The Last Best Year

The Last Best Year
The Last Best Year
Directed by	John Erman
Produced by	John Erman Josette Perrotta David W. Rintels Victoria Riskin
Written by	David W. Rintels
Starring	Mary Tyler Moore Bernadette Peters
Music by	John Morris
Cinematography	Frank Tidy
Editing by	Paul LaMastra
Release date(s)	November 4, 1990 (ABC television)
Running time	120 minutes
Language	English

The Last Best Year is a drama television movie, concerning a lonely woman who discovers that she has a terminal illness. This made-for-television movie co-starred Mary Tyler Moore and Bernadette Peters, two actresses known for playing comedic roles. It aired on ABC.

Plot summary

Jane (Bernadette Peters) visits a doctor (Brian Bedford) after becoming ill during a business trip. She is told that she has a terminal illness and is referred to a psychologist, Wendy Haller (Mary Tyler Moore), to help her in dealing with the emotional aspects of the illness. Jane, although successful at business, leads a solitary life except for occasional times she spends with her married lover, Jerry, who leaves her during her crisis. Reluctant to open herself emotionally at first, she soon warms to Wendy. Jane makes a last trip to visit her beloved Aunt Lizzie (Carmen Mathews).

Jane finally faces the secret she has been hiding for years, that she gave her infant son up for adoption. As she makes peace with guilt from her troubled past and comes to terms with her fate she gains loving support from Aunt Lizzie, Wendy, and Amy and Peter, her co-workers. She returns to the faith she had turned from and makes contact with her grown son. Wendy, also, has had a troubled past and, through her relationship with Jane, resolves her own issues, especially with her mother Anne.

Cast

• Mary Tyler Moore as Wendy Haller
• Bernadette Peters as Jane Murray
• Brian Bedford as Dr. Castle
• Carmen Mathews as Aunt Lizzie
• Kate Reid as Sister Mary Rose
• Kenneth Welsh as Jerry
• Erika Alexander as Amy
• Dorothy McGuire as Anne
• Lawrence Dane as John Dennis
• Michael Hogan as Billy Haller
• Albert Schultz as Peter Hamm
• Bathsheba Garnett as Mrs. Morton
• Michael J. Reynolds as Wisnovsky

Responses

John J. O'Connor wrote in his review: "What takes place is that rare occurrence in films of any sort-a female bonding...Ms. Moore and Ms. Peters give marvelously restrained and touching performances." (New York Times, TV View, November 4, 1990, p. H33.)

Trivia

• Peters previously worked with the director John Erman on her feature film debut, Ace Eli and Rodger of the Skies, and the television movie, David.
• The story in The Last Best Year is based on the experiences of the executive producer, Victoria Riskin, wife of the writer David Rintels.

External links

• Internet Movie Database listing