Terms of Endearment (1983)

User Rating:

7.3/10   

Director:

James L. Brooks

Writers:

Larry McMurtry (novel)
James L. Brooks (screenplay)

Release Date:

9 December 1983 (USA)

Genre:

Romance | Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

Come to Laugh, Come to Cry, Come to Care, Come to Terms.

Plot:

Aurora and Emma are mother and daughter who march to different drummers. Beginning with Emma's marriage...

Plot Keywords:

Neighbor | Marriage | Astronaut | Love | Prologue

Awards:

Won 5 Oscars. Another 25 wins & 10 nominations

Cast

Shirley MacLaine	...	Aurora Greenway
Debra Winger	...	Emma Horton
Jack Nicholson	...	Garrett Breedlove
Danny DeVito	...	Vernon Dahlart
Jeff Daniels	...	Flap Horton
John Lithgow	...	Sam Burns
Lisa Hart Carroll	...	Patsy Clark
Betty King	...	Rosie Dunlop (as Betty R. King)
Huckleberry Fox	...	Teddy Horton
Troy Bishop	...	Tommy Horton
Shane Serwin	...	Younger Tommy Horton
Megan Morris	...	Melanie Horton
Tara Yeakey	...	Baby Melanie
Norman Bennett	...	Edward Johnson
Jennifer Josey	...	Young Emma

Runtime:

132 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:L | Canada:14A (Canadian Home Video rating) | Brazil:14 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Chile:14 | Finland:K-12 | Norway:12 | Peru:14 | Sweden:7 | UK:15 | USA:PG (#27173) (re-rating on appeal) | USA:R (original rating) | West Germany:12 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

1148 Heights Blvd., Houston, Texas, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

Although not specifically stated, the bulk of the story takes place over a span of several years during the late 1970s (a 1979 wall calendar is visible midway through the movie). Interestingly, as the character Garrett is an astronaut, this particular time period was exactly when his services would be least needed by NASA. The final Apollo mission was in 1972 and there would not be another manned spaceflight until the first Space Shuttle mission in 1981.

Goofs:

Errors in geography: When Emma is standing outside the restaurant in front of the Statue of Liberty, the area behind her is obviously a set, as the city background is very distorted from what a background in the city would really look like.

Quotes:

Emma Horton: You both of you have beautiful eyes and your hair is too long. I mean, I don't care how long it gets in the back, but keep your bangs cut, OK, it's too long.
Tommy Horton: That's a matter of opinion.
Emma Horton: Just keep it short, alright?
Tommy Horton: Are you getting well?
Emma Horton: Look, I'm sorry about this but I can't help it, and I can't talk to you for too long or I'll get real upset. I want you to make a lot of friends. And I want you to be real nice to the girls 'cause they're gonna be real important to you, I swear.
Tommy Horton: I'm not afraid of girls. What makes you think that?
Emma Horton: Well, you may be later on.
Tommy Horton: I doubt it.
Teddy Horton: Why don't you shut up? Shut up!
Tommy Horton: You shut up!
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Cutting Edge: The Magic of Movie Editing (2004)

Soundtrack:

Isn't It Romantic

One of the best films of the 80's!

I never watch soaps, am not one for chick flicks, and generally steer clear of weepies. I was only drawn to this by the eclectic cast, and a vague recollection of acclaim.

'Terms of Endearment' is a stunningly well-made film. Pretty much every scene is conceived, scripted and acted to perfection. Winger, MacLaine and Nicholson make these relationships pure gold. So much of the interaction feels natural, even improvised. A twist toward the end reveals a compelling new layer for each and every character.

It's largely forgotten these days, but in my opinion stands as one of the very best films of the 80's. Cherish it.