56th Academy Awards · 1984
Terms of Endearment
Directed by James L. Brooks
“Come to laugh, come to cry, come to care, come to terms.”
The story
Aurora, a finicky woman, is in search of true love while her daughter faces marital issues. Together, they help each other deal with problems and find reasons to live a joyful life.
What critics & audiences say
Tomatometer81%Fresh#85 of 98 winnersFamous lines
Aurora: Would you like to come in?
Garrett: I'd rather stick needles in my eyes.
He can't even do the simple things, like fail locally.
If you wanted to get me on my back, all you had to do was ask me.
Garrett: I like the lights on.
Aurora: Then go home and turn them on.
Aurora: Do you have any reaction at all to my telling you I love you?
Garrett: I was just inches from a clean getaway.
Dr. Maise: I tell people to hope for the best and prepare for the worst.
Aurora: And they let you get away with that?
Don't worship me until I've earned it.
Momma, that's the first time I stopped hugging first. I like that.
Garrett: You're not fun, by any chance, are you?
Aurora: … Impatient boys sometimes miss dessert!
Patsy: Emma, I don't know why you don't leave him.
Emma: Honestly, I don't know, either. He's cute.
Quotes via Wikiquote
Fun facts
- James L. Brooks wrote Garrett Breedlove for Burt Reynolds, who turned it down over a verbal commitment to Stroker Ace and later said, 'There are no awards in Hollywood for being an idiot'; Harrison Ford and Paul Newman also passed.Wikipedia · Production
- Shirley MacLaine and Debra Winger reportedly did not get along; MacLaine wrote that Winger passed gas in her face and grabbed her breast, and Winger admitted there was truth in the allegations.Wikipedia · Production
- While filming in Lincoln, Nebraska, Debra Winger met the state's governor, Bob Kerrey, and the two wound up dating for two years.Wikipedia · Production
- Shirley MacLaine confirmed that Jack Nicholson improvised the moment he put his hand down her dress in the beach scene.Wikipedia · Production
- Jack Nicholson won Best Supporting Actor as astronaut Garrett Breedlove and is one of the few supporting actors ever to sweep the 'Big Four' U.S. critics' awards for a single performance.Wikipedia · Accolades
- Terms of Endearment grossed $165 million worldwide, making it the second-highest-grossing film of 1983 behind only Return of the Jedi.Wikipedia · Introduction
- Shirley MacLaine compared her chemistry with Jack Nicholson to the 'old smoothies' at the Ice Follies, an older couple who danced so elegantly in sync that audiences just sighed.Wikipedia · Production
- The film took the top spot at the U.S. box office six separate times, returning to number one as late as its 11th weekend.Wikipedia · Box office
- Scenes set in Des Moines, Iowa and Kearney, Nebraska were actually filmed in Lincoln, Nebraska, many on or near the University of Nebraska campus, while Aurora's house is a real home in Houston.Wikipedia · Production
- Terms of Endearment led the Oscars with 11 nominations and won five, including Best Picture and Best Actress for Shirley MacLaine, plus three for James L. Brooks as producer, director and writer.Wikipedia · Introduction