Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3671 in DVD
• Released on: 2001-11-05
• Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
• Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Anamorphic, PAL, Widescreen
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: Arabic, Bulgarian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, German, Hungarian, Icelandic, Norwegian, Polish, Romanian, Swedish, Turkish
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 126 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
When Terms of Endearment was released in 1983, director and writer James L Brooks was lauded for his depiction of a complex mother/daughter relationship. For his leading ladies he chose actresses with two of the strongest personalities in Hollywood, but armed with an exceptionally witty script and endless patience he eventually drew magnificent performances from Shirley Maclaine as Aurora and Debra Winger as her daugher Emma, assisted considerably by Jack Nicholson's considerate professionalism. As the philandering retired astronaut who beds Maclaine and then provides her with surprising support in the film's dark later moments, Nicholson shines with comic brilliance which earned him an Oscar.

It was no secret that Maclaine and Winger could barely contain a mutual antipathy on set. Yet they strike sparks off each other on screen. When comedy turns to tragedy with the development of Emma's cancer, the laughs continue even while the tear ducts are being given a good work out. In the glory days of Hollywood, this would have been acknowledged a great "women's picture" and its weepy credentials are impeccable. It stands out as a warm, accessible work that admirably rejects sugary sentiment in favour of the realistic rough edges that characterise most human relationships.

On the DVD: Presented in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen with a Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack, this DVD is ideal for home cinema viewing. The picture and sound quality are fine, benefiting Michael Gore's gentle, memorable music and bringing the best out of Andrzej Bartkowiak's luminous photography. In addition to the original theatrical trailer, the major extra is the director's commentary in which James L Brooks reminisces with coproducer Penney Finkelman and production designer Polly Platt. They look back at their impressive work with a touching degree of wonder and apprentice directors should take note when Brooks recalls his steep learning curve in managing his leading ladies. --Piers Ford

Video Description
Language: English
Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles: English for the Hearing Impaired, English, Arabic, Bulgarian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, German, Hungarian, Icelandic, Norwegian, Polish, Romanian, Swedish, Turkish

Commentary Subtitles: English, German
Anamorphic 1.78:1

Synopsis
TERMS OF ENDEARMENT is a deeply observed drama about the intimate relationship between a mother and daughter, based on the novel by Larry McMurtry. Shirley MacLaine and Debra Winger are at their absolute best, with terrific support from Jack Nicholson, Jeff Daniels, and John Lithgow. James L. Brooks's film was nominated for 11 Academy Awards and won five: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress--Shirley MacLaine, Best (Adapted) Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actor--Jack Nicholson.

Customer Reviews

20 years on and it still shines through as a true classic!
The eighties were know as a decade of misfires for the academy awards. They were under constant scrutiny for apparently awarding lesser, or as Tarantino put it, "coffee table fun" films and blatantly ignoring the more radical, art-house genre. Terms of Endearment was one of those such film criticised. Sure, it is a quirky, shifty, funny/serious kind of film. There pre and post this film there have been many others of similar genre. But Terms of Endearment is different, special in a way. It can really grow on you. You care about the characters, you share their ups and downs, feel their love and pain. You live the endearments. Brooks manages to get the very best out of his wonderful cast, and though he could have made it a soppy love story between mother and daughter, he shot Endearment with careful subtlety that makes it evolve into a real life story rather than a Hollywood story, mirroring the beautiful words of Larry McMurtry. Because there is no sugar coating and Hollywood in this film the emotions are raw, passion flaring. Terms of Endearment remain a true undisputed American classic.

Searching for Debra Winger
This wonderful film from the early 1980s combines so many thrilling elements and is one of Debra Winger's best. There's something so human about Shirley Maclaine's character returning to a relationship with a neighbour years after merely saying hello to him. The drama of Debra Winger's relationship with her mother is expertly done and there is nothing about this film that fails to work or lets the audience down. You should be in floods of tears or laughing your head off, and one can only wish there were more films like this. There aren't. That's how good it is.

Big Boys Don't Cry
I am about to replace my VHS copy of this film with the DVD. I was spellbound by the performances given by Shirley MacLaine, Debra Winger, Jack Nicolson and Jeff Daniels.

No doubt written off by many as nothing more than a 'chick flick', this fascinating tale of the complex love/hate mother/daughter relationship is so beautifully written and performed, that it has to be regarded as a classic.

I watched this film with my eldest son back in 1996. He was 23 at the time, and in the Royal Navy. A true hard-hitting, roughie-toughie, seen-it-all hardnut (or so he thought). The real acting for us came during the scene where Teddy (Huckleberry Fox) visits his mother in hospital. Just as the tears rolled down young Huckleberry's face, so they were running down mine. My big, strong, you-can't-touch-me son, meanwhile, was busy clearing the lump in his throat and struggling very hard not to let me see his own tears.

That's when you know you're watching a very special piece of magic.