trips with Wrong Lovers and False Friends. Some of the film's best moments involve Joan Cusack, playing a mixed-up nurse with whom Chris falls in love. Representing the comeback of director Paul Brickman after a seven-year gap, Men Don't Leave is a slightly more upbeat American version of the French film La Vie Continue. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Corey Carrier - Winston Buckley; Jim Haynie - Mr. Buckley; Belita Moreno - Mrs. Buckley; Shannon Moffett - Dale Buckley; Lora Zane - Nina Simon; Theresa Wozniak - Female Polka Dancer; Annabel Armour - Susan; Gerry Becker - Uncle Hugh; Ernesto D. Borges, Jr. - Officer; Richard Burton Brown - Sam Burrows; Antonio M. Calderon - Joey; David Cale - Fred; Wanda Christine - School Teacher; Kevin Corrigan - Mike; William de Acutis - Mark; Deanna Dunagan - Fay; Zaid Farid - Store Clerk; Stacey Guastaferro - Julia; Mark Hardwick - Ian; Tom Irwin - Gary; Rosemary Knower - Nurse; Eddie Korosa - Polka Band Leader; Tom Mason - John Macauley; Ann McDonough - Female Customer; Chuck McLennan - Lottery Announcer; Stesha Merle - Girl Student; Brad Michael - Adult Film Star; Jane Morris - Laura; Dick Sasso - Lottery Winner; Mary Seibel - Real Estate Agent; Seka - Adult Film Star; Constance Shulman - Carly; Tanl - Adult Film Star; Tom Towles - Evan Taylor; Sandra V. Watters - Bureaucrat; Alan J. Wendl - Typewriter; Richard Wharton - Nick; Ricardo de Angelis - Tailor; Peter Miller - Chris' friend; Rick Rubin - Craig; Robert D. North - Moving Man; Jesse James - Blues Artist
Credit
Mark Harrington - Art Director, David Rubin - Casting, Susan Becker - Costume Designer, J. Allen Highfill - Costume Designer, Grania Preston - Costume Designer, Paul Brickman - Director, Richard Chew - Editor, Thomas Newman - Composer (Music Score), Curt Frisk - Musical Direction/Supervision, Peggy Lee - Songwriter, Charles Tobias - Songwriter, Murray Mencher - Songwriter, Jack Lawrence - Songwriter, Michael Edwards - Songwriter, Susan Mayer - Makeup, Bob Mills - Makeup, Frank Miller - Camera Operator, Barbara Ling - Production Designer, Lynn M. Morgan - Production Designer, Dodie Foster - Production Designer, Bruce Surtees - Cinematographer, Jon Avnet - Producer, Paul Brickman - Producer, Bill Arnold - Set Designer, Karen O'Hara - Set Designer, Cricket Rowland - Set Designer, John Gray - Special Effects, Rick LeFevour - Stunts, Barbara Benedek - Screenwriter, Paul Brickman - Screenwriter, Eddie Cantor - Featured Music, Sonny Burke - Featured Music, Dimitri Tiomkin - Featured Music, Ned Washington - Featured Music
The film, directed by Paul Brickman and written by Barbara Benedek, is a remake of the French film La Vie Continue. The original music score was composed by Thomas Newman. Warner Brothers released the movie on dvd for the first time on September 15, 2009, as part of the "Warner Archive Collection".
Weighed down by her late contractor husband's debts, widowed mother Beth Macauley is compelled to sell her house and move to a less costly locale. She relocates in Baltimore with her sons Chris and Matt and takes a job at a ramshackle gourmet food store managed by Lisa Coleman. 17-year-old Chris turns angry and aggressive while nine-year-old Matt hides his deep sense of loss under a steely exterior. Beth is drawn into a relationship with Charles Simon, a musician who builds her self-esteem. However, after losing her job, she plunges into a five-day depression during which she refuses to leave her bedroom.
Beth is an extremely vulnerable, easily discouraged person who cannot seem to get a grip on her circumstances. Even so, she and her sons eventually pull themselves together, despite many side trips with wrong lovers and false friends. Chris falls in love with Jody, an older nurse who lives in the same building. Matt falls under the influence of a young schoolmate who breaks into houses and steals VCRs. His dream is to get enough money to buy back their suburban house. It's only a matter of time until the Macauleys realize that to abandon each other is not the answer. Beth tells her sons, "Heartbreak is life educating us," and the lessons turn out to be worth learning.
In a 1999 interview that appeared in "Entertainment Weekly" magazine, Jessica Lange told the interviewer that more fans tell her of their affection for Men Don't Leave than for any other movie that she has appeared in.
