The Turning Point (1977)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

Herbert Ross

Writer:

Arthur Laurents (written by)

Release Date:

14 November 1977 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

The generations change. But the choices remain the same.

Plot:

When her daughter joins a ballet company, a former dancer is forced to confront her long-ago decision to give up the stage to have a family.

Plot Keywords:

Ballet | Daughter | Dance | Dancer | Mother

Awards:

Nominated for 11 Oscars. Another 10 wins & 7 nominations

Cast

Shirley MacLaine	...	Deedee Rodgers
Anne Bancroft	...	Emma Jacklin
Mikhail Baryshnikov	...	Yuri Kopeikine
Leslie Browne	...	Emilia Rodgers
Tom Skerritt	...	Wayne
Martha Scott	...	Adelaide
Anthony Zerbe	...	Rosie
Marshall Thompson	...	Carter
Alexandra Danilova	...	Madame Dahkarova
Antoinette Sibley	...	Sevilla Haslam
Starr Danias	...	Carolyn
James Mitchell	...	Michael
Daniel Levans	...	Arnold
Scott Douglas	...	Freddie Romoff
Lisa Lucas	...	Janina

Runtime:

119 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG (re-rating) (1987) | Australia:PG | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Iceland:L | Argentina:13 | Chile:14 | Finland:K-12 | Sweden:11 | USA:PG | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Hera Productions

Trivia:

This film jointly holds the record (with The Color Purple (1985)) for the film with most Oscar nominations without a single win (11).

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When everybody is warming up on stage before the Gala Performance, you can see Baryshnikov practicing his jumps for "Le Corsaire" and is already wearing the costume. However, the program shows that he first dances the Grand Pas de Deux of Sleeping Beauty.

Quotes:

Rosie: Oh, I had the hots for you back in those days. Only I never came up to you because you were always at the barre. And I didn't look so good in tights. And now the toe shoe is on the other foot.
Deedee Rodgers: Oh, really?
Rosie: Yeah. Now we BOTH don't look so good in tights.
Deedee Rodgers: Speak for yourself.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Shirley MacLaine at the Lido (1979) (TV)

Soundtrack:

ANNA KARENINA

A Layered Legwarmer Festival

The Turning Point is still an enjoyable film almost 30 years after it was first released. The actors are all outstanding, as are the dancers, but the movie is stolen by ballet dancer Lesile Browne. Browne is only 19 in the film, but her dance skills are remarkable. Limited as an actress, yet she had a screen presence which made her enjoyable to watch.

She looked stunning dancing in the studio, as her leg-warmers slid down her shapely legs, she is a vision of pure beauty. Amazing that Browne was not cast as a dancer in the movie FAME.

The dance numbers are enjoyable, but unless you're a big fan of classical ballet, it may be somewhat boring. The male dancers all come across as very girlish, and the principal female stars very strong, a typical theme of some of the early 80s films.

So, put on your on tights, yank your leg-warmers to your thigh, pop on your ballet slippers, and enjoy The Turning Point.