Themes: Mothers and Daughters, Eccentric Families, Battling Illness
Main Cast: Debra Winger, Shirley MacLaine, Jack Nicholson, Jeff Daniels, John Lithgow
Release Year: 1983
Country: US
Run Time: 132 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG
Plot
Terms of Endearment covers three decades in the lives of widow Aurora Greenway (Shirley MacLaine) and her daughter Emma (Debra Winger). Fiercely protected by Aurora throughout childhood, Emma runs into resistance from her mother when she marries wishy-washy college teacher Flap (Jeff Daniels). Aurora is even more put out at the prospect of being a grandmother, though she grows a lot fonder of her three grandkids than she does of her son-in-law. Flap proves that Aurora's instincts were on target when he enters into an affair with a student (Kate Charleson). Meanwhile, Emma finds romantic consolation with an unhappily married banker (played by John Lithgow, who registers well in a rare "nice guy" performance). As for Aurora, she is ardently pursued by her next-door neighbor, boisterous astronaut Garrett Breedlove (Jack Nicholson). After 75 minutes or so of pursuing an episodic, semi-comic plotline, the film abruptly shifts moods when Emma discovers that she has terminal cancer. Terms of Endearment won Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director and Best Screenplay for TV veteran James L. Brooks making his first feature film, Best Actress for MacLaine, and Best Supporting Actor for Nicholson. It was followed by a sequel, The Evening Star (1996), which again featured MacLaine as Aurora. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Review
Terms of Endearment is almost two films -- an upbeat, comic first half followed by a tearjerking tragedy in which Emma Greenway (Debra Winger) is stricken with cancer. It is notable for its frank treatment of serious illness and for its intricate portrayal of a troubled mother/daughter relationship.The film was a personal triumph for television veteran James L. Brooks, who took home three Oscars, for Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Director (his first feature film), and Best Picture. Moreover, the film manages to blend together two of the screen's most dominant performers, Shirley MacLaine and Jack Nicholson, each of whom received an Oscar, perhaps for having the patience not to steal scenes from each other. ~ Richard Gilliam, All Movie Guide
Huckleberry Fox - Teddy; Troy Bishop - Tommy; Danny DeVito - Vernon; Lisa Hart Carroll - Patsy; Betty King - Rosie; Norman Bennett - Edward; Kate Charleson - Janice; Jennifer Josey - Young Emma Greenway; Nancy Mette - Woman at Party; Megan Morris - Melanie; F. William Parker - Doctor; Shane Serwin - Young Tommy Horton; David Wohl - Phil; Tara Yeakey - Baby Melanie; Albert Brooks - Rudyard; Mary Kay Place - Doris; Alexandra O'Karma - Jane; Paul Menzel - Dr. Maise; Michelle Watkins - Woman; Charles Beall - Rudyard's Employer; Sharisse Baker-Bernard - Lee Anne; Judith Dickerson - Checkout Girl
Credit
Harold Michelson - Art Director, Sylvia Fay - Casting, Penney Finkelman Cox - Co-producer, Martin Jurow - Co-producer, Kristi Zea - Costume Designer, Albert M. Shapiro - First Assistant Director, James L. Brooks - Director, Richard Marks - Editor, Sidney Wolinsky - Editor, Michael Gore - Composer (Music Score), Ben Nye, Jr. - Makeup, Polly Platt - Production Designer, Andrzej Bartkowiak - Cinematographer, James L. Brooks - Producer, Anthony Mondello - Set Designer, Tom Pedigo - Set Designer, Sandy Veneziano - Set Designer, Rick Kline - Sound/Sound Designer, Donald O. Mitchell - Sound/Sound Designer, James L. Brooks - Screenwriter, Larry McMurtry - Screenwriter, Norval D. Crutcher Jr. - Supervising Sound Editor, Larry McMurtry - Book Author
