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:

AIDS | Fayetteville Arkansas | Arkansas | Guilt | Death

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
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Geoff Stradling	...	Pianist (uncredited)

Directed by
John Erman

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

Produced by
Micki Dickoff	....	co-producer
Robert Greenwald	....	executive producer
William Hanley	....	co-producer
William Hanley	....	executive producer
Philip K. Kleinbart	....	producer (as Philip Kleinbart)
Carla Singer	....	executive producer

Original Music by
John Morris

Cinematography by
Tony Imi

Film Editing by
Robert Florio

Production Design by
James Hulsey

Set Decoration by
Lisa Smithline

Costume Design by
Van Broughton Ramsey

Makeup Department
Michèle Burke	....	special makeup effects (as Michèle Burke-Winter)
Michael John	....	hair stylist: J. Andrews
George Masters	....	hair stylist: Ann-Margret
George Masters	....	makeup artist: Ann-Margret
Rick Sharp	....	makeup artist: J. Anrews

Production Management
Peter L. Bergquist	....	production manager (as Peter Bergquist)
John Erman	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Yudi Bennett	....	first assistant director
Edward Crocitto	....	second assistant director (as Ed Crocitto)
Debra Kent	....	second assistant director

Art Department
David Goldman	....	property master
Richard D. Wright	....	set dresser (uncredited)

Sound Department
G. Michael Graham	....	sound mixing supervisor (as Mike Graham)
G. Michael Graham	....	supervising sound editor (as Mike Graham)
Bo Harwood	....	sound engineer
Bob Costanza	....	sound effects editor (uncredited)
Troy Porter	....	sound re-recording mixer (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Gary Boulanger	....	first assistant camera
Michael LaViolette	....	gaffer
Michael Listorti	....	dolly grip
Michael Pizzuto	....	key grip
Gary Molyneux	....	grip (uncredited)

Casting Department
Allison Bauer	....	casting associate
Bill Dance	....	extras casting

Editorial Department
David Codron	....	assistant editor
Jason Villard	....	post-production assistant

Music Department
Tom Kramer	....	music editor

Transportation Department
Lawrence J. Romanoff	....	transportation coordinator (as Larry Romanoff)
Carlos Williams	....	driver

Other crew
Jacquie Badger	....	production assistant
Gail Ciravolo	....	assistant manager
Jeanne Codron	....	assistant: Mr. Kleinbart
Jolly Dale	....	production accountant
Wayne Drake	....	production assistant
Beth Fieger	....	production coordinator
Diane Franey	....	assistant: Mr. Erman
Kevin Halloran	....	location manager
Dan Katzman	....	production assistant
Lily Kimoto	....	assistant manager
Kristin Ladner	....	production services coordinator
Matthew Perry	....	assistant manager
Jennifer Saxon	....	assistant production coordinator
Renee Sleger	....	assistant manager
Esther Vivante	....	continuity
Jack E. Herman	....	extras set coordinator (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Robert Greenwald Productions

Distributors

• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1991) (USA) (TV) (original airing)

Other Companies

• Echo Film Services  sound editing
• Larson Sound Center  sound mixing
• Pacific Video Inc.  video

Also Known As:

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:

[about why his lover won't tell his mother that he's dying of AIDS]
James:He'd rather not tell her than risk her not caring.

Well-intentioned and moving...

Gay male couple in Los Angeles deals with tragedy: one partner has full-blown AIDS, and his estranged mother from Arkansas is called for; soon, the boys' mothers meet for the first time and couldn't be more dissimilar. Big-hearted TV movie made at the time 108,731 Americans had perished from AIDS, so it's realistic in this setting that everyone here would be struggling with the notion of the disease and with homosexuality in general. Julie Andrews is the wealthy, society-type who lives in a sparkling abode; Ann-Margret plays the bewigged cowgirl who's had a wild life of ups and downs. Dramatically, it might have been more interesting if the two actresses had switched roles--they're a little bit typecast--but it's a comfortable, secure match, and both women are shown to good advantage. Not so Hugh Grant as Andrews' son, looking a bit distanced from the proceedings. A small-budgeted but emotional film, dignified and even-keeled, and though Ann-Margret's character is anti-gay and refers to her son as "one of them", the movie attempts to show personal growth and is ultimately compassionate.