TERMS OF ENDEARMENT (1983)--Years before he godfathered The Simpsons, veteran TV producer James L. Brooks (The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Taxi) won a slew of Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director, for this popular adaptation of Larry McMurtrys 1975 novel. Shirley MacLaine and Debra Winger star as Aurora Greenway and her daughter Emma, who have a loving but contentious relationship over several decades while various men come and go in their lives. MacLaine won Best Actress, beating out co-star Winger and others, and Jack Nicholson also picked up an award as Best Supporting Actor for his turn as the hard-drinking astronaut next door who woos Aurora. In one of his first film roles, Jeff Daniels is Emmas rather dopey husband, an English professor with a wandering eye, and John Lithgow is surprisingly sweet as a mild-mannered banker who has an affair with Emma. Danny DeVito is a hoot as a diminutive Texan who falls for Aurora, although Im still not quite sure why he keeps showing up in the background long after she falls for Nicholsons space cowboy. I havent seen this film since it came out, when I somewhat reluctantly went with my mother to see it, and my opinion hasnt changed much: its okay but very depressing, the perfect sort of movie for people who like to cry—which I dont. Terms of Endearment certainly deserves its reputation as a classic tearjerker, but I am glad I wont have to watch it again in life. Not bad, certainly well-acted, but just not my cup of tea. Looking over the other nominees from the 56th Oscar show, I see that the only other one I ever saw was The Big Chill, which is far from my favorite but infinitely more palatable to my tastes. Return of the Jedi also came out in 1983, and thats probably my favorite film of that year—which is an indication of what a sucky year at the movies it must have been. RATING: ***
Posted on: Thu, 26 Jun 2014 04:14:17 +0000
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