The Women's Room (1980) (TV)

Director:

Glenn Jordan

Writers:

Marilyn French (novel)
Carol Sobieski (writer)

Release Date:

14 September 1980 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot Keywords:

Marriage | Love | Divorcee | Women's Liberation | Women's Rights

Awards:

Nominated for 4 Primetime Emmys.

Cast

Lee Remick	...	Mira Adams
Colleen Dewhurst	...	Val
Patty Duke	...	Lily
Kathryn Harrold	...	Bliss
Tovah Feldshuh	...	Iso
Tyne Daly	...	Adele
Lisa Pelikan	...	Kyla
Heidi Vaughn	...	Samantha
Mare Winningham	...	Chris
Ted Danson	...	Norman
Gregory Harrison	...	Ben Volper
Jenny O'Hara	...	Mrs. Martinelli
Christopher Pennock	...	Harley
Al Corley	...	Tad Ford
Michael LeClair	...	Normie - Age 15

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Company:

Warner Bros. Television

Trivia:

Lee Remick's second husband, British producer Kip Gowans, worked with Lee on a number of TV movies including The Women's Room (1980) (TV), and Rearview Mirror (1984) (TV)

A generally well-acted TV movie.

Satisfactory adaptation of the Marilyn French bestseller. Lee Remick is Myra, a thirtyish housewife who decides to abandon her cheating husband (a pre-Cheers Ted Danson) and dull suburban lifestyle, and return to graduate school. There, she becomes involved in the burgeoning women's movement and eventually finds sexual fulfillment in the arms of a younger man (Gregory Harrison). As Remick's character develops from a naive, sheltered young bride to an aware, independent woman, the viewer is introduced to two sets of female characters (Patty Duke, Tyne Daly and Kathryn Harrold are her suburban friends, all trapped in unhappy marriages, and Colleen Dewhurst, Tovah Felshuh, Lisa Pelikan and Mare Winningham are her graduate school associates) who, through their own experiences, help to shape and inform Myra's self-identity. Ultimately, Remick concludes that her happiness need not be dependent on any man. While I wouldn't characterize the film as "man-hating", as other on-line comments have suggested, it very definitely has a feminist sensibility. The acting is generally quite fine. Remick offers her usual capable performance, Dewhurst excels as her sexually frank, liberated friend and Winningham is very good as Dewhurst's neglected daughter. Patty Duke, while often compelling, is occasionally over the top as Remick's emotionally unstable friend; Tyne Daly manages a similar role with far more subtlety.