MY TWO LOVES

US, 1986, 100 minutes, Colour.
Lynn Redgrave, Mariette Hartley, Barry Newman, Robert Sean Leonard, Sada Thompson.
Directed by Noel Black.

My Two Loves was written by veteran writer Reginald Rose (whose screenplays include Twelve Angry Men) and feminist writer Rita Mae Brown. It is the story of a widow who has an affair with a friend, begins work as a chef and realizes a passionate love for her employer. It raises issues of homosexuality and lesbianism with the various presentations of society's attitudes. As performed by the cast, the film offers insight into the various issues, but also offers a very sympathetic understanding of sexuality and relationships, especially those between women.

Mariette Hartley does very well in the central role of the widow who is on a journey trying to understand herself. Lynn Redgrave is very sympathetic as the companion. Barry Newman is the friend. Included in the cast are Sada Thompson as the mother, a character who is able to voice a lot of the difficulties. And Robert Sean Leonard (billed as Robert L Leonard) appears in a teenage role - before his appearance in such films as Dead Poet's Society and Mr and Mrs Bridge. Comparisons could he made with another telemovie on the theme, A Question of Love with Jane Alexander and Gena Rowlands. The film raises a great number of issues and offers a solid basis for discussion and reflection.

1. Impact? Contemporary themes and controversy? Human relationships?

2. The settings, homes, restaurants, apartments? The atmosphere of an American city as a setting for this story? Musical Score?

3. The title, the focus on Gail, on her relationship with Marjory and with Ben?

4. Audition reaction to themes of homosexuality, of lesbianism? Presented in a humane rather than a sensationalist way? Natural and unnatural - and the comments by Ben and by Dorothea? Audience sympathy to relationships, ethical questions, moral questions? Decision making?

5. Mariette Hartley convincing as Gail? The story of her being widowed - Tim and his work, her blaming herself for not stopping him going out to a patient when he was tired? Her love for her daughter? Moving house? Ben's sympathy and the affair? Her daughter's criticism and the confrontation between the two? Her going to work, skill as a chef? The friendship with Marjory? Discussions, her opening up? Her response to Marjory's story - sympathy but needing time to assimilate it? Her response to Ben and his proposal of marriage, his demands? Her discussing things with her daughter, with her mother? Her mother's judgment on her relationship with Ben? The enjoying of Marjory's company, discussions? Sympathy? The sexual experience - off-screen? The repercussions, feminine companionship? Her searching about her own sexuality? The sympathetic experience - and her mother's discovery, her mother's outburst? Gail's reaction? Her daughter's puzzle? The apologies - and her going to the psychiatrist, the need for some kind of therapy to understand herself? Her final meeting with Ben and with Marjory, her explaining herself, her confusion, her reassessment of her marriage and her relationship? Her not wanting to commit herself to either of them? With her daughter - and what would be the outcome of the therapy and her self-understanding?

6. The daughter, grief about her father, anger at her mother's absence? Acting to hurt her mother? The reconciliations? Her own discussions about sexuality, the pressure from Larry? The question about her mother marrying again? Her not understanding her mother's crisis, her growing up, support for her mother?

7. Dorothea, looking after her daughter and granddaughter? Countenancing the affair with Ben? Having the photo that the daughter wanted? Babysitting? Her reaction to the kiss, her outburst, her condemnation of homosexuality, blaming herself? Coming to apologise? Trying to come to terms with the reality?

8. Marjory, her work, sympathetic, the broken relationship? Her telling the truth to Gail? Coping with the reaction? The friendship with Gail, the sympathy, sexual liaison, emotional support? Her reaction to Gail's mother? Her views on homosexuality, on secrecy, on society and its pressures? Ethical issues? Her appeal to Gail at the end, accepting her decision?

9. Ben, friendly with Tim, his divorce, relationship with his son? His son's admiration for him? Wanting to marry Gail, the affair, the break-off of the dates, his puzzle, the proposal and his chauvinist attitudes and her response, the phone calls, Dorothea telling him the truth, his attempts at sympathy and sensitivity, his anger at Marjory, the encounter in the park, with the coffee, his appeal to Gail? Her not being able to accept him?

10. Larry, relationship with his father, idealising him? Wanting to live with him? Friendship with the daughter, the sexual pressure, adolescence?

11. The portrait of human relationships and interactions/insight into emotions, decision-making? How adequate an exploration of the theme of homosexuality?