The Turning Point [1977] Herbert Ross

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The Turning Point (1977)


http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0076843/

The Turning Point is a 1977 film written by Arthur Laurents and directed by Herbert Ross. In starring roles were Shirley MacLaine, Anne Bancroft, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Leslie Browne, Tom Skerritt, Martha Scott, Anthony Zerbe, Marshall Thompson and James Mitchell.

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

Leslie Browne, a young professional dancer with the American Ballet, received a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in this film. She had joined the American Ballet Theatre just a year prior, in 1976, as a soloist, then became principal in 1986. She retired from the company in 1993. In 1997, she was awarded the Distinguished Achievement Award by the New York City Dance Alliance.

Ms. Browne was also the goddaughter of Herbert Ross, the director, and appeared in several films after The Turning Point, including: Nijinsky (1980) and Dancers (1987), each directed by Herbert Ross.

This film was also an introductory acting film for infamous Russian ballet dancer, Mikhail Baryshnikov. Though his by-now famous stage presence and soaring jumps had been made famous by PBS's airing of In Performance Live from Wolf Trap (his American television dancing debut in 1976), Baryshnikov's performance of Yuri Kopeikine in The Turning Point was his first film role; one for which he received an Oscar nomination. He subsequently played in several other films following The Turning Point including: White Nights (1985), with Gregory Hines and Isabella Rossellini (choreographed by Twyla Tharp), and Dancers (1987).

It focuses on two generations of dancers. The older set lives with chronic anguish over pivotal decisions in their past. The younger dancers have not yet made those mistakes, but weΓΓé¼Γäóre left with the impression that they will soon face the same decisions as their parents and likely suffer the same long-term, deep-seated regrets. ItΓΓé¼Γäós not a happy story, but it packs a hard emotional punch that anyone who understands regret can relate to.

Another major strength of The Turning Point is its emphasis on the hard work and struggle involved in artistic success. Recent fare like the remake of Fame and the hit TV series Glee suggest that people blessed with natural talent donΓΓé¼Γäót need to put forth any effort. This film recognizes the reality that those with natural talent need to work their asses off to avoid stagnating. Rehearsals are a grueling, frustrating slog, and not even the performances are rewarding. These dancers have an internal drive that prevents them from doing anything other than dance. The film subtly suggests that Deedee and Wayne settled down because they lacked this drive.

Director Herbert Ross made a career out of adapting successful stage plays with impressive cinematic flair. A former ballet dancer himself, Ross lingers lovingly on the dance sequences.

Anne Bancroft's performance as Emma is of Academy Award proportions. She captures the inner anxiety of a charming and graceful star who is painfully aware of her body's swift decline and her spirit's slow fall into sadness. Shirly MacLaine's Deedee is an affecting depiction of a woman in isolation, nagged by regrets and depleted by self-devaluation. Herbert Ross (The Sunshine Boys, Funny Girl, The Seven Per-Cent Solution) has drawn out splendid performances from these stars. The supporting cast is excellent: Tom Skerritt as Deedee's tender and understanding husband, James Mitchell as a choreographer who cares about old friends, and Martha Scott as the shrewd and frequently gauche manager of the ballet company.

Ross not only excels in the direction of the cast, he also manages to make the world of ballet come to life on the screen in a way that has never been done before. Part of that comes naturally since he was once a choreographer for the American Ballet Theatre. This superb company of dancers play a major role in the film. We watch them in grueling exercises, repeated rehearsals, and then in actual performances. Leslie Browne and Mikhail Baryshnikov, who in the context of the film are lovers for a while, treat us to some stunning dance numbers. There is no dance movement in which grace and power are so perfectly conveyed as in the leap. And Baryshnikov is the master of this movement. Cinematographer Robert Surtees captures these leaps and all other graceful, fluid, and breath taking moments of ballet.

The Turning Point, then, is doubly rich ΓΓé¼ΓÇ¥ a well-acted and engaging portrait of friendship regained and a luminous and illuminating glimpse into the world of ballet. After experiencing this superb movie, only a champagne cocktail and a good friend will do

In an episode of The Nanny, Fran references the film by saying: "This is like that movie 'The Turning Point', only they were dancers and one was the mother and they were old friends... [looks confused] I should really rent that again."

In the Judy Blume book Summer Sisters this film sparked a great discussion with the two main characters of the story, Vix and Caitlin, which showed how different the girls' priorities were.

In the episode of That '70s Show entitled Fez Dates Donna, Eric, much to his delight, could not take Donna out to see the movie since Donna was pretending to be dating Fez.