Our Sons (1991) (TV)

Director:

John Erman

Writers (WGA):

William Hanley (written by)
Micki Dickoff (documentary Too Little, Too Late) (suggestion)

Release Date:

19 May 1991 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

A young man (Donald) is dying of AIDS. His lover (James) asks his mother (Audrey) to go to Fayetteville...

Plot Keywords:

Fayetteville Arkansas | AIDS | Homosexual | Narrow Mindedness | Guilt

Cast

Ann-Margret	...	Luanne Barnes
Julie Andrews	...	Audrey Grant
Hugh Grant	...	James
Zeljko Ivanek	...	Donald Barnes
Tony Roberts	...	Harry
Hal England	...	Charles
Loyda Ramos	...	Patient's Wife
Annabelle Weenick	...	Nurse
Lisa Blake Richards	...	Female Bar Patron
Essex Smith	...	Trailer Park Manager
Frank Whiteman	...	George
Elizabeth Austin	...	Sally
George Whiteman	...	Male Bar Patron

Also Known As:

Too Little, Too Late

Runtime:

Netherlands:96 min | USA:120 min (including commercials)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Company:

Robert Greenwald Productions

Trivia:

Ann-Margret writes that she and Julie Andrews were amazingly similar to the characters they were playing; while Ann-Margret was disorganized and messy, Andrews was "very much like Mary Poppins", always with a neat appearance and a tidy dressing room.

Quotes:

Audrey Grant: He's gonna die, you stupid bitch!

Corny TV movie with but a hint of poignancy.

How does one spend a boring week night with nothing to do? Watch some corny "movie of the week" on Hallmark, that's how.

Which is when I chanced upon this corny movie starring Julie Andrews, Ann Margaret and an emotionally stunted Hugh Grant. Granted(pun intended), he has since improved by leaps and bound in the acting faculties. But one should take a look at him then and literally cringe. His wooden posing may have single handedly tilted the emotional impact this movie attempted to achieve. That, in addition to the many clichés on the gay sub-culture and AIDS in general(forgivable traits though since this movie came out in 1990 and it was "made for TV":-)

Which is a pity, as the adequate work put in by the rest of the cast is completely wasted on this project. Even that unknown gay chap lying in bed most of the time deserved another movie, and some decent makeup. He looked like the efficient mortician gave him some pre-departure touch-up.

Of course, this flick isn't without its merits. I totally agree with one of the user's comments about a poignant scene when Ann Margaret asked Hugh Grant if she could take her son home, "after". (no spoilers here, go see it like I did and endure Hugh Grant's sleep walking first before you deserve the experience of that particular scene).

That understated scene came out of the blue, yet it hit its nail right on the head. Its nice to see that kinship have the power to override anything, even homophobia. There is hope left in mankind after all. Wait a go, bitch!

(In case you are wondering, I have never descended to name calling in my user comments. Ann Margaret was indeed called that once in the film by Julie Andrews. Another reason to go see this movie, don't you think?)

Looking back, I realised the lesson learnt from this movie is not to exercise tolerance and to free our unfounded prejudices. Its that I seriously have to do something useful with my life instead of uncovering hidden moments of cinematic brilliance in corny tv movies starring "has-beens" who's still got it and a facially cramped Hugh Grant. (Ouch!)

Yes, judging by my above ramblings, I am in a funk right now and hopefully, it won't last long. So sleep tight my fellow readers. If not, you can always channel surf for "Our Sons" like I did, and find it a wonderful treat for your hearts and minds. I may be wrong, you know?

G'nite.