Terms of Endearment (film)

Terms of Endearment
original movie poster
Directed by	James L. Brooks
Produced by	James L. Brooks
Written by	Novel:   Larry McMurtry Screenplay:   James L. Brooks
Starring	Shirley MacLaine Debra Winger Jack Nicholson Danny DeVito Jeff Daniels John Lithgow
Music by	Michael Gore
Cinematography	Andrzej Bartkowiak
Editing by	Richard Marks
Distributed by	Paramount Pictures
Release date(s)	November 23,1983
Running time	132 min.
Language	English
All Movie Guide profile
IMDb profile

Terms of Endearment is a 1983 American drama film and romantic comedy adapted by James L. Brooks from the novel by Larry McMurtry. Actor Jack Nicholson's character, astronaut Garrett Breedlove, does not appear in the novel. The part was created for Burt Reynolds, but he was already committed to another film, so it was handed to James Garner. Garner quarrelled with the director over differing interpretations. The part then went to Harrison Ford who turned it down because he didn't like the age difference between himself and Shirley MacLaine. The role wound up going to Nicholson. Debra Winger and Sissy Spacek were the original choices for the mother and daughter roles. The film was originally rated R for sexual content and language but re-rated PG on appeal.

Plot

The movie tells the story of a mother/daughter relationship and both women's inconclusive search for love. It opens with the newborn Emma in her cradle, sleeping. Her mother, Aurora, comes in to check on her infant and does not believe that her child is alive and safe until the baby is awakened and starts to cry.

Critical response

Playwright Rebecca Gilman mentioned Terms of Endearment when discussing dramatic shortcuts. "Look at Terms of Endearment. We’re going along and going along, and there’s not really a plot. Then…oh, she gets cancer. You get it all the time when people don’t quite know what to do, and I think in those cases it is a shortcut to tragedy. And which one is real life "^[1]

Sequel

In 1996, a sequel called The Evening Star was filmed, featuring MacLaine and Nicholson reprising their original roles.

Cast

• Jeff Daniels as Flap Horton
• Danny DeVito as Vernon Dalhart
• John Lithgow as Sam Burns
• Shirley MacLaine as Aurora Greenway
• Jack Nicholson as Garrett Breedlove
• Debra Winger as Emma Greenway Horton

Awards

Wins

• Academy Award for Best Picture
• Academy Award for Directing – (James L. Brooks)
• Academy Award for Best Actress – (Shirley MacLaine)
• Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor – (Jack Nicholson)
• Academy Award for Writing Adapted Screenplay – (James L. Brooks)
• Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture - Drama
• Golden Globe Award for Best Actress - Motion Picture Drama – (Shirley MacLaine)
• Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor - (Jack Nicholson)
• Golden Globe Award for Best Screenplay - Motion Picture – (James L. Brooks)
• DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures – (James L. Brooks)
• New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Film
• New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress - (Shirley MacLaine)
• New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actor - (Jack Nicholson)

Nominations

• Golden Globe Award for Best Director – (James L. Brooks)
• Academy Award for Best Actress – (Debra Winger)
• BAFTA Award for Best Actress – (Shirley MacLaine)
• Golden Globe Award for Best Actress - Motion Picture Drama – (Debra Winger)
• Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor – (John Lithgow)
• Academy Award for Best Art Direction - (Polly Platt & Tom Pedigo)
• Academy Award for Film Editing – (Richard Marks)
• Academy Award for Original Music Score – (Michael Gore)
• Academy Award for Sound – (Donald O. Mitchell, Rick Kline, Kevin O'Connell, James R. Alexander)

References