Terms of Endearment
TERMS OF ENDEARMENT (15)
D: James L. Brooks
Paramount (James L. Brooks)
US 1983
132 mins
Drama
W: James L. Brooks [based on the novel by
Larry McMurtry]
DP: Andrzej Bartkowiak
Ed: Richard Marks
Mus: Michael Gore
Debra Winger (Emma Horton), Shirley
MacLaine (Aurora Greenway), Jack Nicholson (Garrett Breedlove), Danny DeVito (Vernon Dahlart), Jeff Daniels (Flap Horton), John Lithgow (Sam Burns)
Winner of the 1983 Oscar for Best Picture, Terms of
Endearment follows the relationship between a mother and daughter over several years. The focus of the story is equally split between the life of Aurora Greenaway, the difficult-to-please
mother who develops a sexual relationship with her enamoured, alcoholic, ex-astronaut next door neighbour, and Emma, the daughter, who's relationship with her own children comes under
scrutiny when she splits from her dim-witted husband and later develops a terminal illness.
Though the final act seems tailored for a TV movie of the
week, the film begins as a light hearted comedy with some good humour and dialogue. What really holds it together is two perfect leading performances from Debra Winger & Shirley MacLaine,
as well as strong supporting performances, especially Jack Nicholson, who comes close to upstaging the two leading ladies.
Hardly groundbreaking, but particularly memorable, laying
down a stencil for other sentimental melodramas to follow many years since.
8/10
