NOBODY MAKES ME CRY

US, 1983, 100 minutes, Colour.
Carol Burnett, Elizabeth Taylor.
Directed by Lou Antonio.

A star vehicle for Carol Burnett and Elizabeth Taylor. They portray middle-aged women in crisis - quite effectively and with great insight,(emotionally) for both male and female audiences. They portray divorced women in their late '40s trying to manage their lives. The film. is also strong on bonds of genuine friendship between two such women.

While the film has the atmosphere of American affluence, (though much of it was filmed in Canada), the portrayal of the women blends the best of a soap opera with social drama. Direction is by Lou Antonio, a veteran of television series and telemovies.

1. The quality of this film? The telemovie - designed for the home audience? Dramatic impact? insight? Emotional response? The work of the stars?

2. Production values: US/Canada; the city, affluent lifestyle, family, workplace, a woman's world? locations?, Score?

3. The stars and their presence, styles? How well did they work together, rapport, a portrait of friendship - and in confrontation? Drawing on their own personal experiences? Honesty? The background of Elizabeth Taylor's personal life brought into the film?

4. The title and Mary Katherine's speaking of it? The focus on experience, harshness, the experience of hurt but defiance? The need for truth and honesty?

5. A credible portrait of friendship? Women and their experience, long marriages, divorce, break-up and the trauma, having to live with it? Middle age and ageing, menopause? Bringing up children? Questions of remarriage, relationships? Affairs? Unforeseen changes in attitudes? The bonds of friendship between women - its effect, sharing, demands, challenge?

6. Carol Burnett as Mary Katherine: the background of her marriage, its break-up, relationship with her husband and his marrying a younger woman? Her daughter and coping with her? Generation gap clashes? Values clashes? Permissions, timetables? Moral standards? Mary Katherine's memory of the nuns - the strong Catholic upbringing, moral law - and the desire to shock nuns? Exasperation, home life, work? The initial meeting with Deborah and their clash? Seeing her house? Their meetings, talking together, the shared evening, drinking, memories, laughter, sadness? A basis for friendship? The need for friendship? Mary Katherine's efforts to sell Deborah's house? Listening to her story, about her relationship? Advice? Getting the job for Deborah, rescuing her from her difficulties? Having to cope, Deborah's drinking, the engagement party, its failure, Deborah's humiliation, her would-be suicide, Mary Katherine rescuing her, speaking to her bluntly? Her own relationships and cavalier approach, the young doctor, Mr. Holland? What was she wanting from; the affairs? Sensuality, friendship - but no commitment? Deborah's attack on her self-sufficiency? Trying to get her own life in order?

7. Elizabeth Taylor's portrayal of Deborah: ladylike, wealthy, spoilt, her husband leaving her? Her belief in feminine life style - not sympathetic towards feminist interests? Her relationship with Sam, her mocking? Her relating easily to him? Thinking she'd marry him? The encounter with Mary Katherine: their talking, sharing, memories? The selling of the home? Her reluctance to take the job, trying to learn the computer work, making a mess of her job, abusing the reading tastes of the customers? Preparation for the party, her drinking, her speech on the chair and failing through it, humiliating Sam,? Trying to suicide? Her need for help e.g. AA and her reluctance to go? Mary Katherine's telling her off? Her response? Withdrawal, not wanting to sell the home? Her attempted apology to Sam, his new proposal and her rejecting it? A greater freedom?

8. The picture of Sam - an elderly man, a happy first marriage, widower? Relationship with Deborah? His money, deals, hard-hitting? Throwing the engagement party, being humiliated? His refusal of the apology? His going to Deborah with a new proposal? Was she right to refuse him?

9. Francesca and her teenage problems, self-preoccupation, criticism of her mother - and her mother's affairs? The viewing of her through her mother's eyes? Her admiration for her mother in her handling of Deborah?

10. The sketch of the doctor, Holland - the men in Mary Katherine's life? Furtive affairs, her enjoying them - but no commitment?

11. The film's detail e.g. the party, the shared memories at night, The selling of the house etc.?

12. Themes of women, experience, marriage, divorce, success and failure, ageing, menopause, friendship and relationships?