US (1983): Romance/Comedy/Drama
Larry McMurtry's novel becomes a somewhat lumpy film as directed by James L. Brooks in his first time at the helm of a feature. (He'd written and produced 1979's Starting Over and had worked in television for almost 25 years.) Nevertheless, it is entirely winning, with Shirley MacLaine and Debra Winger playing a combative mother and daughter who see each other through various ups and downs in love and loss, and most especially through a terminal illness endured by Winger's character. Jack Nicholson deservedly won an Oscar® for his supporting role as a free-spirited astronaut who backs away from a romance with MacLaine and then returns in the clutch. As he always does, Brooks keeps things from getting too soapy with his intense concentration on the soulful evolution of his characters. (Tom Keogh, Amazon.com)
11 nominations, 5 Awards
· Best Picture 1983: James L. Brooks - Producer (Brooks, Paramount)
· Actress 1983: Shirley MacLaine
· Supporting Actor 1983: Jack Nicholson
· Directing 1983: James L. Brooks
· Writing (Best Screenplay based on material from another medium) 1983: James L. Brooks
· Actress 1983: Debra Winger
· Supporting Actor 1983: John Lithgow
· Art Direction/Set Decoration 1983: Polly Platt & Harold Michelson - Art Direction, Tom Pedigo & Anthony Mondell - Set Direction
· Film Editing 1983: Richard Marks
· Music Scoring Awards (Best Original Score) 1983: Michael Gore
· Sound 1983: Donald O. Mitchell, Rick Kline, Kevin O'Connell, Jim Alexander
