JUST BETWEEN FRIENDS

US, 1986, 108 minutes, Colour.
Mary Tyler Moore, Christine Lahti, Salome Jens, Ted Danson, Sam Waterston.
Directed by Alan Burns.

Just Between Friends is what used to be called in the old days “a woman’s picture”.

The film stars two veterans of the small screen as well as the big screen, Mary Tyler Moore and Christine Lahti. The two leading men also had strong television careers as well as in feature films, Ted Danson in Cheers, Sam Waterston in Law and Order.

The writer-director, Alan Burns, was involved with Mary Tyler Moore in her Mary Tyler Moore Show. He also worked on Rhoda and Lou Grant, the series connected with the Mary Tyler Moore Show.

The film is the familiar story – with the touch of the soap opera – of two women who become friends only to find that one of them is having an affair with the other’s husband. They find out, clash, but need each other and their friendship prevails. The complication is that the husband dies and the mistress is pregnant.

Familiar material – but given strength by the presence of the stars.

1. A piece of Americana? A woman’s picture? Portrait of human nature?

2. The LA settings, the family life, the world of the media, the world of aerobics of the 80s? Audiences identifying with the characters? The impact of the stars?

3. How well did the film treat the themes of friendship, love, marriage and fidelity, commitment and betrayal, mistakes, forgiveness?

4. Mary Tyler Moore as Holly? Her screen presence and style? Working in aerobics, fitness? Helga, the job and teaching, home and the children? Tidy, beautiful, disciplined? Chip and his work? Care for him? Her meeting Sandy? The towels, sharing – eating together? Talking freely and the effect? The developing friendship? Chip and Holly’s love for him, the children? The dinner party and the effect? The job, Sandy and Chip’s death? Her mother, friends, being exhausted? Her fears, her work, encouraged by Sandy? Buying out Helga, succeeding, clearing the room? The discovery of the truth? The clash with Sandy? Issues of money? The children? Her hard response? Harry and his devotion? The discussions, Heather? The baby, the confrontation? Helping – continuing to talk freely – leading to forgiveness? The video, the reality of marriage? Dependent, boring? Saving it after the death? The strength of friendship?

5. The character of Sandy, her TV world, contrasting with Carla? The aerobics with Holly? The development of the friendship, Sandy and her toughness, smoking, swearing? The discussion about the man, the baby? Her visit, early, on edge and coping? The next day? The reality of the truth, its effect, facing up to it? Tom from Washington? With George? The job and the tape? The news of the death, helping, the family? The job, the gym? Caught, the clash? The reality of the pregnancy? The need for money? The fight with Holly? Talking with Harry, the baby, the reconciliation? As mother, friend?

6. The portrait of Chip, work, ordinary, with his son, the children, his love for Holly? On the phone to Sandy? Meeting her? The dinner? His being sorry? The aftermath, the next day? Harry and his support? His death? The consequences? His being caddish?

7. Harry, gawky, nice, friendly, his love, the dinner, tennis? At the funeral? The video of the marriage? Looking after Holly? The truth, with each of the women, helping with the baby? The video at the end?

8. The professor, seismic, the TV? The satire of George and Carla? Competition?

9. Domestic detail, ordinariness, the kids? Superficiality of life? Needs and love? The background of the nuclear family?

10. Themes of marriage, values, fidelity and infidelity, mistakes and the truth? The lasting reality of friendship?