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{{Short description|1988 film by Leonard Nimoy}}
{{Merge|The_Good_Mother_(film)|date=October 2009}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2021}}

{{Infobox film|
{{Infobox film
| name = The Good Mother
| name = The Good Mother
| image = the_good_mother.jpg
| image = the_good_mother.jpg
| caption = ''The Good Mother'' movie poster
| caption = Theatrical release poster
| director = [[Leonard Nimoy]]
| director = [[Leonard Nimoy]]
| producer = [[Arne Glimcher]]
| producer = [[Arne Glimcher]]
| writer = [[Sue Miller]] (novel)<br>[[Michael Bortman]] (screenplay)
| screenplay = Michael Bortman
| based_on = ''The Good Mother'' by<br />[[Sue Miller]]
| starring = [[Diane Keaton]]<br>[[Liam Neeson]]<br>[[Jason Robards]]<br>[[Teresa Wright]]<br>[[Ralph Bellamy]]<br>[[James Naughton]]<br>[[Joe Morton]]<br>[[Matt Damon]]
| starring = {{plainlist|
⚫
| music = [[Elmer Bernstein]]
* [[Diane Keaton]]
⚫
| cinematography = [[David Watkin]]
* [[Liam Neeson]]
⚫
| editing = [[Peter E. Berger]]
* [[Jason Robards]]
⚫
| distributor = [[Buena Vista Pictures]]
* [[Ralph Bellamy]]}}
⚫
| runtime = 103 min.
⚫
| music = [[Elmer Bernstein]]
| released = [[November 4]], [[1988]]
⚫
| cinematography = [[David Watkin (cinematographer)|David Watkin]]
| awards =
⚫
| editing = [[Peter E. Berger]]
| budget =
| studio = [[Touchstone Pictures]]<br>[[Silver Screen Partners IV]]
⚫
| gross = $4,764,606 (USA) (sub-total)
⚫
| distributor = [[Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures|Buena Vista Pictures Distribution]]
| preceded_by =
⚫
| runtime = 103 minutes
| followed_by =
| released = {{Film date|1988|11|4}}
⚫
| country = [[United States]]
| budget = $14 million
⚫
| language = English
⚫
| gross = $4,764,606
| amg_id =
⚫
| country = United States
| imdb_id = 0095238
⚫
| language = English
}}
}}
'''''The Good Mother''''' is a 1988 film starring [[Diane Keaton]].


'''''The Good Mother''''' is a 1988 American drama film and an adaptation of [[Sue Miller]]'s novel of the same name. Directed by [[Leonard Nimoy]], the film stars [[Diane Keaton]] and [[Liam Neeson]] in the leading roles. ''The Good Mother'' explores feelings and beliefs about children's exposure to adult sexuality and challenges society's growing reliance upon courts to settle complex private and ethical matters.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-11-20-ca-436-story.html |title=Commentary : Selling Out for the Sake of Expediency : 'The Good Mother'- What Rage? What Reason? - Los Angeles Times |publisher=Articles.latimes.com |date=November 20, 1988 |access-date=July 3, 2012 |first=Mimi |last=Avins}}</ref>
⚫
==Plot Summary==


⚫
==Plot==
The novel and the film are about a divorced mother named Anna Dunlap who had lived a life lacking passion. Following her divorce from her ex-husband Brian, Anna starts dating an artist named Leo Cutter who introduces passion into Anna's life. A few months after Anna and Leo started dating, Brian challenges for custody of their daughter Molly, because Molly told him that Leo let her touch his genitals. When confronted Leo admitted that when he and Molly were alone he once allowed Molly to touch his penis. But, he said, he only allowed it because Anna had been raising Molly with an open attitude towards sex, and he didn't want to scare her or weird her out. He added that he thought that is what Anna would have wanted him to do. Anna's legal difficulties become compounded when, in the course of the questioning, it is learned that Molly, who was awoken by a nightmare, once climbed into bed with Anna and Leo, and, after Molly had fallen asleep, Anna and Leo resumed having sex.
Anna Dunlap (Keaton), is a Boston piano teacher, working part-time at a college laboratory who recently divorced her husband Brian ([[James Naughton]]) and has custody of her six-year-old daughter Molly ([[Asia Viera]]). Soon, Anna meets and falls in love with Leo (Neeson), a sexually liberated Irish sculptor who changes her perspective on life. One day, Molly sees Leo naked in the bathroom, and she asks if she can touch him, which he allows. After Molly talks to Brian about her experience with Leo, Brian accuses Leo of sexually molesting Molly and sues Anna for custody of their daughter. Leo explains he thought it was in keeping with Anna's parenting, since she had bathed with Molly and was very open with her. A counselor agrees that Leo should have known better but he believes that Molly hasn't been abused and is a very well adjusted and happy child, particularly with Anna and Leo. However, Brian wins custody of Molly, and Anna and Leo end their relationship.


==Cast==
Despite her misgivings, Anna's attorney advises her to adopt a legal strategy designed to assign blame to Leo by claiming that he misinterpreted the rules. Anna even testified that, if it was a condition of custody, she would agree to stop seeing Leo. Nonetheless, Anna loses custody in court, and Molly leaves the Boston area to live with her father in Washington, DC. The court does grant Anna considerable visitation rights, and Anna, who has already started to pull away from Leo because she blames him for causing her to lose her daughter, moves to Washington to be near Molly. A few years later, Brian moves back to Boston, and Anna, who has returned to a passionless lifestyle, again uproots her life and moves back to Boston. By then, Anna and Leo have agreed to stop communicating because Leo could no longer be friends with Anna if the two could not be lovers.
{{castlist|
* [[Diane Keaton]] as Anna Dunlop
* [[Liam Neeson]] as Leo Cutter
* [[Jason Robards]] as W. O. Muth
* [[Ralph Bellamy]] as Frank, Anna's maternal grandfather
* [[Teresa Wright]] as Eleanor, Anna's maternal grandmother
* [[James Naughton]] as Brian Dunlop
* [[Asia Vieira]] as Molly Dunlop
* [[Joe Morton]] as Frank Williams
* [[Fred Melamed]] as Dr. Payne
* [[Katey Sagal]] as Ursula
* Margaret Bard as Aunt Rain
* Nancy Beatty as Anna's Mother
* Barry Belchamber as Anna's Father
* Mairon Bennett as Young Anna
* [[Zachary Bennett]] as Young Bobby
* Scott Brunt as Eric
* [[Matt Damon]] as Extra
}}

==Reception==
The film received mixed reviews.<ref>{{cite news|last=Maslin |first=Janet |url=https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=940DE7D71539F937A35752C1A96E948260 |title=Movie Review - The Good Mother - Review/Film; Passion vs. Parenthood in 'The Good Mother' - NYTimes.com |publisher=Movies.nytimes.com |date=November 4, 1988 |accessdate=July 3, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19881104/REVIEWS/811040302 |title=The Good Mother :: rogerebert.com :: Reviews |publisher=Rogerebert.suntimes.com |date= November 4, 1988|accessdate=July 3, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|author=SHEILA BENSON |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-11-04-ca-1269-story.html |title=MOVIE REVIEWS : 'Good Mother' Stuck in Ambiguity - Los Angeles Times |publisher=Articles.latimes.com |date=April 14, 1986 |access-date=July 3, 2012}}</ref> On [[Rotten Tomatoes]] the film has an approval rating of 54% based on reviews from 13 critics.<ref name="tomatoes">{{cite web |title= The Good Mother (The Price of Passion) (1988) |url= https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/good_mother |website= [[Rotten Tomatoes]] }}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}


==External links==
==External links==
* {{imdb title|id=0095238|title=The Good Mother}}
* {{IMDb title|id=0095238|title=The Good Mother}}
* {{rotten-tomatoes|id=good_mother|title=The Good Mother}}
* {{Mojo title|goodmother|The Good Mother}}


{{Leonard Nimoy}}
{{Leonard Nimoy}}


[[Category:1988 films|Good Mother, The]]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Good Mother, The}}
[[Category:1980s drama films|Good Mother, The]]
[[Category:1988 films]]
[[Category:Romantic drama films|Good Mother, The]]
[[Category:1988 romantic drama films]]
[[Category:American drama films|Good Mother, The]]
[[Category:American romantic drama films]]
[[Category:Films scored by Elmer Bernstein]]
[[Category:Films shot in Toronto]]
[[Category:Films shot in Toronto]]
[[Category:English-language films|Good Mother, The]]
[[Category:Films directed by Leonard Nimoy]]
[[Category:Films directed by actors]]
[[Category:Touchstone Pictures films]]
[[Category:Films about mother–daughter relationships]]

[[Category:1980s English-language films]]
[[de:Der Preis der Gefühle]]
[[Category:1980s American films]]
[[Category:English-language romantic drama films]]

Latest revision as of 16:47, 28 September 2024

The Good Mother
Theatrical release poster
Directed byLeonard Nimoy
Screenplay byMichael Bortman
Based onThe Good Mother by
Sue Miller
Produced byArne Glimcher
Starring
CinematographyDavid Watkin
Edited byPeter E. Berger
Music byElmer Bernstein
Production
companies
Distributed byBuena Vista Pictures Distribution
Release date
  • November 4, 1988 (1988-11-04)
Running time
103 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$14 million
Box office$4,764,606

The Good Mother is a 1988 American drama film and an adaptation of Sue Miller's novel of the same name. Directed by Leonard Nimoy, the film stars Diane Keaton and Liam Neeson in the leading roles. The Good Mother explores feelings and beliefs about children's exposure to adult sexuality and challenges society's growing reliance upon courts to settle complex private and ethical matters.[1]

Plot

[edit]

Anna Dunlap (Keaton), is a Boston piano teacher, working part-time at a college laboratory who recently divorced her husband Brian (James Naughton) and has custody of her six-year-old daughter Molly (Asia Viera). Soon, Anna meets and falls in love with Leo (Neeson), a sexually liberated Irish sculptor who changes her perspective on life. One day, Molly sees Leo naked in the bathroom, and she asks if she can touch him, which he allows. After Molly talks to Brian about her experience with Leo, Brian accuses Leo of sexually molesting Molly and sues Anna for custody of their daughter. Leo explains he thought it was in keeping with Anna's parenting, since she had bathed with Molly and was very open with her. A counselor agrees that Leo should have known better but he believes that Molly hasn't been abused and is a very well adjusted and happy child, particularly with Anna and Leo. However, Brian wins custody of Molly, and Anna and Leo end their relationship.

Cast

[edit]

Reception

[edit]

The film received mixed reviews.[2][3][4] On Rotten Tomatoes the film has an approval rating of 54% based on reviews from 13 critics.[5]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Avins, Mimi (November 20, 1988). "Commentary : Selling Out for the Sake of Expediency : 'The Good Mother'- What Rage? What Reason? - Los Angeles Times". Articles.latimes.com. Retrieved July 3, 2012.
  2. ^ Maslin, Janet (November 4, 1988). "Movie Review - The Good Mother - Review/Film; Passion vs. Parenthood in 'The Good Mother' - NYTimes.com". Movies.nytimes.com. Retrieved July 3, 2012.
  3. ^ "The Good Mother :: rogerebert.com :: Reviews". Rogerebert.suntimes.com. November 4, 1988. Retrieved July 3, 2012.
  4. ^ SHEILA BENSON (April 14, 1986). "MOVIE REVIEWS : 'Good Mother' Stuck in Ambiguity - Los Angeles Times". Articles.latimes.com. Retrieved July 3, 2012.
  5. ^ "The Good Mother (The Price of Passion) (1988)". Rotten Tomatoes.
[edit]
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