TERMS OF ENDEARMENT
US, 1983, 131 minutes, Colour.
Shirley Mac Laine, Debra Winger, Jack Nicholson, Jeff Daniels, Danny de Vito, John Lithgow.
Directed by James L. Brooks.
Terms of Endearment was one of the most popular films of the 1980s. It was written and directed by James L. Brooks who went on to direct Broadcast News, As Good As It Gets and Spanglish.
The film is about family – and treats material that is often seen in American films and in soap operas. The film opens with preparations for the wedding of the daughter, the fussing of the mother and her interference. As the film develops, the daughter develops a terminal illness and this gives a different perspective to the relationship. Shirley Mac Laine won an Oscar for her role as the mother. Debra Winger was nominated for her role as the daughter.
The male cast is strong with John Lithgow getting Oscar nominations and other awards. Danny de Vito also appears and Jeff Daniels appears in one of his earliest roles. However, there was a scene-stealing cameo by Jack Nicholson which also won him an Oscar (James L. Brooks was to direct him to his third Oscar in As Good As It Gets).
The film is very much American emotion, American sentiment. But, the film raises a number of issues that are always important, especially in terms of family relationships.
The film was based on a novel by Larry Mc Murtriey (the tough writer of such novels as The Last Picture Show, Lonesome Dove – and the writer and expander of the short story of Brokeback Mountain).
1. The popularity and appeal of the film? Qualities? Awards and acclaim?
2. The perennial appeal of popular films? Of soap opera? Of 'women's' film? The style of the '80s for this material: tough, tender, real, romantic?
3. The backgrounds of Texas, Iowa, Nebraska? Middle America? A film for average Americans to identify with? An atmosphere of authenticity, the suburbs, colleges, homes? The contemporary touches - the ageing astronaut etc.? The musical score?
4. The title and indications of communication? The qualities of tenderness? The qualities of endearment? Terms and reference to language, gesture? The qualities of communication? Joy, regrets at lack of communication? How real were the terms in the film? The ironies about lack of communication?
5. The portrait of a family: the structure of the film and Emma's whole life? Her mother's life and the interplay of mother and daughter? The intercutting of the two lives? The qualities of the stars and their focus on the middle-aged woman and the younger woman?
6. The comedy but insight of the prologue: the focus on Aurora and her fuss. her concern about her baby and its health, the humour of her relief? Setting the tone for the film? So much comic. so much funny? The sad edge of the humour? The funeral sequence - Aurora's grief, her eccentricities, the young Emma supporting her mother? The absent father for Emma's growth? Emma's growing up and her being tied to her mother -but with independence?
7. The episodic qualities of the film? The passing of the years, almost without expectation? The screenplay taking for granted audiences filling in details? A highlighting of interesting episodes? The highlighting of character and strength of character-drawing?
8. Emma's wedding: Emma and her friendship, girl-talk, the contrast with her mother and her anxieties, her dilemma about going to the wedding when she disapproved of Flap? The interchange and her 'honesty'? The fact of her boycotting the wedding? Her continuous telephone calls? The honeymoon? The bond between Emma and Flap? The music as background to their lovemaking and relationship? Aurora's hopes for her daughter and the marriage - but considering her 'not special enough'? The phone calls, the apologies, the persuading of Flap to apologise to Aurora? The build-up of the relationship during the early years of marriage - outings, meals, Emma’s pregnancies, her joy, the quality of the relationship with Flap? The contrast with Aurora and her concern, her disdain of becoming a grandmother? The births? The question of the subsequent pregnancy? Relating to the children - Emma and her sternness, repeating Aurora's manner with herself, yet with differences? Flap and his career and Emma's growing suspicions? The years passing and the strengthening of ties with her mother? Emma's verve, her not working except for her husband and children?
9. The effect of Emma's leaving home on Aurora? Her wanting to remain young - the young-looking dresses she perennially wore? Her being alone, the various beaux and their attentions? Vern and his ever-presence? Their doting on Aurora? For example her 52nd birthday (her version: 50)? Garrett living next door and Aurora's disdain? Seeing him with the girls, coming home drunk? Her fastidious reaction to him? Her visit to ask him to turn the music down? The reaction to his inviting her to a meal? Her turning it down? Years later and the acceptance? Her going out with Garrett - his talking, his flirting and her being offended, the emphasis on sex? His highlighting her inhibitions? Her prin behaviour and attitudes? The speedy drive in the car and its comedy, the ocean? The kiss, the beginning of the affair - and Aurora's exhilarated phone call to Emma? Her discovery of her sexuality? The changes in her life, her being transformed? Her falling in love with Garrett - and the pain of his visit to say that he must break with her? Her humiliation?
10. Jack Nicholson's portrait of Garrett? The background of his work as an astronaut and his later explanations of his experience of going into space? His regrets about the astronauts not sharing their experience? A man with the girls - but his being highlighted as a slob and a drunk? The noise? Living next to Aurora but not noticing her? His reaction to her complaints? The invitation to lunch - and the later taking up of it? His flirting, drinking, speeding? His tenderness in the affair - and its being presented to the audience comically? Their sharing, his decision to break? The importance of his turning up during Emma's illness? Aurora's declaration of her love for him at the airport? Their coming together again? His presence at Emma’s funeral - and his skill in bringing Tommy out of himself and their discussions? His grandfather role? The portrait of an average American man, warts and all, attractiveness and weakness? An incisive portrait?
11. Emma's move to Des Moines: the packing, the farewells? Aurora's attitude? Flap's determination? Emma’s going along with him? The farewell to her girlfriend? The humour of the trip after the dramatic farewells? Settling in? The continued phone calls and the effect on each of the women? Flap and his affairs? Emma’s suspicions? Her hostility, the reaction of the boys? Tommy becoming hostile especially to his mother? The indications of this, his eyes, his reserve? The boys going out of the house during fights? Embarrassed about their mother? The average family trying to work out its problems, but the lack of communication? The continued tension of Emma with the children? The younger boy and his love for his mother? The little girl? The importance of the move to Nebraska, the family celebrations? The separation and the boys going with their mother back to Aurora? Emma's illness and the importance of her speech to Tommy? Her perceiving of what had happened, his listening to his mother but being unable to express his love for her? Her hoping for a realisation after her death? The importance of the ending and Tommy's standing back at the funeral, Garrett's ability to reach out to him and Tommy's hopeful response?
12. Emma and her reaction to Flap's affairs? His nights out? Challenging him? The fights - but their inability to talk? The supermarket experience and her embarrassment? Sam and his being a gentleman? His proposal and the beginning of the affair? Her expression of her choice of having the affair? The episodes? Sam and his response to the situation, to the break? The civilised breaking up of the affair? Her almost telling Flap but her decision not to?
13. Flap's affairs, the audience seeing the girl as Emma saw her? The effect of the discovery? The return to Aurora? The plan to move to Nebraska and Flap's ultimatum? The importance of the return home and the warmth of her mother, of the mid, of Garrett, of her girlfriend? Her decision to go to Nebraska?
14. Nebraska, the realisation that they had moved for Flap to be near the girl? The hostility? The doctor, the lumps and her illness? The treatment? Her decision to go to New York - the fashionable women, the names and her failing with Lizabeth? The parties, the dinners, the hesitation about naming cancer - and then the women coming straight out with it, her return?
15. The illness. the treatment? Her growing weaker? Trying to cope, fighting with her mother, the reconciliation with Flap, her decision about the children and her wanting her mother to have the custody rather than the girl? Her telling of the children and their farewell? How genuinely moving? An experience of illness and death? Her quiet death with Aurora present and Flap sleeping?
16. The effect on the others - Aurora and her fussing, Emma trying to calm her down, Garrett's visit, Flap and his coping, her girlfriend coming from New York?
17. The film as the meaning of a life? Strengths and weaknesses? Joys and sorrows? Failings? Her funeral and the effect on the people there? The funeral sequence with its humanity bringing the film together?
18. Family themes, the portrait of the characters? Detail, humour? Not perfect? Relationships, love, lack of communication? The impact of the real situations and characters on the audience and their ability to identify?
