Common Ground (2000) (TV)

User Rating:

7.3/10   

Director:

Donna Deitch

Writers (WGA):

Paula Vogel (written by) (segment)
Terrence McNally (written by) (segment)

Release Date:

29 January 2000 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

This movie contains three short stories dealing with the theme of homosexuality. In "A Friend of Dorothy"...

Plot Keywords:

Homosexuality | Lesbianism | Navy | 1950s | 1970s

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Erik Knudsen	...	Young Johnny Burroughs
Brittany Murphy	...	Dorothy Nelson
Jason Priestley	...	Billy
Margot Kidder	...	Mrs. Nelson
Helen Shaver	...	Janet
Mimi Rogers	...	McPherson
David Hemblen	...	Chester Burroughs
Aron Tager	...	Mr. Manos
Paulino Nunes	...	Navy Recruiter
Brian Kerwin	...	Chuck Dawson
Shirley Josephs	...	Mrs. Manos
Ann Holloway	...	Mrs. Burgess
Patti Medwid	...	Mrs. Dawson
Sean O'Neill	...	Barber Shop Boy
Andrew Butcher	...	Barber Shop Boy

MPAA:

Rated R for language, sexuality and violence.

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

Iceland:L | Australia:M | Germany:12 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Milton, Ontario, Canada

Company:

Showtime Networks

Quotes:

Johnny Burroughs: So, OK. The bottom line seems to be our choice. We can embrace our differences, and each stand alone, or we can accept the overwhelming evidence that none of us is so very unique, and stand together, on common ground.

Movie Connections:

References The Wizard of Oz (1939)

An honest, sometimes unforgiving look at homophobia over three generations.

This movie is a powerful portrayal of gay life and homophobia in small-town America, in this case Homer, Connecticut. Narrated through all three vignettes by Eric Stoltz's character, the character is 6 or so in "1954" when a young woman (Brittany Murphy) returns from the Navy with a Section 8 discharge for "deviant sexual behavior". In "1974", Stoltz is a fresh-from-Vietnam veteran tending grounds at the town war memorial at a time when the high school's star swimmer (Johnathan Taylor Thomas) wants to come out to his French teacher (Stephen Weber). In the last vignette, Stoltz's groundskeeper is greying, and some in the town (mostly veterans and church-goers) are protesting the marriage of two gay men, one of whom has wedding-day jitters and a father (Ed Asner) who helped organize and mobilize the protest.