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Terms of Endearment
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Terms of Endearment (1983) More at IMDbPro »

Videos (see all 3)
Terms of Endearment (1983) -- MattTrailer.com - Trailer (Flash)

Overview

User Rating:
7.3/10   15,492 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 2% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers:
Larry McMurtry (novel)
James L. Brooks (screenplay)
Contact:
View company contact information for Terms of Endearment on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
9 December 1983 (USA) more
Genre:
Tagline:
Come to Laugh, Come to Cry, Come to Care, Come to Terms.
Plot:
Aurora and Emma are mother and daughter who march to different drummers. Beginning with Emma's marriage... more | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
Awards:
Won 5 Oscars. Another 25 wins & 10 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(14 articles)
The Story Behind The Simpsons
 (From TotalFilm. 22 October 2009, 12:35 AM, PDT)

A Conversation with Danielle Harris
 (From Fangoria. 17 October 2009, 2:29 PM, PDT)

User Comments:
A little heavy, but with astonishing performances. more (109 total)

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)

Shirley MacLaine ... Aurora Greenway

Debra Winger ... Emma Horton

Jack Nicholson ... Garrett Breedlove

Danny DeVito ... Vernon Dahlart

Jeff Daniels ... Flap Horton

John Lithgow ... Sam Burns
Lisa Hart Carroll ... Patsy Clark
Betty King ... Rosie Dunlop (as Betty R. King)
Huckleberry Fox ... Teddy Horton

Troy Bishop ... Tommy Horton
Shane Serwin ... Younger Tommy Horton
Megan Morris ... Melanie Horton
Tara Yeakey ... Baby Melanie
Norman Bennett ... Edward Johnson
Jennifer Josey ... Young Emma
Kate Charleson ... Janice
Tom Wees ... Dr. Budge
Paul Menzel ... Dr. Maise

F. William Parker ... Doctor
Amanda Watkins ... Meg
Buddy Gilbert ... Dr. Ratcher
David Wohl ... Phil
Shelley K. Nielsen ... Nurse (as Shelley K. Nielsen R.N.)
Bette Croissant ... Nurse
Charles Beall ... Rudyard's Employer
Lelise Folse ... Doris
Sharisse Baker-Bernard ... Lee Anne (as Sharisse Baker)
Judy Dickerson ... Checkout Girl (as Judith A. Dickerson)
Devon O'Brien ... Lizbeth
Dana Vance ... Victoria
Alexandra O'Karma ... Jane
Nancy Mette ... Woman at Party (as Nancy E. Mette)
Holly Holmberg Brooks ... T.J. (as Holly Beth Holmberg)
Lear Levin ... Jack Stern

Albert Brooks ... Rudyard's Voice (voice) (as A. Brooks)
Lanier Whilden ... Patsy's Mother
Helen Stauffer ... Flap's Secretary
Barbara Balik ... Woman
Michelle Watkins ... Woman
John C. Conger ... Moving Man
Sandra Newkirk ... Mrs. Johnson
Elaine McGown ... Elaine McGown

Mary Kay Place ... Doris (voice)
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Directed by
James L. Brooks 
 
Writing credits
Larry McMurtry (novel)

James L. Brooks (screenplay)

Produced by
James L. Brooks .... producer
Penney Finkelman Cox .... co-producer (as Penney Finkelman)
Martin Jurow .... co-producer
 
Original Music by
Michael Gore 
 
Cinematography by
Andrzej Bartkowiak (director of photography)
 
Film Editing by
Richard Marks 
 
Casting by
Ellen Chenoweth 
Juliet Taylor 
 
Production Design by
Polly Platt 
 
Art Direction by
Harold Michelson 
 
Set Decoration by
Anthony Mondell 
Tom Pedigo 
 
Costume Design by
Kristi Zea 
 
Makeup Department
Gerry Leetch .... hair stylist (as Gerry Becker Leetch)
Ben Nye Jr. .... makeup artist
Kaye Pownall .... hair stylist
Bron Roylance .... makeup artist
Julie C. Steffes .... body makeup artist
 
Production Management
Austen Jewell .... unit production manager
Ira Marvin .... unit production supervisor: New York
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Marty P. Ewing .... second assistant director
Joel Segal .... dga trainee (as Joel B. Segal)
Albert M. Shapiro .... first assistant director (as Albert Shapiro)
 
Art Department
Terry E. Lewis .... property master
David Q. Quick .... assistant props
John J. Rutchland Jr. .... construction coordinator (as John J. Rutchland)
Sandy Veneziano .... set designer
Richard A. Villalobos .... leadman
Thomas Wright .... storyboard illustrator
 
Sound Department
James R. Alexander .... sound mixer (as James Alexander)
Terry Lynn Allen .... sound editor
Cheryl Bloch .... sound assistant
Irene Bowers .... sound assistant
Norval D. Crutcher .... supervising sound editor
Samuel C. Crutcher .... sound editor
Joanne D'Antonio .... sound editor
Bruce Fortune .... sound assistant (as Bruce D. Fortune)
Cecelia Hall .... sound editor
Rick Kline .... sound re-recording mixer
Barbara Fallick Marks .... dialogue looping editor
Donald O. Mitchell .... sound re-recording mixer
Kevin O'Connell .... sound re-recording mixer
Andrew Patterson .... sound editor
Jerry Rosenthal .... sound editor
James Sabat .... sound mixer: New York
Larry Singer .... dialogue looping editor
Stephen Stalheim .... sound apprentice (as Stephen M. Stalheim)
Clive Taylor .... sound recordist
George Watters II .... sound editor
Greg Agalsoff .... boom operator (uncredited)
Mark Server .... boom operator (uncredited)
 
Stunts
Jeannie Epper .... stunts
Alan Gibbs .... stunts (as Alan R. Gibbs)
 
Camera and Electrical Department
Dustin Blauvelt .... first assistant camera
Maggie Fox .... second assistant camera
Steven Hiller .... second assistant camera (as Steve Hiller)
Billy Miller .... key grip
Dick Mingalone .... camera operator: New York
Don Reddy .... camera operator
Zade Rosenthal .... still photographer
Dusty Wallace .... gaffer
Doug Willis .... dolly grip (as Douglas Willis)
Jack E. McLean Jr. .... electrician (uncredited)
 
Casting Department
Jackie Beavers .... location casting: Nebraska
Sylvia Fay .... casting: bits and extras, New York
Paula Herold .... casting associate
Liz Keigley .... location casting: Texas
Shari Rhodes .... location casting: Texas
 
Costume and Wardrobe Department
Tony Faso .... costumer: men (as Anthony J. Faso)
Oda Groeschel .... costumer: women
Jennifer L. Parsons .... costumer: women
Mark Burchard .... wardrobe (uncredited)
 
Editorial Department
Albert Coleman .... assistant editor
Larry Fallick .... apprentice editor
Jeff Freeman .... assistant editor
Jane Schwartz Jaffe .... first assistant editor
Lee Rasson .... apprentice editor
Sidney Wolinsky .... additional film editor
 
Music Department
Bob Badami .... music editor (as Robert Badami)
Richard Hazard .... conductor
Richard Hazard .... orchestrator
Dan Wallin .... score mixer
 
Transportation Department
Michael McDuffee .... transportation coordinator
Dan Marrow .... transportation captain (uncredited)
Marti Wells .... driver (uncredited)
 
Other crew
Kimberly Allen .... support personnel
Lea Andrews .... secretary to Austen Jewell
Brian Brosnan .... location manager: Nebraska
David Davis .... special advisor
Rosemary Dorsey .... script supervisor
Barbara Duncan .... assistant: James L. Brooks
Wayne Fitzgerald .... title designer
Harold Fowler .... first aid
Paul Germain .... support personnel
Mark Gutierrez .... support personnel
Mark Harrah .... technical advisor
Sandra Rabins .... location auditor
Anne Thompson .... unit publicist
Susan Vogelfang .... location manager: Texas
Meta Wilde .... script supervisor (as Meta D. Wilde)
 
Thanks
Sheila Exstrom .... the producers would like to thank the following for their contributions (as Sheila Exstrom R.N. C.N.A.A.)
Timothy S. Gee .... the producers would like to thank the following for their contributions (as Timothy S. Gee M.D.)
Holly Holmberg Brooks .... special thanks (as Holly Brooks)
Richard Sakai .... the producers would like to thank the following for their contributions
Guy Serwin .... the producers would like to thank the following for their contributions (as Mr. Guy Serwin)
Mrs. Guy Serwin .... the producers would like to thank the following for their contributions
 
Crew verified as complete


Production CompaniesDistributorsOther Companies
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Additional Details

Runtime:
132 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Color (Metrocolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Certification:

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
John Lithgow was called in to replace another actor and his part was filmed in only three days during a break from filming for Footloose (1984). more
Goofs:
Continuity: When Aurora's skirt changes between shots after she comes back from the hospital visiting Emma. As she walks up to the hotel desk, she has one skirt on, but when she walks through the lobby into the pool area, where Tommy and Teddy threaten to get her wet, she has a different skirt on. more
Quotes:
Emma Horton: [to her son] OK, you're allowed to say one mean thing to me a year. That'll do until you're 10. more
Movie Connections:
Soundtrack:
Rock-a-Bye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody more

FAQ

How does it end?
Is the movie loyal to the book?
more
9 out of 14 people found the following comment useful.
A little heavy, but with astonishing performances., 10 April 2001
7/10
Author: gridoon

A well-observed, well-made drama (with occasional comedic moments), that may not be exactly "high art" (it's neither profound nor original), but DOES feature some great acting and manages to pull you in.

Debra Winger gives an extraordinary performance; she has a naturalness and expressiveness that you rarely see on the screen. When her character is happy, her whole face brightens up and her joy becomes infectious; when she's sad or confused or embarrassed, the emotions come across strongly, although she never goes over the top. Considering that she lost the Oscar to her co-star, Shirley MacLaine, who is reasonably good but far more one-note, I'd say we had a major Academy Award injustice there. Jack Nicholson is fun to watch and has some amusing lines, and most supporting roles, like those played by John Lithgow and Danny De Vito, are also first-rate and completely believable.

So overall it's a good film, directed almost flawlessly, although in the final 20 minutes it needlessly wallows in melodrama. (***)

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Terms of Endearment (1983)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Timeline of events (spoilers) Greenie-9
STUPID MOVIE - RIDICULOUS SCENE!!! CandyO2005
Something that bothered me..... rmgraff
Did Winger and McClaine get along during filming? apiperchic
What type of cancer did Emma have? apiperchic
Tommy's problem prashant_87
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