Chilly Scenes of Winter was made into a motion picture in 1979 and released under the title Head Over Heels (directed by Joan Micklin Silver, released by United Artists in 1979). In 1984 it was re-released under the original title in a newly-edited version (directed by Joan Micklin Silver, released by United Artists Classics).

The original version was an attempt to make a popular although bleak novel into an upbeat comedy starring John Heard and Mary Beth Hurt. To that end the title was changed to Head Over Heels and the ending was revised.

Instead of the tentative inconclusive image which ended the book, the movie tags on a happy-ever-after hug between Laura and Charles.

Happily, this misguided version was fixed. Ann Beattie made a brief cameo appearance in the movie and thoroughly approved of the re-released version, which became a comedy about depression and was textured to mirror the whimsical...