The Turning Point (1977)

Director:

Herbert Ross

Writer:

Arthur Laurents (written by)

Release Date:

14 November 1977 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

The generations change. But the choices remain the same.

Plot:

When her daughter joins a ballet company, a former dancer is forced to confront her long-ago decision to give up the stage to have a family.

Plot Keywords:

Ballet | Daughter | Dance | Dancer | Mother

Awards:

Nominated for 11 Oscars. Another 10 wins & 7 nominations

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Shirley MacLaine	...	Deedee Rodgers
Anne Bancroft	...	Emma Jacklin
Mikhail Baryshnikov	...	Yuri Kopeikine
Leslie Browne	...	Emilia Rodgers
Tom Skerritt	...	Wayne
Martha Scott	...	Adelaide
Anthony Zerbe	...	Rosie
Marshall Thompson	...	Carter
Alexandra Danilova	...	Madame Dahkarova
Antoinette Sibley	...	Sevilla Haslam
Starr Danias	...	Carolyn
James Mitchell	...	Michael
Daniel Levans	...	Arnold
Scott Douglas	...	Freddie Romoff
Lisa Lucas	...	Janina

Runtime:

119 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG (re-rating) (1987) | Australia:PG | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Iceland:L | Argentina:13 | Chile:14 | Finland:K-12 | Sweden:11 | USA:PG | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Hera Productions

Trivia:

First of two Best Picture nominees to receive 11 nominations without winning any Academy Awards.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When everybody is warming up on stage before the Gala Performance, you can see Baryshnikov practicing his jumps for "Le Corsaire" and is already wearing the costume. However, the program shows that he first dances the Grand Pas de Deux of Sleeping Beauty.

Quotes:

Sevilla Haslam: You know, only this morning she came up to me and she said, "Sevilla, deary, you're the greatest prima ballerina in the whole world."
Yuri: No, I am.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Dallas: Turning Point (#7.27)" (1984)

Soundtrack:

GISELLE

Great Movie

Winner Best Picture and Director Golden Globe and 11 Academy Award nominations is a tip. From a real-life story of primary star Leslie Browne (longtime of the ABT) the film follows Emilia's adoption into the company of ballet stars from a family of dancers who retired to have her. Shirley Maclaine's Best movie. Anne Bancroft is unbelievable as a ballet dancer not ready to give up the limelight but ready to steal her friend's thunder as the enabler of a great ballet career for Emilia. This a great movie. Watch for some great choreography by all the big names, plus the great plus Alvin Ailey, and a shop window of ballet greats. Baryshnikov in his prime, Martins and Merrill on the side, Great editing, cinematography, the whole shebang.