{"id":27736,"date":"2012-10-12T10:45:34","date_gmt":"2012-10-12T17:45:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=27736"},"modified":"2021-03-06T10:49:31","modified_gmt":"2021-03-06T17:49:31","slug":"terms-of-endearment-1983","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=27736","title":{"rendered":"Terms of Endearment (1983)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;Grown women are prepared for life&#8217;s little emergencies.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/Terms-of-Endearment-Poster.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/Terms-of-Endearment-Poster-193x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"193\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-27738\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/Terms-of-Endearment-Poster-193x300.jpg 193w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/Terms-of-Endearment-Poster-82x128.jpg 82w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/Terms-of-Endearment-Poster.jpg 580w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 193px) 100vw, 193px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nA widow (Shirley MacLaine) and her daughter (Debra Winger) clash over Winger&#8217;s decision to marry an aspiring English professor (Jeff Daniels), but maintain a close relationship even when Winger and her family move away.\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n<strong>Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Death and Dying<\/li>\n<li>Debra Winger Films<\/li>\n<li>Grown Children<\/li>\n<li>Illness<\/li>\n<li>Jack Nicholson Films<\/li>\n<li>John Lithgow Films<\/li>\n<li>Marital Problems<\/li>\n<li>Shirley MacLaine Films<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Response to Peary\u2019s Review: <\/strong><br \/>\nI was pleasantly surprised to revisit this &#8220;Best Picture Oscar Winner of 1983&#8221;, a &#8220;slice-of-life seriocomedy that chronicles the combative yet loving 30-year relationship between [an] infuriatingly resolute widow&#8230; and her equally indomitable daughter&#8221;. Peary notes that while &#8220;the mix of &#8216;human&#8217; comedy, outrageous comedy, perceptive family drama, and morbidity&#8221; (a major character dies) &#8220;doesn&#8217;t always mesh&#8221;, &#8220;no one will be disappointed in the splendid performances by the three leads&#8221;. Indeed, in his <em>Alternate Oscars<\/em>, Peary agrees with the Academy both that Winger deserved her nomination, and that MacLaine deserved her Best Actress award for her role as Aurora Greenway, noting that MacLaine &#8220;gave the performance of her career&#8221; here. He points out that she &#8220;doesn&#8217;t treat her [acerbic] character with condescension, because she recognizes Aurora&#8217;s extraordinary qualities. Instead she makes sure we know that Aurora recognizes her own peculiarities and foibles&#8221; (which include being &#8220;overbearing, opinionated, [and] tactless&#8221;).  <\/p>\n<p>Peary notes in his <em>GFTFF<\/em> review that <em>TOE<\/em> is fortunately &#8220;not one of those pictures in which a stern parent lets her&#8230; daughter know that she indeed loves her deeply although she could never express it&#8221;; instead, &#8220;there is never any question that they love each other&#8221;, which is what makes the film as a whole so refreshing. When we watch Winger&#8217;s young character butting heads with her mom in opening scenes &#8212; and witness MacLaine actually admitting she&#8217;d prefer not to attend Winger&#8217;s wedding &#8212; we believe we&#8217;re being set up for a story that will center around ongoing mother\/daughter strife; instead, what we see is a film &#8220;about two different women who become close <em>friends<\/em>&#8220;. While they remain &#8220;adversaries, they [also] seek out each other&#8217;s advice and support&#8221;, as they &#8220;begin leading parallel lives&#8221; (&#8220;both have affairs&#8230; at the same time&#8221;). <\/p>\n<p>In the remainder of his review, Peary mentions numerous major spoilers that probably won&#8217;t be news to most film fanatics, but I&#8217;ll refrain from discussing them here. Suffice it to say that &#8220;the tragedy that befalls [one of the main characters] leads us to the film&#8217;s reassuring theme: in a crisis, especially a life-and-death situation, even irresponsible people will come through for those they love&#8221;. Peary notes that &#8220;we get a unique look at what makes even the most common people special&#8221;, and argues that <em>TOE<\/em> remains a &#8220;touching, tear-inducing film&#8221;. He points out that writer\/director James L. Brooks&#8217; project (based on a  novel by Larry McMurtry) &#8220;was rejected by several studios because executives thought it was more appropriate for a television movie&#8221;, which makes sense &#8212; but the actors and the screenplay ultimately elevate this one above the level of most made-for-TV melodramas. It&#8217;s definitely worth a watch. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Redeeming Qualities and Moments: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Shirley MacLaine as Aurora<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/Terms-of-Endearment-MacLaine.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/Terms-of-Endearment-MacLaine.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"704\" height=\"384\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-27743\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/Terms-of-Endearment-MacLaine.png 704w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/Terms-of-Endearment-MacLaine-128x69.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/Terms-of-Endearment-MacLaine-300x163.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 704px) 100vw, 704px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Debra Winger as Emma<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/Terms-of-Endearment-Winger.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/Terms-of-Endearment-Winger.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"704\" height=\"384\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-27740\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/Terms-of-Endearment-Winger.png 704w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/Terms-of-Endearment-Winger-128x69.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/Terms-of-Endearment-Winger-300x163.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 704px) 100vw, 704px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Jeff Daniels as Flap<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/Terms-of-Endearment-Daniels.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/Terms-of-Endearment-Daniels.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"704\" height=\"384\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-27741\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/Terms-of-Endearment-Daniels.png 704w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/Terms-of-Endearment-Daniels-128x69.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/Terms-of-Endearment-Daniels-300x163.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 704px) 100vw, 704px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Jack Nicholson as retired astronaut Garrett Breedlove<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/Terms-of-Endearment-Nicholson.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/Terms-of-Endearment-Nicholson.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"704\" height=\"384\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-27737\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/Terms-of-Endearment-Nicholson.png 704w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/Terms-of-Endearment-Nicholson-128x69.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/Terms-of-Endearment-Nicholson-300x163.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 704px) 100vw, 704px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>A fine adaptation of Larry McMurtry&#8217;s novel<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/Terms-of-Endearment-Screenplay.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/Terms-of-Endearment-Screenplay.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"704\" height=\"384\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-27739\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/Terms-of-Endearment-Screenplay.png 704w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/Terms-of-Endearment-Screenplay-128x69.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/Terms-of-Endearment-Screenplay-300x163.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 704px) 100vw, 704px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nYes, as a powerful, Oscar-winning tearjerker. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Categories<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Good Show<\/li>\n<li>Oscar Winner or Nominee<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p> (<span style=\"color:red;font-weight:bold;\">Listed in <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-static\/1001Movies.htm\"><em>1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die<\/em><\/a><\/span>) <\/p>\n<p><strong>Links: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0086425\/\">IMDb entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/1983\/11\/23\/movies\/the-screen-terms-of-endearment.html\">NY Times Original Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.filmsite.org\/terms.html\">FilmSite Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.qnetwork.com\/index.php?page=review&#038;id=795\">Q Network Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tcm.com\/tcmdb\/title\/4266\/terms-of-endearment#articles-reviews?articleId=21416\">TCM Article<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.timeout.com\/movies\/terms-of-endearment\">Time Out Capsule Review<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;Grown women are prepared for life&#8217;s little emergencies.&#8221; Synopsis: A widow (Shirley MacLaine) and her daughter (Debra Winger) clash over Winger&#8217;s decision to marry an aspiring English professor (Jeff Daniels), but maintain a close relationship even when Winger and her family move away. Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors: Death and Dying Debra Winger Films Grown Children Illness Jack Nicholson Films John Lithgow Films Marital Problems Shirley MacLaine Films Response to Peary\u2019s Review: I was pleasantly surprised to revisit this &#8220;Best&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=27736\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-27736","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-responses-to-peary"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27736","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=27736"}],"version-history":[{"count":17,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27736\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":70154,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27736\/revisions\/70154"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=27736"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=27736"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=27736"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}