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TERMS OF ENDEARMENT

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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is about the film. For other uses, see Terms of Endearment (disambiguation).

Terms of Endearment
Theatrical release poster
Directed byJames L. Brooks
Screenplay byJames L. Brooks
Based onTerms of Endearment
1975 novel
by Larry McMurtry
Produced byJames L. Brooks
StarringDebra WingerShirley MacLaineJack NicholsonDanny DeVitoJohn Lithgow
CinematographyAndrzej Bartkowiak
Edited byRichard Marks
Music byMichael Gore
Distributed byParamount Pictures
Release datesNovember 23, 1983 (US: limited)December 9, 1983 (US: wide)
Running time132 minutes[1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$8 million
Box office$165 million[2]

Terms of Endearment is a 1983 American tragicomedy[3] film directed, written, and produced by James L. Brooks, adapted from Larry McMurtry‘s 1975 novel. It stars Debra Winger, Shirley MacLaine, Jack Nicholson, Danny DeVito, Jeff Daniels, and John Lithgow. The film covers 30 years of the relationship between Aurora Greenway (MacLaine) and her daughter Emma Greenway-Horton (Winger).

Terms of Endearment was theatrically released in limited theatres on November 23, 1983, and to a wider release on December 9 by Paramount Pictures. The film received critical acclaim and was a major commercial success, grossing $165 million at the box office, becoming the second-highest-grossing film of 1983 (after Return of the Jedi). At the 56th Academy Awards, the film received a leading 11 nominations, and won a leading five awards: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress (MacLaine), Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actor (Nicholson). A sequel, The Evening Star, was released in 1996.

Plot

Aurora Greenway, a widow since her daughter Emma was a child, keeps several suitors at arm’s length in River Oaks, Houston, focusing instead on her close, but controlling relationship with Emma. Anxious to escape her mother, Emma marries callow young college professor Flap Horton over her mother’s objections.

Despite their frequent spats and difficulty getting along with each other, Emma and Aurora have very close ties and keep in touch by telephone. Soon after the wedding, Emma gets pregnant with their first child. He is a few years old when she is again expecting another.

The small family moves to Iowa in order for Flap to pursue a career as an English professor. When they run into financial difficulties, Emma calls Aurora for help. Admitting she is pregnant with a third, her mother suggests she go to Colorado for an abortion.

When Flap gets home, as he was away overnight, Emma demands to be told if he is having an affair. He insists it is paranoia, brought on by the pregnancy hormones. While at the grocery store, Emma does not have enough money to pay for all of her groceries and meets Sam Burns, who helps pay for them.

Meanwhile, the lonely Aurora, while at a birthday dinner to celebrate her “50th” birthday, feels insulted when her doctor (a guest at her party) chides her for claiming to be two years younger than her actual age. She overcomes her repression and begins a whirlwind romance with her next-door neighbor, retired astronaut Garrett Breedlove, who is promiscuous and coarse. Simultaneously, Emma and Sam strike up a friendship and quickly an affair as Sam’s wife refuses to have sex with him, and she suspects Flap of infidelity.

Over the course of the next few years, the marriage begins to fray. Emma catches Flap flirting with one of his students on campus, so she takes the children and drives back to Houston immediately. There, Garrett develops cold feet about his relationship with Aurora after seeing her with her daughter and grandchildren and breaks it off.

While Emma is gone, Flap accepts a promotion in Nebraska; she and the children return to Iowa, then they move to Nebraska. While on the campus, Emma sees the same young woman who she had seen Flap with in Iowa. Confronting her, she finds out he moved them to Nebraska so he could work with his girlfriend Janice.

When Emma is diagnosed with cancer, before she knows how advanced it is, her lifelong friend Patsy convinces her to explore NYC. She is there a short time when Patsy’s friends there first find it strange she has never worked; then it gets more uncomfortable when they hear about the cancer. Not enjoying herself, she returns home early.

When they discover it is terminal cancer, Aurora and Flap stay by Emma’s side through her treatment and hospitalization. Garrett flies to Nebraska to be with Aurora and her family. The dying Emma shows her love for her mother by entrusting her children to Aurora’s care.

Cast

Production

James L. Brooks wrote the supporting role of Garrett Breedlove for Burt Reynolds, who turned down the role because of a verbal commitment he had made to appear in Stroker Ace. “There are no awards in Hollywood for being an idiot”, Reynolds later said of the decision.[4] Harrison Ford and Paul Newman also turned down the role.[5][6]

The exterior shots of Aurora Greenway’s home were filmed at 3060 Locke Lane, Houston, Texas. The exterior shots of locations intended to be in Des Moines, Iowa and Kearney, Nebraska were instead filmed in Lincoln, Nebraska. Many scenes were filmed on, or near, the campus of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.[7] While filming in Lincoln, the state capital, Winger met then-governor of Nebraska Bob Kerrey; the two wound up dating for two years.[8]

Shirley MacLaine and Debra Winger reportedly did not get along with each other during production.[9][10][11][12] MacLaine confirmed in an interview that “it was a very tough shoot … Chaotic…(Jim) likes working with tension on the set.”[13]

On working with Jack Nicholson, MacLaine said, “Working with Jack Nicholson was crazy”,[14] but that his spontaneity may have contributed to her performance.[15] She also said,

We’re like old smoothies working together. You know the old smoothies they used to show whenever you went to the Ice Follies. They would have this elderly man and woman – who at that time were 40 – and they had a little bit too much weight around the waist and were moving a little slower. But they danced so elegantly and so in synch with each other that the audience just laid back and sort of sighed. That’s the way it is working with Jack. We both know what the other is going to do. And we don’t socialize, or anything. It’s an amazing chemistry – a wonderful, wonderful feeling.[12]

MacLaine also confirmed in an interview with USA Today that Nicholson improvised when he put his hand down her dress in the beach scene.[16]

Reception

Box office

Terms of Endearment was commercially successful at the box office. On its opening weekend, it grossed $3.4 million, ranking number two at the US box office, until its second weekend, when it grossed $3.1 million, ranking number one at the box office. Three weekends later, it arrived number one again, with $9,000,000, having wide release. For four weekends, it remained number one at the box office, and it slipped to number two on its tenth weekend. On the film’s 11th weekend, it arrived number one (for the sixth and final time), grossing $3 million.[17] The film grossed $108,423,489 in the United States and Canada and $165 million worldwide.[18][2]

Critical reception

Terms of Endearment received critical acclaim at the time of its release. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an 82% approval rating based on 109 reviews, with a weighted average of 7.9/10. The site’s consensus reads: “A classic tearjerker, Terms of Endearment isn’t shy about reaching for the heartstrings – but is so well-acted and smartly scripted that it’s almost impossible to resist.”[19] Metacritic reports a score of 79 out of 100 based on reviews from ten critics, indicating “generally favorable reviews”.[20] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of “A” on an A+ to F scale.[21]

Roger Ebert gave the film a four-out-of-four star rating, calling it “a wonderful film” and stating, “There isn’t a thing that I would change, and I was exhilarated by the freedom it gives itself to move from the high comedy of Nicholson’s best moments to the acting of Debra Winger in the closing scenes.”[22] Gene Siskel, who also gave the film a highly enthusiastic review, correctly predicted upon its release that it would go on to win the Academy Award for Best Picture of 1983.

In his movie guide, Leonard Maltin awarded the film a rare four-star rating, calling it a “Wonderful mix of humor and heartache,” and concluded the film was “Consistently offbeat and unpredictable, with exceptional performances by all three stars.”[23]

Accolades

As of July 2022, Nicholson is one of the few supporting actors to ever sweep “The Big Four” critics awards (Los Angeles Film Critics Association, National Board of Review, New York Film Critics Circle, National Society of Film Critics) for his performance of Garrett Breedlove. In 2006, Writers Guild of America West ranked the film’s screenplay 64th in WGA’s list of 101 Greatest Screenplays.[24]

AwardCategoryNominee(s)ResultRef.
Academy AwardsBest PictureJames L. BrooksWon[25]
[26]
Best DirectorWon
Best Screenplay – Based on Material from Another MediumWon
Best ActressDebra WingerNominated
Shirley MacLaineWon
Best Supporting ActorJack NicholsonWon
John LithgowNominated
Best Art DirectionArt Direction: Polly Platt and Harold Michelson;
Set Decoration: Tom Pedigo and Anthony Mondell		Nominated
Best Film EditingRichard MarksNominated
Best Original ScoreMichael GoreNominated
Best SoundJames R. Alexander, Rick Kline, Donald O. Mitchell, and Kevin O’ConnellNominated
Boston Society of Film Critics AwardsBest American FilmWon[27]
Best Supporting ActorJack NicholsonWon
British Academy Film AwardsBest Actress in a Leading RoleShirley MacLaineNominated[28]
David di Donatello AwardsBest Foreign FilmNominated
Best Foreign ActressDebra WingerNominated
Shirley MacLaineWon
Directors Guild of America AwardsOutstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion PicturesJames L. BrooksWon[29]
Golden Globe AwardsBest Motion Picture – DramaWon[30]
Best Actress in a Motion Picture – DramaDebra WingerNominated
Shirley MacLaineWon
Best Supporting Actor – Motion PictureJack NicholsonWon
Best Director – Motion PictureJames L. BrooksNominated
Best Screenplay – Motion PictureWon
Japan Academy Film PrizeOutstanding Foreign Language FilmNominated
Kansas City Film Critics Circle AwardsBest FilmWon[a][31]
Best Supporting ActorJack NicholsonWon
Los Angeles Film Critics Association AwardsBest FilmWon[32]
Best DirectorJames L. BrooksWon
Best ActressShirley MacLaineWon
Best Supporting ActorJohn LithgowRunner-up
Jack NicholsonWon
Best ScreenplayJames L. BrooksWon
National Board of Review AwardsBest FilmWon[b][33]
Top Ten FilmsWon
Best DirectorJames L. BrooksWon
Best ActressShirley MacLaineWon
Best Supporting ActorJack NicholsonWon
National Society of Film Critics AwardsBest ActressShirley MacLaine3rd Place[34]
Debra WingerWon
Best Supporting ActorJack NicholsonWon
Best ScreenplayJames L. BrooksNominated
New York Film Critics Circle AwardsBest FilmWon
Best ActressShirley MacLaineWon
Debra WingerRunner-up
Best Supporting ActorJohn LithgowNominated
Jack NicholsonWon
Best ScreenplayJames L. BrooksNominated
Online Film & Television Association AwardsFilm Hall of Fame: ProductionsInducted[35]
Writers Guild of America AwardsBest Comedy – Adapted from Another MediumJames L. BrooksWon

American Film Institute (nominations):

Sequel and stage adaptions

The sequel The Evening Star (1996), in which MacLaine and Nicholson reprised their roles, was a critical and commercial failure. A stage play, also titled Terms of Endearment and based on the novel, was written by Dan Gordon.

Notes

  1.  Tied with Tender Mercies.
  2.  Tied with Betrayal.

References

  1.  “Terms of Endearment (15)”. British Board of Film Classification. December 6, 1983. Archived from the original on February 2, 2016. Retrieved January 27, 2016.
  2.  D’Alessandro, Anthony (July 15, 2002). “Top 50 worldwide grossers”. Variety. p. 52, Paramount at 90 supplement.
  3. Multiple sources:
  4.  “Larry King Live:Burt Reynolds Discusses His Career in Showbiz”. February 23, 2000. Archived from the original on April 4, 2013. Retrieved September 17, 2013.
  5.  Duke, Brad (July 2008). Harrison Ford: The Films. McFarland. ISBN 9780786440481.
  6.  Mell, Eila (January 24, 2015). Casting Might-Have-Beens: A Film by Film Directory of Actors Considered for Roles Given to Others. McFarland. ISBN 9781476609768.
  7.  Reeves, Tony. “Filming Locations for Oscar-winner Terms Of Endearment (1983), around Texas and Nebraska”. movie-locations.com. Archived from the original on April 25, 2018. Retrieved August 20, 2016.
  8.  “SHORT TAKES: Debra Winger Is Not for Politics”. Los Angeles Times. September 12, 1990. Archived from the original on October 24, 2013. Retrieved August 19, 2016.
  9.  Graham, Mark (September 6, 2008). “After All These Years, Debra Winger Still Can’t Stand Shirley MacLaine’s Guts”. Gawker. Archived from the original on June 7, 2015. Retrieved June 6, 2015.
  10.  Brew, Simon (September 27, 2013). “14 Co-stars Who Really Didn’t Get Along”. Den of Geek. Dennis Publishing. Archived from the original on June 7, 2015. Retrieved June 6, 2015.
  11.  “Debra Winger: The return of a class act”. The Independent. October 24, 2008. Archived from the original on June 7, 2015. Retrieved June 6, 2015.
  12.  Quin, Eleanor. “TERMS OF ENDEARMENT”. Turner Classic Movies. Archived from the original on June 7, 2015. Retrieved June 6, 2015.
  13.  hudsonunionsociety (November 30, 2013). “Shirley MacLaine On Working With Tension On The Set”. Archived from the original on November 28, 2015. Retrieved June 6, 2015 – via YouTube.
  14.  Ouzuonian, Richard (May 1, 2015). “The present life of Shirley MacLaine”. Toronto Star. Archived from the original on June 28, 2017. Retrieved June 6, 2015.
  15.  “Shirley MacLaine on Jack Nicholson: He showed up to set practically nude”. Fox News Channel. October 30, 2014. Archived from the original on October 17, 2015. Retrieved September 7, 2015.
  16.  Alexander, Bryan (March 2, 2017). “Shirley MacLaine tries to bring Jack Nicholson on board “with every script””. USA Today. Archived from the original on July 3, 2017. Retrieved June 27, 2017.
  17.  “Terms of Endearment (1983) – Weekend Box Office Results”. Box Office Mojo. Archived from the original on November 2, 2009. Retrieved December 5, 2008.
  18.  “Terms of Endearment (1983)”. Box Office Mojo. Archived from the original on December 17, 2019. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
  19.  “Terms of Endearment (1983)”. Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Archived from the original on May 11, 2019. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
  20.  “Terms of Endearment Reviews”. Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on November 3, 2020. Retrieved April 14, 2020.
  21.  “Terms of Endearment”. CinemaScore. Archived from the original on December 12, 2000.
  22.  Ebert, Roger (November 23, 1983). “Terms of Endearment”. Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on April 24, 2013. Retrieved April 22, 2013.
  23.  Maltin, Leonard (2012). 2013 Movie Guide. Penguin Books. p. 1386. ISBN 978-0-451-23774-3.
  24.  “101 Greatest Screenplays”. Archived from the original on May 18, 2021. Retrieved January 1, 2026.
  25.  “The 56th Academy Awards (1984) Nominees and Winners”. Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Archived from the original on November 11, 2014. Retrieved October 9, 2011.
  26.  “Terms of Endearment – Awards”. Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. 2009. Archived from the original on October 22, 2009. Retrieved January 1, 2009.
  27.  “BSFC Winners: 1980s”. Boston Society of Film Critics. Retrieved April 20, 2026.
  28.  “Terms of Endearment”. British Academy of Film and Television Arts. Retrieved April 20, 2026.
  29.  “36th Annual DGA Awards”. Directors Guild of America Awards. Retrieved April 20, 2026.
  30.  “Terms of Endearment”. Golden Globe Foundation. Retrieved April 20, 2026.
  31.  “KCFCC Award Winners – 1980-89”. Kansas City Film Critics Circle. December 14, 2013. Retrieved April 20, 2026.
  32.  “The 9th Annual Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards”. Los Angeles Film Critics Association. Retrieved April 20, 2026.
  33.  “1983 Award Winners”. National Board of Review. Retrieved April 20, 2026.
  34.  “Past Awards”. National Society of Film Critics. December 19, 2009. Retrieved July 5, 2021.
  35.  “Film Hall of Fame Inductees: Productions”. Online Film & Television Association. Retrieved August 15, 2021.

External links

Wikiquote has quotations related to Terms of Endearment.

vteJames L. Brooks
vteLarry McMurtry
Awards for Terms of Endearment
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