Terms of Endearment film review

Review

Cast & crew

Terms of Endearment

(1983)

Showered with Oscars (it won five and was nominated for a further seven), this is American mainstream movie-making at its best. Director James L Brooks (Broadcast News) largely succeeds in keeping sentiment at bay in this story (based on The Last Picture Show writer Larry McMurtry's novel) of the often strained mother-daughter relationship between Shirley MacLaine and Debra Winger. Jack Nicholson delivers one of his effortless scene-stealing supporting roles, and other familiar faces include Danny DeVito, Jeff Daniels and John Lithgow. JF

Contains swearing.

Tell us what you think
Email us at rtfilmcomments@bbc.co.uk to tell us what you think of this film. Your comments may appear in Radio Times magazine.

Running time

126min

Country of origin

Genre

Melodrama

Original language

English

Screenplay

James L Brooks, from the novel by Larry McMurtry

Theatrical distributor

U.I.P. (UK)

UK cinema certificate




awards information


	Award	Category	Name	Nominee/Winner

	Academy 1983	Actor in a Supporting Role	Jack Nicholson	Winner
	Academy 1983	Actor in a Supporting Role	John Lithgow	Nominee
	Academy 1983	Actress in a Leading Role	Shirley MacLaine	Winner
	Academy 1983	Actress in a Leading Role	Debra Winger	Nominee
	Academy 1983	Best Picture		Winner
	Academy 1983	Directing	James L Brooks	Winner
	Academy 1983	Writing (Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium)	James L Brooks	Winner
	BAFTA 1984	Best Actress	Shirley MacLaine	Nominee
	Golden Globe 1983	Best Motion Picture Drama		Winner
	Golden Globe 1983	Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role Motion Picture	Jack Nicholson	Winner
	Golden Globe 1983	Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture Drama	Shirley MacLaine	Winner
	Golden Globe 1983	Best Screenplay Motion Picture	James L Brooks	Winner