Monday, February 23, 6:30 pm to 10:00 pm
Instructor: Amy Corbin, Ph.D., Muhlenberg College
Robert Redford made his directing debut with Ordinary People (1980), a nuanced drama about a family torn apart by their son’s death. Best known for her roles in TV sitcoms, Mary Tyler Moore was cast against type and gives an extraordinary performance as a mother whose repressed grief isolates her from her husband and other son. Donald Sutherland, more often seen in thrillers and counterculture satires like M*A*S*H, plays an empathetic father trying to hold his family together. And, at twenty years old, Timothy Hutton became the youngest-ever Best Supporting Actor winner for his performance as their surviving son.
At once a domestic drama and a portrait of upper middle-class suburbia, Ordinary People manages to question the family’s veneer of perfection without becoming glib satire. It uses subtly expressive cinematography to depict their home and community, revealing the fragility of a family who is doing fine until tragedy strikes.
In the wake of Redford’s death, it is fitting to take a new look at the film that began the second phase of his career, when he stepped away from movie stardom to make thoughtful films about American society and families. Ordinary People demonstrates his originality, delivering a humanist, character-driven film, distinct from both the wild anti-establishment films of the 1970s and the feel-good family comedies of the 1980s.
Are you interested in “just” seeing this movie? Visit the public screening page here. This And the Award Goes to…: Leading Ladies seminar is presented in partnership with 6abc in advance of the 98th Academy Awards.
Cinema Classics Seminars offer an entertaining and engaging way to learn more about some of the true classics of world cinema. All students receive an introductory lecture before the film and a guided discussion after the film. In addition, those in attendance receive a ticket to see it on the big screen, as well as popcorn and a drink. Please note: the screening associated with this seminar will be open to the public, as well.
Please contact BMFI Programs and Education Manager Jill Malcolm with any questions.
$30 for members, $40 for non-members
Schedule