The Winter of Our Discontent (1983 TV Movie) User Reviews

Made some departures from the novel

[hollywoodshack · 7/10 · 25 July 2021]

One of the main plotlines in Steinbeck's book was a plan to rob a bank on Good Friday located next door to the store to raise the money that would pay Murillo to buy it and give Hawley ownership of it again. This was missing and the plot focuses more on Danny, Ethan's alcoholic childhood friend, and a fortune telling girlfriend of Ethan's wife. Their importance increases almost to soap opera level. The conflict where his son plagiarizes a book to win an essay contest was handled quite well, though. Of course, the sad ending of Ethan nearly drowning was never included either. So, a moving family drama, but a little too bland compared to some greater plotlines that could have been explored.

Cast can't save flacid, pretentious drama, although it means well.

[mark.waltz · 6/10 · 8 July 2023]

While the character played by Donald Sutherland is basically a nice guy, he is quickly revealed to be rather pompous, speaking to everyone as if he had to prove to them that he was much more intelligent and well bred than they are. It's not necessarily anything that he says (although he speaks like a college professor), but the way he says it, not with a sneer but with a knowing smirk that after a while gets tiresome. He's married to the happy Teri Garr and has two children, one son who he tries to get close to but pushes away unknowingly through his demanding ways. Garr is initially understanding to both, but after a while, she begins to see everything through her son's perspective, and has had enough.

The main plot of the story concerns Sutherland's determination to buy back the family grocery store which he inherited from his father but had to sell to E. G. Marshall because of poor business decisions. Now that Marshall is aging, Sutherland wants it back, but has he really learned anything? He shows his kindness to the community by allowing all kinds of credit or bartering, but can't find charity within his own heart to show to his family. Tuesday Weld is a flashy friend of his wife's who seems to be making a play for him, but the question remains, "Why?" Based on a John Stenbeck book and utilizing the Shakespeare quote from "Richard III" in its dialog, it is one of those films that means well but wasn't successfully done the way it was directed or in Sutherland's case, acted. He could have taken a much more subtle approach in this character's uppity and manipulative manner, but ultimately, he comes off as a boorish blowhard.

Money can't buy happiness

[ram-30 · 9/10 · 18 May 2007]

This is a powerful film about how the lusts of the modern world give one an empty feeling. I watched this movie for two main reasons: my respect for the prose of John Steinbeck and the acting skill of Donald Sutherland. Sutherland made this film about 3 years after starring in the Best Picture winner ORDINARY PEOPLE. In ways, his two characters are similar, a suburbanite who can't stave off tragedy with financial success. Teri Garr gives an equally effective performance as his wife. As much as I admire Donald Sutherland, I'd have to say my favourite actor in this film is Richard Masur. He plays the mentally handicapped neighbour of Sutherland and Garr who has been forced to live on his own by his rich family. He has all the toys a person could want but still he's unhappy. The movie's theme of misunderstanding the mentally handicapped is common in Steinbeck stories (Lennie in OF MICE AND MEN and Noah in THE GRAPES OF WRATH). However, the setting seems to be atypical for John Steinbeck. Most of his stories are set in Great Depression rural area. So, to have one set in a modern, urban setting is a bit unsettling. All and all, this is a very memorable film with a very able cast of characters.