Between Two Women (1986 film)

Last updated
Between Two Women
Between Two Women 1986.jpg
GenreDrama
Written by Jon Avnet
Larry Grusin
Gillian Martin
Directed by Jon Avnet
Starring Farrah Fawcett
Colleen Dewhurst
Michael Nouri
Theme music composer Charles Gross
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
Production
Executive producer Jon Avnet
Producers Larry Grusin (associate producer)
Polly Platt (co-producer)
Carol Schreder (producer)
Cinematography Gayne Rescher
Editors John F. Burnett
Bill Yahraus
Running time120 minutes
Production company The Jon Avnet Company
Original release
NetworkABC
ReleaseMarch 10, 1986 (1986-03-10)

Between Two Women is a 1986 Emmy Award-winning television film starring Farrah Fawcett and Colleen Dewhurst in an story about a relationship between a married woman and her mother-in-law. The film was directed and executive produced by Jon Avnet, and written by Avnet and Larry Grusin.

Contents

Background

Avnet had worked with Fawcett before on the 1984 TV movie The Burning Bed . Dewhurst was impressed by Fawcett's performance in the movie and said it was part of why she accepted the role alongside her. Dewhurst was also drawn to the emotional subject matter, which she called unusual for TV movies to portray in depth, and to the opportunity to draw upon her theatrical background in portraying an operatic diva. [1]

ABC aired the movie at 9 p.m. on March 10, 1986. [1]

Plot

Val, an introverted teacher, marries Harry, an artist and the son of a temperamental opera star, Barbara. Barbara disapproves of their relationship, and tries to undermine them. 14 years later, after Val and Harry have separated, Barbara suffers a stroke. Val steps up to care for her, and the two women mend their years-long feud.

Cast

Critical reception

Between Two Women received largely positive reviews from the press. The New York Times praised the film as "beguiling," writing that it "explores what could be a cliche, or even a tired joke, and turns it into intelligent drama." [2] The Sun-Sentinel called it "one of those few programs on television that should not be missed." [1] The Los Angeles Times, though calling some of the plot points contrived, wrote that it "delves deeper into the nuances of relationships than most TV movies." [3]

Colleen Dewhurst won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress for her performance in the film. [4]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George C. Scott</span> American actor, director, and producer (1927–1999)

George Campbell Scott was an American actor, director, and producer who had a celebrated career on both stage and screen. With a gruff demeanor and commanding presence, Scott became known for his portrayal of stern but complex authority figures. Described by The Guardian as "a battler and an actor of rare courage", his roles earned him numerous accolades including two Golden Globes, and two Primetime Emmys as well as nominations for two BAFTA Awards and five Tony Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ryan O'Neal</span> American actor (1941–2023)

Charles Patrick Ryan O'Neal was an American actor. Born in Los Angeles, he trained as an amateur boxer before beginning a career in acting in 1960.

<i>Charlies Angels</i> American crime drama television series (1976–1981)

Charlie's Angels is an American crime drama television series that aired on ABC from September 22, 1976, to June 24, 1981, producing five seasons and 115 episodes. The series was created by Ivan Goff and Ben Roberts and was produced by Aaron Spelling. It follows the crime-fighting adventures of three women working at a private detective agency in Los Angeles, California, and originally starred Kate Jackson, Farrah Fawcett, and Jaclyn Smith in the leading roles and John Forsythe providing the voice of their boss, the unseen Charlie Townsend, who directed the crime-fighting operations of the "Angels" over a speakerphone. There were a few casting changes: after the departure of Fawcett, Cheryl Ladd joined; after Jackson departed, Shelley Hack joined, who was subsequently replaced by Tanya Roberts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Farrah Fawcett</span> American actress (1947–2009)

Farrah Leni Fawcett was an American actress. A four-time Primetime Emmy Award nominee and six-time Golden Globe Award nominee, Fawcett rose to international fame when she played a starring role in the first season of the television series Charlie's Angels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shelley Long</span> American actress and comedian (born 1949)

Shelley Long is an American actress, singer, and comedian. For her role as Diane Chambers on the hit sitcom Cheers, Long received five Emmy nominations, winning in 1983 for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series. She also won two Golden Globe Awards for the role. Long reprised her role as Diane Chambers in three episodes of the spin-off Frasier, for which she received an additional guest star Emmy nomination. In 2009, she began playing the recurring role of DeDe Pritchett on the ABC comedy series Modern Family.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colleen Dewhurst</span> Canadian-American actress (1924–1991)

Colleen Rose Dewhurst was a Canadian-American actress mostly known for theatre roles. She was a renowned interpreter of the works of Eugene O'Neill on the stage, and her career also encompassed film, early dramas on live television, and performances in Joseph Papp's New York Shakespeare Festival. One of her last roles was playing Marilla Cuthbert in the Kevin Sullivan television adaptations of the Anne of Green Gables series and her reprisal of the role in the subsequent TV series Road to Avonlea. In the United States, Dewhurst won two Tony Awards and four Emmy Awards for her stage and television work. In addition to other Canadian honors over the years, Dewhurst won two Gemini Awards for her portrayal of Marilla Cuthbert; once in 1986 and again in 1988. It is arguably her best known role because of the Kevin Sullivan produced series’ continuing popularity and also the initial co-production by the CBC; allowing for rebroadcasts over the years on it, and also on PBS in the United States. The initial broadcast alone was seen by millions of viewers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jaclyn Smith</span> American actress (born 1945)

Jacquelyn Ellen "Jaclyn" Smith is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Kelly Garrett in the television series Charlie's Angels (1976–1981), and was the only original female lead to remain with the series for its complete run. She reprised the role with cameo appearances in the films Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle (2003) and Charlie's Angels (2019). Her other films include Nightkill (1980) and Déjà Vu (1985). Beginning in the 1980s, she began developing and marketing her own brands of clothing and perfume.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barbara Hershey</span> American actress

Barbara Lynn Herzstein, better known as Barbara Hershey, is an American actress. In a career spanning more than 50 years, she has played a variety of roles on television and in cinema in several genres, including westerns and comedies. She began acting at age 17 in 1965 but did not achieve widespread critical acclaim until the 1980s. By that time, the Chicago Tribune referred to her as "one of America's finest actresses".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cheryl Ladd</span> American actress

Cheryl Ladd is an American actress, singer, and author best known for her role as Kris Munroe in the ABC television series Charlie's Angels, whose cast she joined in its second season in 1977 to replace Farrah Fawcett-Majors. Ladd remained on the show until its cancellation in 1981. Her film roles include Purple Hearts (1984), Millennium (1989), Poison Ivy (1992), Permanent Midnight (1998), and Unforgettable (2017).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colleen Camp</span> American actress and film producer

Colleen Celeste Camp is an American character actress and producer. After appearing in several bit parts, she had a lead role in the comedy The Swinging Cheerleaders (1974), followed by roles in two installments of the Police Academy series. Camp had supporting roles in Lady of the House (1978), Apocalypse Now (1979), and The Seduction (1982), after which she played Julie’s mother in Valley Girl and Yvette the Maid in the 1985 comedy Clue.

<i>Small Sacrifices</i> 1989 television film directed by David Greene

Small Sacrifices is a 1989 American made-for-television crime drama film written by Joyce Eliason and based on the best-selling true crime book by Ann Rule of the same name. The film is about Diane Downs and the murder and attempted murder of her three children. It stars Farrah Fawcett, Ryan O'Neal, Gordon Clapp, John Shea, and Emily Perkins. The film premiered in two parts on ABC on November 12 and 14, 1989.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frances Sternhagen</span> American actress (1930–2023)

Frances Hussey Sternhagen was an American actress. Sternhagen was known as a character actress who appeared on- and off-Broadway, in movies, and on television for over six decades. She received numerous accolades including two Tony Awards, a Drama Desk Award, a Saturn Award, as well as nominations for three Primetime Emmy Awards.

<i>Harry O</i> Television series

Harry O, sometimes spelled Harry-O, is an American private detective series that aired for two seasons on ABC from 1974 to 1976. The series starred David Janssen, and Jerry Thorpe was executive producer. Harry O followed the broadcast of two pilot films: firstly Such Dust as Dreams Are Made On and secondly Smile Jenny, You're Dead, both starring Janssen.

<i>Poor Little Rich Girl: The Barbara Hutton Story</i> 1987 film by Charles Jarrott

Poor Little Rich Girl: The Barbara Hutton Story is a 1987 television biographical drama starring Farrah Fawcett. The film chronicles the life of Barbara Hutton, a wealthy but troubled American socialite. Released as both a television film and a miniseries, the film won a Golden Globe Award for Best Miniseries or Television Film. Fawcett earned her fifth Golden Globe Award nomination, for Best Actress in a Miniseries of Television Film. Poor Little Rich Girl: The Barbara Hutton Story was based on C. David Heymann's Poor Little Rich Girl: The Life and Legend of Barbara Hutton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jon Avnet</span> American film and television director, writer and producer

Jonathan Michael Avnet, is an American director, writer and producer.

Jacqueline Babbin was an American television/theatre writer, producer, and executive.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kathleen Cody (actress)</span> American actress

Kathleen Cody, often credited as Kathy Cody, is an American actress. She is best known for her role as the characters Hallie Stokes and Carrie Stokes, on the television series Dark Shadows, appearing from June 1970 through April 1971. Her career in film and television lasted over 30 years.

The Women's Room is a 1980 American made-for-television drama film directed by Glenn Jordan and starring Lee Remick, Ted Danson, Colleen Dewhurst and Tovah Feldshuh. In spite of Esther Shapiro's struggle with the network to release the film despite its feminist content, "The Women's Room finally aired, and it received a huge 45 share, prompted a raft of positive mail, and won an Emmy".

The Feminist and the Fuzz is a 1971 American made-for-television comedy film by Screen Gems starring Barbara Eden, David Hartman, Jo Anne Worley, Herb Edelman and Julie Newmar. It premiered as the ABC Movie of the Week on January 26, 1971. The film was directed by Jerry Paris.

Rose Leiman Goldemberg is an American playwright, screenwriter, poet, and author of fiction and non-fiction books and stories.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Schwed, Mark (8 March 1986). "'Women' Role Another in Fawcett's New Image". Sun-Sentinel.
  2. Corry, John (10 March 1986). "'Between Two Women', ABC Movie: Review". The New York Times.
  3. Margulies, Lee (10 March 1986). "Good Viewing in 'Two Women,' 'Tracy'". Los Angeles Times.
  4. "Between Two Women". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved 18 May 2023.