Thursday, December 1, 1C33
Pego 10
Daily Nebraskan
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By Steve Absxiotcs
Is there a word that most accurately
describes the feeling of happiness and
sadness at the same time? Get the
hankerchiefs ready, anyway. The anx
iously awaited Terms of Endearment"
is here and it does indeed live up to all
its excellent expectations. It is a film
that relies heavily on the power and
range of all its actors.
James Brooks is responsible for the
: precise, first-time direction' and the
, humorously lyrical screenplay, which
r " - -iLlV-. -.-.! "TT
Review
is based on the novel of the same name,
by Larry Macmurtry. Brooks' prior ex
perience is in television. He has worked
on the "Mary tyler Moore Show" and
many other prime-time comedies.
Terms Of Endearment" is a senti
mental film about family interdepend
ence and twirling emotion that comes
dangerously close to being cute. It is a
dark, cyclical "comedy," and I use the
term comedy loosely because it is a
unique blend of different styles, genres
and moods. It is about ordinary people
encountering the "big chill" and con
fronting all the terms of personal com
mitment that go along with it.
Aurora Greenway (Shirley Mac
Laine) is a tough widow who lives in
Houston and resides in a well-to-do
house that is sprinkled with all the
expensive little knick-knacks that
make a house a home. She cares for
her daughter Emma (Debra Winger) in
a paranoid way, and confides in her as
;she gl'ows lip. They talk! p,.tfte,eleiV7
phone constantly when they are apart
and tell each other everything. Their
conversations revolve around the
weird men in their lives.
Terms" takes place over roughly 30
years, nigniignting ail tne important
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transitions. It works strongly the way but like him a whole lot. He is the right
is. stuff, only turned on its head and twice
as interesting.
- As Breedlove, Nicholson maintains
his psychopathic presence. He is in
control and you can see the wheels
turning. His character is the film's
most refreshing.
To Aurora, Breedlove is both appeal
ing and apalling, but he is heads and
tails above the rest of her suitors.
MacLaine is vibrant and sparkling, pul
ling out all the stops when it is called
,-f or; As Aurora, her affectiin for Breed
love grows stronger and stronger, but
Aurora hates Flap. She can barely her relationship with Emma is first
tolerate him. She also tolerates her priority : ''-v? ,. r .
swinging and single next-door neigh- .. ..Winger's Emma is gocfy, gangly and
- bor( "astrpnaiTght" Garrett Breedlove loud. She has a deep, husfylaugh and
cCJack Nicholson);" He isahard- her voice breaks at the end of every
slices of Emma's life.We move fairly . ,, drmking,fpul-moutheiprve sentence.- She seems, td plead a lot
randomly from one point to another, chaserr Everything he ssys has some Even though she bears three children,
feFor the most part, there is no fore-!' lewd sexual connotation, yet he is her childlike charm and curiosity stick
shadowing of thmgs to come, nor does intrinsically good-natured and maySe with her. winger lets fly with real emo
'Brooks think that it is necessary to add even lion-hearted and you cant hdp tlonal intensity while reaching effort-
Emma grows up and gets married
right off against her mother's
wishes. (Aurora doesn't like the idea of
being a grandmother at the age of 50.)
Emma weds, then beds, Flap Horton
(Jeff Daniels), a rather dim-witted col
lege professor. Flap is selfish and
simple-minded, but he thinks he's soph
isticated. You cant hardly, fault the
guy though. He is unaware of his indif
ference,, and his self-devotion. And
EirnrM loves Flap because he is cute".
lessly into her bottomless bz of
method acting tricta. bne t? razor
" sharp and keeps you involved.
People miht criticize Terms" for all
the biz, theatrical acting These are
cartoon diameters with feeling end it
j intentional. -Look at tha r.L.:i?3:
Aurora Greenway, Garrett Breedlove,
flap Horton! Rap Ho: ton is a big
flappy guy who. flops and limps
around. We heed to know where eve
ryone's head b at so we can under
stand why the characters react, the
way they do, and how they chano. The
comedy then comes more easily.
A lot happens when thb thing gets
going: love, hate, passion Jealousy, bit
terness, humiliation, sibling rivalries
and sneaking suspicions. They are car
toon characters with depth and the
bigness of the acting enhances their
attractiveness somehow.
John Lithgow pkys Sam, a harmless
homebody who understands all of the
small workings of his unmeaningful
job and life in general. He helps Emma
pay her grocery bill which leads to
, extra-marital involvement. It is all
Emma's doing. He's sweet, and she
considers it a needed adventure.
Besides, she has to get back at Flap for
all of those late nights he says he
spends at school. Lithgow gives off a
sort of withdrawn naivete, but comes
blasting back with some of the best
lines of the movie. It te a good charac
ter and a good job from him.
Many familiar local faces appear,
including Troy Bishop as one of
Emma's kids. In fact, he breaks a few
hearts and nearly steals some scenes
in the process. -
The photography is soft and lush. It
radiates a kind of tranquillity that
j contrasts nicely to the hh comedy to
which the film initially aspires. If it is
- true that every reaction has an oppo
site reaction, then chances are that
Terms of Endearment" will cause you
to feel sad, but you., will leave the
theater feeling glad you came. :
"H-The-musical soundtrack provides
several tugs at heartstrings." The
"tugs" are by composer Michael Gore.
And oh, I believe that one would be
inclined to think that Lincoln does
photograph quite nicely. V "
G
r?
The Christmas season b upon us (and I do mean
the Christmas season; not the X-mas eealon), and
pur thoughts are turning to the gifts we'ean buy our.
"friends and loved ones. ; - ::.
Naturally, American capitalism standi rcidy to
serve society by meeting these needs. One store ths t
Nemian-Marcus. y"- '"- '." 'V
The first pae of the catalog has thb quotation
front Charles Dudley Warner: The excellance cf a
gift lies in its appropriateness rather than in its
value." - " ;
That quote b somewhat at odds with the gifts in
the catalog. ;
Everybody loves dogs. What could be better for
your sondaughter, little sisterbrother, niecene
phew, than a Shar-Pei puppy?
These rare dogs (they come from China) sell for
only $2,000, if you buy them from a Neiman-Marcus
store. They will hand deliver in the continental Uni
ted States, but there b an added fee.
Of course, you cant have your Shar-Pei living in
the basement so youll need an Oriental pagoda deg
house for him, available for a scant $2,750. For those
times when little Mao wants to escape the drudgery
of the dog house, buy him a sleeping mat of black
velour for only CSS. , . -'
' : Say the kids already have a doggie, but they want
a hcrsie. No problem. N-ll ha3 Larraa Arabhn
harass for just thb situation. Prices fce;.i at t5,CO0.
. Cf ccirce, there are all Iad3 cf cbthe3 offered.
A ram's crewsieck rs-eater, rrith a pheasant on it'
no la-s, costs $1C0. Ju:t th2 thfr,g for pheasant sea-
son, Tor rcu s!i bur..:, there's a hot little number
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caters to a certain segment of American eccicty that .
mc-t cf us dant fall into b Neiman-!Iareu.3.
; Out of its Dallas 'headquarters, l'e:ni:,..r.-!'",rc,:.3
caters to the American elite. Since all cf yea may rr?t
hav3 acetas to cr.e cf their Catalans and since they
'don't have a ttc-re clcaar to Lincein than Chica-?,
the Bally I.'.lraihan, in yet another cf its public
c arice, trir.gi - you . Chrictmas -.EidtbRs.. frc'i..'
that 'ec j 'for only $225. So you wont be able to
i aTford a lift ticket At least youll have a nice sweater.
For the little person in your life, and I do mean
.- -little, f MI cers a minature American walnut high
bey, circa 1700, for car $7,203. Cheap, huh?
For minature music;- bvers there b a 3 78 inch
vtelia that goes for a rr.ere $l,tQ0.
- Vhat people do v.lth there things I dont know
Lock at "era, I gues3. 'i '.. ".
. Nct7 ' dont -,be rah :d. ' I Jctv- even ihlni ' in ' this
. tvr tjf
"Tdevicien-.'. ; .
The ever-erudite' Dick Cavett is pit'Z gtsar on
-, the acclahned comedy series "Cheers" v.hich airs at
8:S0 p.m. on channel 3. Cavett p-Iaj his archetspd
role Dick Cavett. Thb tiine aroar.d, he urges San
(Ted Danson) to write hb memoirs, something
which Cavett has had plenty of practise at.
At the Ghclica : ' '
. Today's line-up for the French Film Week film
series includes The. Grand Illusion" (tahen from
The History of French Cinema by Those Who Hade
. It"), "Eemorqaes" and "Andre Mssson et 1?3 Qaatre
Elements." The shows begin at 3 and 7 p.m. Tickets
-.are $3. ..' . , ,
"At' the IOnb.' ' '
. The.UIJL Flute Choir, under the direction cf .
David Van.de D-agart, will -open the holiday caa:sa
with its annual Christmas concert The thou t:r.lr.s
at 8 p.m. The program vdll feature the vcrid pre
miere cf "Oscilloscope for Flute Choir," written far
the UNL Flute Choir by composer John Harmed.
There b no admission charge. '.. ,
"Clint Eastwood b Harry Laehman." In thrcs
-, v var &r;u-iiera,
ana tor.t .:.t. IiFira f-:'- n...u. ;-i
c: t-iirg n e;;;: ansive. i :crc j even a special category
cruris priced under Included n this category
are essentials Lire eat! i ccverci clathss harpers, a
in a cei.y t 1
4.,--- - ..ivwwii i iuiu vui,;uiiiiS,t:" v. .i
be scresnias the first and most successful cf e t
eyries, "Dirty Harry." Chowtimcs are 7 and 0:15 p.n.
Admission bl X0 for UIJL ctudents wtth an I D Th
dm will also show cr. Friday. ' '
'.fi Jf 4nRud Ctmaa Pottery and Print tzli
will be today and Friday in the Cc-tenr.ial Eaen cf
the Nebraska Uaisn. Krrr-'rr -'-i t f "a- .
CcrAe!si eei Pr-" 12
ux.e W.J 12 c.n sa!3 frcai C.C3 cjai to 0
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