Terms of Endearment  (1983)

Theatrical Release Information  |  See Details About All Versions

Terms of Endearment covers three decades in the lives of widow Aurora Greenway (Shirley MacLaine) and her daughter Emma (Debra Winger). Fiercely protected by Aurora throughout childhood, Emma runs into resistance from her mother when she marries wishy-washy college teacher Flap (Jeff Daniels). Aurora is even more put out at the prospect of being a grandmother, though she grows a lot fonder of her three grandkids than she does of her son-in-law. Flap proves that Aurora's instincts were on target when he enters into an affair with a student (Leslie Charleson). Meanwhile, Emma finds romantic consolation with an unhappily married banker (played by John Lithgow, who registers well in a rare "nice guy" performance). As for Aurora, she is ardently pursued by her next-door neighbor, boisterous astronaut Garrett Breedlove (Jack Nicholson). After 75 minutes or so of pursuing an episodic, semi-comic plotline, the film abruptly shifts moods when Emma discovers that she has terminal cancer. Terms of Endearment won Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director and Best Screenplay for TV veteran James L. Brooks making his first feature film, Best Actress for MacLaine, and Best Supporting Actor for Nicholson. It was followed by a sequel, The Evening Star (1996), which again featured MacLaine as Aurora. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Theatrical Feature Running Time:

131 mins

Complete Cast:

Director(s):

James L. Brooks

Writer(s):

Larry McMurtry, James L. Brooks

Producer(s):

James L. Brooks

Theatrical MPAA Rating:

PG(Adult Situations, Questionable for Children, Profanity)

Closed Captioning:

Check All Versions

Subtitles:

Check All Versions

• 1983 - Terms of Endearment - Directors Guild of America - Best Director
• 1983 - Terms of Endearment - Golden Globe - Best Picture - Drama
• 1983 - Terms of Endearment - Hollywood Foreign Press Association - Best Screenplay
• 1983 - Terms of Endearment - Hollywood Foreign Press Association - Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama
• 1983 - Terms of Endearment - Hollywood Foreign Press Association - Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
• 1983 - Terms of Endearment - Hollywood Foreign Press Association - Best Picture - Drama
• 1983 - Terms of Endearment - Los Angeles Film Critics Association - Best Director
• 1983 - Terms of Endearment - Los Angeles Film Critics Association - Best Actress
• 1983 - Terms of Endearment - Los Angeles Film Critics Association - Best Supporting Actor
• 1983 - Terms of Endearment - Los Angeles Film Critics Association - Best Screenplay
• 1983 - Terms of Endearment - Los Angeles Film Critics Association - Best Picture
• 1983 - Terms of Endearment - National Board of Review - Best Picture
• 1983 - Terms of Endearment - National Board of Review - Best Director
• 1983 - Terms of Endearment - National Board of Review - Best Actress
• 1983 - Terms of Endearment - National Board of Review - Best Supporting Actor
• 1983 - Terms of Endearment - New York Film Critics Circle - Best Supporting Actor
• 1983 - Terms of Endearment - New York Film Critics Circle - Best Picture
• 1983 - Terms of Endearment - New York Film Critics Circle - Best Actress