Who said WASPS can’t make good dramatic stories? There’s a lot of repression, stillness and politeness on display here, which makes the sudden explosions of shouting all the more effective. I can vouch for it’s accuracy: the shy, guilt-ridden son (Tim Hutton found the rest of his career anti-climactic); the happy mother forever playing golf and afraid of embarrassment, the decent dad trying to do the right thing and totally over his head. Some took issue with Mom being the villain, but she’s not a complete bitch and something had to give this a third act and climax. Beautifully done (Donald Sutherland gives another good performance), if overlong. I think you could say that about most films Robert Redford directs. Elizabeth McGovern launched her career as a wafty dreamgirl with this.
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