THE FAMILY MAN

US, 1979, 100 minutes, Colour.
Edward Asner, Meredith Baxter, Paul Clemens, Anne Jackson, Martin Short.
Directed by Glenn Jordan.

One of many social problem telemovies made in the late 70s. Many series tackled contemporary family problems and marital problems and the social telemovie seems to be an effective spin-off from these series. They provided skilful actors end actresses with the opportunity for portraying complex characters and making them available to the wide television audience. As family viewers stayed at home, the social tele-movie performed a useful function for jogging social conscience, providing dramatic representations of complex problems. The cast of this film is excellent especially Edward Asner. Direction is by Glenn Jordan, who made many skilful telemovies in the late 70s, ranging from a version of Les Miserables to In Search Of In The Matter of Karen Ann Quinlan.

1. The impact of serious telemovies? The relationship to soap opera and the emotional response to these? More serious treatment of social themes? Availability to the wide audience, the home context? A successful dramatic presentation of the complexity of values and human crises?

2. The quality of the film as a telemovie - its cast, colour photography, style? Audience response to the plot (with commercial interruptions)?

3. The basic themes - their perennial interest, the possibility of this kind of crisis, audiences relating it to their own experience? love, infatuation, success? Cross-roads and the need to cope? Choices and hurt?

4. The film's establishing the central character - Edward Asner's presence and style? Seeing him at work, his skill? His jokes – and the significance of the chauffeur's room after the practical joke played on him with the model and what was to happen? His love for his wife? His daughter and her giving birth? His son and his wanting to leave home? His being a self-made man? The Irish Catholic background and its authentic presentation? A tough man yet tender? His exuberance in singing? His capacity for being alone? The importance of the Catholic background discussions about moral issues and family man? the use of the Confessional? The chance encounter with Mercedes and his being attracted to her, helping her? Offering her the room, watching her play the piano? his hovering near her and the growing infatuation? his decision to take her to the opera? his taking her to lunch and running risks of being seen? The advice from his friends? His choice to begin the liaison? The bedroom sequences and the consequent lies, confession? The outings? her not loving him but his wanting her to love him? His wife and her discovery of the truth? his son seeing him and his reaction? The advice of friends and their wisdom? The break and the reconciliation? The surprise that he would go through this experience? How true to life? The effect on him, his wife, hurt? On Mercedes? His general harshness of attitude especially towards his son and his having to relent? The photo?

5. Mercedes and being bashed by her boyfriend, the car situation, pleasant young girl, responding to interest, the piano playing, the outings, the opera and the visit? The jealousy of her boyfriend and the fight between the two men? The progress of the affair, gifts? The break? Her future? The experience of love, hurt?

6. The wife - the ordinary suburban wife, love for her husband, tender, housework, meals? discovery of the lies but her not admitting it? her protectiveness of her son? Her daughter and the talk? The advice of her friends? The build-up to Christmas and the possibility of a future?

7. The son and his being at home, wanting to leave, working with his father, discovering the truth, worrying? The Catholic background and loss of faith? his father's harsh attitudes? his talk with his father after discovering the truth?

8. The daughter and her child and family life? The picture of stability?

9. The background of the workers, their support of their boss, the comradeship? friends and sound advice?

10. The material of soap opera - but treated with more depth? The authenticity of the situation, the attention to detail and feeling? This kind of film as a test of attitudes, values, moral stances? Ability to cope?