The Good Mother (1988)

User Rating:

5.7/10   

Director:

Leonard Nimoy

Writers (WGA):

Sue Miller (novel)
Michael Bortman (screenplay)

Release Date:

4 November 1988 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Can a court determine how we should live, how we should love, how we should raise our children? Now Anna must prove that she is the Good Mother.

Plot:

Plot Keywords:

Melancholy | Divorce | Single Mother | Barbecue | Pregnancy

Cast

Diane Keaton	...	Anna Dunlap
Liam Neeson	...	Leo Cutter
Jason Robards	...	Muth
Ralph Bellamy	...	Grandfather
Teresa Wright	...	Grandmother
James Naughton	...	Brian
Asia Vieira	...	Molly
Joe Morton	...	Frank Williams
Katey Sagal	...	Ursula
Margaret Bard	...	Aunt Rain
Nancy Beatty	...	Anna's Mother
Barry Belchamber	...	Anna's Father
Mairon Bennett	...	Young Anna
Zachary Bennett	...	Young Bobby
Scott Brunt	...	Eric

Also Known As:

The Price of Passion (South Africa: English title) (video title)

Runtime:

Brazil:104 min | USA:103 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:12 | South Korea:18 | Australia:M | UK:15 | USA:R | West Germany:16 (f) | Canada:14A

Filming Locations:

Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Company:

Silver Screen Partners IV

Trivia:

During the filming of an emotional court room scene with Diane Keaton concerning the custody of her daughter, it was found out that one of the cameras shooting did not have the proper film so did not film the scene. Director Leonard Nimoy felt bad about having to have Diane Keaton film it again because she had done it so well. He showed up at her dressing room door with two dozen roses in his arms. He gave the roses to her first, then gave her the bad news about having to re-shoot the scene. Diane Keaton took it well, and had no problem with having to re-shoot the scene.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Biography: Leonard Nimoy: Spock and Beyond" (1996)

Soundtrack:

Inisheer

Not a good vehicle for Keaton...

Dreary, rather annoying film-adaptation of Sue Miller's book (directed by Leonard Nimoy!) has Diane Keaton in one of her weakest roles as a single mother sued for custody of her child by her ex-husband. Seems mom's new Bohemian boyfriend (Liam Neeson) is a bad influence, and after Keaton's little girl sees Neeson undressed and begins asking grown-up questions about sex, any viewer might understandably side with the ex (who is made to be the villain of the piece). Beginning with a puzzling prologue which hopes to show the different ways in which we view sexuality, Nimoy's take on this material is just confounding. Keaton never really develops a character, and I presume we're supposed to empathize with her simply because she's lovable Diane Keaton. Aside from some OK technical merits, the film is muddled beyond repair. * from ****