Blessings (film)

Last updated
Blessings
GenreDrama
Written by Anna Quindlen (novel)
Joyce Eliason
Directed by Arvin Brown
Starring Mary Tyler Moore
Liam Waite
China Chow
Kathleen Quinlan
Theme music composer Roger Bellon
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
Production
Executive producer Larry Sanitsky
ProducerSherri Saito
Production locations Toronto, Halifax
CinematographyThom Best
EditorScot J. Kelly
Running time120 min.
Production companies Carlton America
Sanitsky Company
Original release
NetworkCBS
ReleaseOctober 5, 2003 (2003-10-05)

Blessings is a 2003 American made-for-television drama film directed by Arvin Brown. Based on the 2002 novel of the same name by Anna Quindlen, the film stars Mary Tyler Moore and Liam Waite.

Contents

Plot

Lydia Blessing (Mary Tyler Moore) is an 82-year-old heiress of wealthy background who, since the death of her husband decades earlier, has been living as a bitter and reclusive widow at her mansion called 'Blessings'. Meanwhile, a man named Skip Cuddy (Liam Waite) has just been released on parole from county jail following an armed robbery gone wrong, only to find his girlfriend Shelley (Laura Regan) cheating on him with an old friend, Chris (Joris Jarsky). Deciding to abandon his old customs, Skip accepts an offer to work for Lydia at her mansion. Lydia's personal maid Jennifer (China Chow) is aware of Skip's mistakes in the past, and warns him not to betray Lydia, as does her daughter Meredith (Kathleen Quinlan).

One night, a couple unfit of parenthood leaves a baby at the garage of Lydia's estate. Skip finds the baby and takes care of her, while working long shifts at Lydia's, at which he is mostly criticized by Jennifer due to his affiliation with gangs in the past. When Lydia finds out about the baby, she wants to give it up for child services, but Skip is able to convince her that a foster family is not a good resolution by sharing experiences from his childhood. Lydia agrees to raise the baby with him, naming her Faith and keeping her existence a secret from Jennifer, and quickly bonds with the child. She notices how great Skip is with the care of Faith, and once she tells Jennifer the truth, she criticizes her for giving Skip a bad treatment.

Slowly, the baby brings spirit to the lives of Lydia and Skip. Then one night, Skip's friends from the past break in, only to be caught by Skip, who has alarmed the police. Chris, among the two friends, feels betrayed by Skip and claims that Skip was in on the crime when the police arrive. Not only is Skip arrested, but the baby is taken in as well. In jail, he finds out that the baby's mother wants her child back, upsetting Skip for feeling that he is now her father. Jennifer, who now takes a liking in Skip, bails him out and decides to help him demand custody of Faith. Skip, however, fears that he will lose the battle, and decides to give up, both disappointing Jennifer and Lydia.

Throughout the film, in flashbacks, the viewer learns that Lydia (Janaya Stephens) made mistakes in the past as well as Skip. She was once a lustful young woman with many men in her lives, including the married father of one of her friends. She then married a family friend, Benny (Diego Klattenhoff) when she got into trouble, and gave birth to his daughter Meredith at age 19. Sometime later, Benny was killed in action, leaving Lydia heartbroken at home, while her brother Sunny (Marcus Hutchings) committed suicide after revealing to Lydia that he had lost his true love.

Back in the present, Lydia processes Skip's rejection and finds through a letter that Sunny was a closeted homosexual man in love with Benny. Skip hands over the baby to the true mother in the presence of Lydia, who in a speech announces that the young lady does not deserve to be her mother. The next morning, she dies in her chair while thinking about her past with Sunny and Benny. Skip inherits the garage including its contents, such as a Cadillac and boxes filled with $70,000.

Cast

Production

Actress Mary Tyler Moore read the script before casting took place and was immediately interested in the role. [1] In an interview with CBS, Moore expressed her interest: "Without even thinking that I would be playing that. I mean, you know, for my age, mid-60s to..., 82 it is a stretch. But I thought I could handle it, especially after doing The Gin Game with Dick Van Dyke where I played a woman in her early 80s. I was just so challenged and fascinated by this script, which takes you through some emotional things and some funny things. But primarily it doesn't tie up every little frayed ending into a neat little bow and it leaves you gasping." [1] The film was shot in Nova Scotia in the summer of 2003. [2]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mary Tyler Moore</span> American actress and television producer (1936–2017)

Mary Tyler Moore was an American actress, producer, and social advocate. She is best known for her roles on The Dick Van Dyke Show (1961–1966) and The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1970–1977), which "helped define a new vision of American womanhood" and "appealed to an audience facing the new trials of modern-day existence". Moore won seven Primetime Emmy Awards and three Golden Globe Awards. She was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in Ordinary People. Moore had a supporting role in the musical film Thoroughly Modern Millie. Moore was an advocate for animal rights, vegetarianism and diabetes awareness and research.

<i>The Mary Tyler Moore Show</i> American television sitcom (1970–1977)

The Mary Tyler Moore Show is an American television sitcom created by James L. Brooks and Allan Burns and starring actress Mary Tyler Moore. The show originally aired on CBS from September 19, 1970, to March 19, 1977. Moore portrayed Mary Richards, an unmarried, independent woman focused on her career as associate producer of a news show at the fictional local station WJM in Minneapolis. Ed Asner co-starred as Mary's boss Lou Grant, alongside Gavin MacLeod, Ted Knight, Georgia Engel, Betty White, Valerie Harper as friend and neighbor Rhoda Morgenstern, and Cloris Leachman as friend and landlady Phyllis Lindstrom.

<i>Rhoda</i> American television sitcom (1974–1978)

Rhoda is an American sitcom television series created by James L. Brooks and Allan Burns starring Valerie Harper that originally aired on CBS for five seasons from September 9, 1974, to May 18, 1979. It was the first spin-off of The Mary Tyler Moore Show in which Harper reprised her role as Rhoda Morgenstern, a spunky and flamboyantly fashioned young woman seen as unconventional by the standards of her Jewish family from New York City. The series was originally distributed by Viacom Enterprises.

<i>Phyllis</i> (TV series) American sitcom

Phyllis is an American sitcom television series that aired on CBS from September 8, 1975, to March 13, 1977. Created mainly by Ed. Weinberger and Stan Daniels, it was the second spinoff of The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Mary Tyler Moore Show producer James L. Brooks was also involved with the show as a creative consultant. The show starred Cloris Leachman as Phyllis Lindstrom, who was previously Mary Richards' friend, neighbor, and landlady on The Mary Tyler Moore Show.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kathleen Quinlan</span> American actress (born 1954)

Kathleen Denise Quinlan is an American film and television actress. She is best known for her Golden Globe-nominated performance in the 1977 film of the novel I Never Promised You a Rose Garden, and her Golden Globe and Academy Award-nominated role in the 1995 film Apollo 13, along with many roles in other feature films, television movies and series, in a career spanning almost five decades.

Maureen Ann Collins is an American actress and comedian who was a member of the ensemble on FOX's sketch comedy series Mad TV. Collins became well known for several characters during her tenure on the show.

<i>Palindromes</i> (film) 2004 film by Todd Solondz

Palindromes is a 2004 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Todd Solondz. Referencing Solondz's previous Welcome to the Dollhouse, it was nominated for the Golden Lion award at the 61st Venice International Film Festival.

<i>Skipped Parts</i> 2001 film by Tamra Davis

Skipped Parts is a 2000 American coming of age comedy-drama film directed by Tamra Davis. The film stars Jennifer Jason Leigh, Bug Hall, Mischa Barton, Brad Renfro and Drew Barrymore, reprising her role from Motorama.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lisa Cuddy</span> Fictional character

Lisa Cuddy, M.D., is a fictional character on the Fox medical drama House. She is portrayed by Lisa Edelstein. Cuddy was the dean of medicine of the fictional Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital in New Jersey. Cuddy quit her job after the events of season seven's finale "Moving On".

Mary and Rhoda is a 2000 American made-for-television comedy-drama film starring Mary Tyler Moore and Valerie Harper reprising their roles as Mary Richards and Rhoda Morgenstern from the 1970–1977 sitcom The Mary Tyler Moore Show.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lisa Gerritsen</span> American actress

Lisa Gerritsen is an American former child actress. She is most famous for her role as Bess, the independent-minded daughter of Phyllis Lindstrom on the 1970s television series The Mary Tyler Moore Show and its spin-off Phyllis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amber Moore</span> Soap opera character

Amber Moore is a fictional character from the American soap operas The Bold and the Beautiful and The Young and the Restless. Throughout the character's entire history, she has been portrayed by Adrienne Frantz, introduced by Bradley Bell to The Bold and the Beautiful on July 18, 1997. She was a babysitter for Brooke Logan and Eric Forrester's children, but ended up having a romance with their son, Rick Forrester. As a young woman, she endured several challenges including being drugged and raped, having a relationship with a younger man and becoming an enemy of Sheila Carter, a psychotic criminal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diane O'Connor</span> Fictional character from Hollyoaks

Diane Hutchinson is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Alex Fletcher. In 2010, Hollyoaks series producer, Paul Marquess, embarked on the show's rejuvenation and axed a number of cast members. To compensate for the departures, the character of Diane and her family were created and introduced. Fletcher's casting was announced in June 2010 and she began filming her scenes in the same month. The actress said working on the show is practical as she does not have to relocate. She made her first on-screen appearance on 1 September 2010. Diane was introduced with her husband, Rob and stepchildren, Sinead and Finn. The O'Connors were one of three families introduced throughout the year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eddie Moon</span> UK soap opera character, created 2011

Eddie Moon is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by David Essex. Eddie is the father of Michael Moon, Tyler Moon and Anthony Moon. Along with his children, Eddie was introduced to bring a "new generation" of the Moon family to the programme. Essex began filming in April 2011 and first appeared on screen on 3 June 2011. His initial contract ended in August, and Essex hoped he would be able to return to the role. The character has been described as cheeky, likeable and charismatic, and has a dark past. Through the series' narrative, it is revealed that there is a rift between Michael and Eddie, because Michael blames his father for the death of his mother, who killed herself when Michael was left alone with her. Eddie is also a love interest for Carol Jackson and Vanessa Gold.

"Changes" is the twentieth episode of the seventh season of the American medical drama series House. It aired on May 2, 2011 on Fox.

The sixth season finale of Grey's Anatomy consisted of two parts, "Sanctuary" and "Death and All His Friends". Both parts, encompassing the twenty-third and twenty-fourth episodes of the season, were written by Shonda Rhimes and originally broadcast on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) in the United States on May 20, 2010. The first hour gained 13 million viewers and the second hour had an audience of 16.13 million viewers. The two-parter opened up to universal acclaim with television critics lauding the writing and performance of the entire cast. It went on to be hailed as one of the best episodes of the entire series.

"Bedlam" is the second episode of the seventh season of the mystery drama television series Pretty Little Liars, which aired on June 28, 2016, on the cable network Freeform. The episode was written by Joseph Dougherty and directed by Tawnia McKiernan.

<i>Teen Wolf: The Movie</i> 2023 American supernatural thriller film

Teen Wolf: The Movie is a 2023 American supernatural thriller drama film directed by Russell Mulcahy and written by Jeff Davis. The film is the fifth installment in the franchise, and is a continuation of the MTV series Teen Wolf. The movie includes most of the cast reprising their roles, including Tyler Posey, Crystal Reed, Tyler Hoechlin, Holland Roden, Colton Haynes, Shelley Hennig, Dylan Sprayberry, Linden Ashby, Melissa Ponzio, and JR Bourne. It follows werewolf Scott McCall (Posey) as he protects his California town from an old threat.

References

  1. 1 2 'Blessings' for Mary Tyler Moore by Rome Neal. CBS News, February 11, 2009.
  2. ↑ Macdonald, Ron Foley (January 30, 2017). "Mary Tyler Moore in Nova Scotia". View 920. View 920. Retrieved 23 February 2018.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.