Terms of Endearment (1983)
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The film explores the evolving, often strained relationship between a mother and daughter over three decades.
The story
Aurora Greenway, a widow living in Houston, maintains a close but controlling relationship with her daughter, Emma. When Emma marries a young professor against her mother's wishes, the two women maintain a constant connection despite their frequent disagreements. The narrative follows their lives as they navigate personal milestones, including Emma's pregnancies and the challenges of moving to different states. As the years pass, the complexities of their bond are tested by external pressures and personal choices, highlighting the deep, complicated ties that bind them together across three decades of life.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Aurora Greenway, a widow in Houston, maintains a controlling relationship with her daughter, Emma. Emma marries Flap Horton, a college professor, and they move to Iowa. During a period of financial hardship and pregnancy, Emma seeks help from Aurora. Meanwhile, Aurora begins a whirlwind romance with her neighbor, Garrett Breedlove, a retired astronaut. Emma eventually discovers Flap's infidelity and moves the family to Nebraska, where she discovers he is working with a girlfriend. The story culminates in a tragic turn when Emma is diagnosed with terminal cancer. Aurora and Flap stay by her side during her treatment. In her final moments, Emma entrusts her children to her mother's care.
- First release year
- 1983
- Runtime (minutes)
- 132
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- James L. Brooks
- Writers
- James L. Brooks · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Debra Winger · Emma Greenway-Horton; Shirley MacLaine · Aurora Greenway; Jack Nicholson · Garrett Breedlove; Danny DeVito; Jeff Daniels; John Lithgow
- Genres
- tragicomedy; romantic comedy-drama
- Themes
- mother-daughter relationships; family dynamics; illness; romance
- Tone and mood
- tragicomedy; heartfelt
- Premise and plot tags
- multi-generational; medical drama; romance
- Source material / true-story basis
- Larry McMurtry's 1975 novel
- Content notes
- cancer
- Reception
- The film received critical acclaim and was a major commercial success, becoming the second-highest-grossing film of 1983.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 82% · scale: percentage · review count: 109; Metacritic · score: 79 · scale: 100; CinemaScore · score: A · scale: A+ to F
- Awards and nominations
- Best Picture · Academy Award · win; Best Director · Academy Award · win; Best Actress · Academy Award · win; Best Adapted Screenplay · Academy Award · win; Best Supporting Actor · Academy Award · win
- Production trivia
- The film was a major commercial success, grossing $165 million at the box office.; The screenplay was ranked 64th in the Writers Guild of America West's list of 101 Greatest Screenplays in 2006.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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