The Best Place to Be

• Director: David Miller
• AMG Rating:
• Genre: Drama
• Movie Type: Family Drama, Melodrama
• Themes: Love Triangles, Mothers and Sons, Mothers and Daughters
• Main Cast: Mildred Dunnock, Michael J. Shannon, Stephanie Zimbalist
• Release Year: 1979
• Country: US
• Run Time: 200 minutes

Plot

This attenuated adaptation of Helen Van Slyke's novel stars Donna Reed (her first TV appearance in 12 years) as a widow with financial and domestic problems. Her adult daughter Stephanie Zimbalist has turned to drugs; her sons Michael Shannon and Tim Hutton have less severe but no less time-consuming personal difficulties; and her mother Mildred Dunnock is aloof and remonstrative. In addition, Reed is torn between two loves: old flame Efrem Zimbalist Jr., and doctor John Phillip Law, who is young enough to be her son. The above-mentioned plot contrivances would seem to be sufficient to fill the four hours (and two parts) of The Best Place to Be several times over; still, there's time enough left over for a tragedy to strike Reed's family before she finally settles down with the elder Zimbalist. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Cast

• Stephanie Zimbalist

Lloyd Bochner; Mildred Dunnock; Gregory Harrison; Timothy Hutton; Rick Jason; John Phillip Law; Donna Reed; Madlyn Rhue; Michael J. Shannon; Betty White; Efrem Zimbalist, Jr.

Credit

David Miller - Director, Henry Mancini - Composer (Music Score)