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Terms of Endearment
original movie poster
Directed by	James L. Brooks
Produced by	James L. Brooks
Written by	Novel:   Larry McMurtry Screenplay:   James L. Brooks
Starring	Shirley MacLaine Debra Winger Jack Nicholson Danny DeVito Jeff Daniels John Lithgow
Music by	Michael Gore
Cinematography	Andrzej Bartkowiak
Editing by	Richard Marks
Distributed by	Paramount Pictures
Release date(s)	November 23, 1983
Running time	132 min.
Language	English
All Movie Guide profile
IMDb profile

Terms of Endearment is a 1983 American drama film and romantic comedy adapted by James L. Brooks from the novel by Larry McMurtry.

Actor Jack Nicholson's character, astronaut Garrett Breedlove, was not in the original novel. The part was created for Burt Reynolds, but he was already committed to make another movie, so the part went to James Garner. Garner quarrelled with the director over differing interpretations and the role wound up going to Nicholson. Debra Winger and Sissy Spacek were the original choices for the mother and daughter roles. It was originally rated R for sexual content and for language, but re-rated PG on appeal.

Contents 1 Plot 2 Critical Response 3 Sequel 4 Cast 5 Awards 5.1 Wins 5.2 Nominations

The movie tells the story of a mother and daughter relationship which juxtaposes both women's inconclusive search for love.

The movie opens with the newly born Emma in the cradle sleeping. Her mother Aurora comes in to check on her infant and is not content with the child's safety until the baby is awakened and starts to cry.

Playwright Rebecca Gilman mentioned Terms of Endearment when discussing dramatic shortcuts. "Look at Terms of Endearment. We’re going along and going along, and there’s not really a plot. Then…oh, she gets cancer. You get it all the time when people don’t quite know what to do, and I think in those cases it is a shortcut to tragedy."^[1]

In 1996, a sequel called The Evening Star was filmed featuring MacLaine and Nicholson reprising their original roles.

Actor	Role
Troy Bishop	Tommy Horton
Lisa Hart Carroll	Patsy Clark
Jeff Daniels	Flap Horton
Danny DeVito	Vernon Dalhart
Huckleberry Fox	Teddy Horton
Betty King	Rosie Dunlop
John Lithgow	Sam Burns
Shirley MacLaine	Aurora Greenway
Jack Nicholson	Garrett Breedlove
Debra Winger	Emma Greenway Horton

• Academy Award for Best Picture
• Academy Award for Directing – (James L. Brooks)
• Academy Award for Best Actress – (Shirley MacLaine)
• Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor – (Jack Nicholson)
• Academy Award for Writing Adapted Screenplay – (James L. Brooks)
• Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture - Drama
• Golden Globe Award for Best Actress - Motion Picture Drama – (Shirley MacLaine)
• Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor - (Jack Nicholson)
• Golden Globe Award for Best Screenplay - Motion Picture – (James L. Brooks)
• DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures – (James L. Brooks)
• New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Film
• New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress - (Shirley MacLaine)
• New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actor - (Jack Nicholson)

• Golden Globe Award for Best Director – (James L. Brooks)
• Academy Award for Best Actress – (Debra Winger)
• BAFTA Award for Best Actress – (Shirley MacLaine)
• Golden Globe Award for Best Actress - Motion Picture Drama – (Debra Winger)
• Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor – (John Lithgow)
• Academy Award for Best Art Direction - (Polly Platt & Tom Pedigo)
• Academy Award for Film Editing – (Richard Marks)
• Academy Award for Original Music Score – (Michael Gore)
• Academy Award for Sound – (Donald O. Mitchell, Rick Kline, Kevin O'Connell, James R. Alexander)

Films Directed by James L. Brooks

Terms of Endearment | Broadcast News | I'll Do Anything | As Good as It Gets | Spanglish

Preceded by E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial

Golden Globe for Best Picture - Drama 1984

Succeeded by Amadeus