Ordinary People (1980)

 

This year marks the 45^th anniversary of an outstanding film, Ordinary People.

Directed by Robert Redford (A River Runs Through It, Quiz Show, The Horse Whisperer and The Legend of Bagger Vance). Ordinary People was his feature filmmaking directing debut.

It’s based on a 1976 novel by Judith Guest.

This film starred: Donald Sutherland, Mary Tyler Moore, Judd Hirsch and Timothy Hutton (his film debut at age 20).

At the 1981 Oscars, this film won four awards. They won for best picture, best supporting actor (Timothy Hutton), best director (Robert Redford) and best writing, screenplay based on material from another medium (Alvin Sargent). Ordinary People had an uphill battle that year, going head-to-head against Martin Scorsese’s brilliant boxing film, starring Robert DeNiro, Raging Bull.

Overall, this film had 21 wins and 14 nominations.

It won five Golden Globes, including one for best picture (drama) and one for Mary Tyler Moore for best actress (drama).

The budget was $6 million, and the worldwide gross was $90 million.

The Jarrett family lives in an affluent Chicago suburban neighborhood. From the outside, they probably appear to be a family who has it all, but there is turmoil behind closed doors.

Donald Sutherland and Mary Tyler Moore played Calvin and Beth Jarrett, who are parents to Conrad Jarrett, played brilliantly by Timothy Hutton. The other son, Buck Jarrett, was killed in a tragic boating accident. Conrad feels responsible for his death and is haunted by images of the event. His grief and guilt are overwhelming. His feelings led to a suicide attempt. Conrad felt that his mother preferred Buck over himself. Conrad is closer to his father than his mother. The interactions between mother and son are awkward.

Mary Tyler Moore did not play her normal bubbly, positive character like she did when she played Mary Richards and Laura Petrie. Beth was cold and distant. This role showed the impressive range of Moore. She was shocked when Robert Redford said that he wanted her for the role. He had her in mind from the first time he read the novel. Her character was not always likeable. During the filming, Moore was aloof toward Timothy Hutton to get into character. Mary Tyler Moore called this film "The Holy Grail of my Career".

 The parents decide that Conrad needs to see a therapist to deal with his guilt and depression tied to what happened with his brother. Judd Hirsch played Dr. Tyrone Berger, the therapist who tries to help Conrad. Redford chose Hirsch for the role after seeing his character in the TV show Taxi. Some of the scenes between Conrad and Dr. Berger are intense and gripping. This film delves deep into the dynamics of human relations and the challenging feelings that accompany them. The film is largely about forgiveness…forgiving others and ourselves. The main theme for the soundtrack was Pachelbel’s Canon in D Major, which set the perfect mood for this emotional film.

Gene Hackman was considered for the role of Calvin. Michael J. Fox auditioned for the role of Conrad, but Redford wanted to go with Hutton. Natalie Wood was considered for the role of Beth, which went to Mary Tyler Moore.

The film received high praise from critics Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert. Siskel called it the 2^nd best film of 1980 and Ebert said it was the 5^th best film of the year.

The intense writing, acting and insights into stressful family dynamics make this an outstanding film.

 

*Some information from imdb.com and Wikipedia.