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DramaRomance

The Turning Point

- The generations change. But the choices remain the same.

As young dancers, they were best friends and fierce rivals. Deedee left the stage for marriage and motherhood, while Emma would become an international ballet icon. But when Deedee's teenage daughter is invited to join Emma's dance company and begins an affair with a young Russian star, the two women are forced to confront the choices they've made, the resentments they've hidden and the emotional truths they must face at the turning point.

Release Date : 1977-11-14

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Hera Productions

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Anne Bancroft

Character Name : Emma

Original Name : Anne Bancroft

Gender : Female

Shirley MacLaine

Character Name : Deedee

Original Name : Shirley MacLaine

Gender : Female

Tom Skerritt

Character Name : Wayne

Original Name : Tom Skerritt

Gender : Male

Mikhail Baryshnikov

Character Name : Yuri

Original Name : Mikhail Baryshnikov

Gender : Male

Leslie Browne

Character Name : Emilia

Original Name : Leslie Browne

Gender : Female

Martha Scott

Character Name : Adelaide

Original Name : Martha Scott

Gender : Female

Antoinette Sibley

Character Name : Sevilla

Original Name : Antoinette Sibley

Gender : Male

Alexandra Danilova

Character Name : Madame Dahkarova

Original Name : Alexandra Danilova

Gender : Male

Starr Danias

Character Name : Carolyn

Original Name : Starr Danias

Gender : Male

Marshall Thompson

Character Name : Carter

Original Name : Marshall Thompson

Gender : Male

James Mitchell

Character Name : Michael

Original Name : James Mitchell

Gender : Male

Daniel Levins

Character Name : Arnold

Original Name : Daniel Levins

Gender : Male

Scott Douglas

Character Name : Freddie

Original Name : Scott Douglas

Gender : Male

Lisa Lucas

Character Name : Janina

Original Name : Lisa Lucas

Gender : Female

Phillip Saunders

Character Name : Ethan

Original Name : Phillip Saunders

Gender : Male

Jurgen Schneider

Character Name : Peter

Original Name : Jurgen Schneider

Gender : Male

Dennis Nahat

Character Name : Dennis

Original Name : Dennis Nahat

Gender : Male

Anthony Zerbe

Character Name : Rosie

Original Name : Anthony Zerbe

Gender : Male

Hilda Morales

Character Name : Sandra

Original Name : Hilda Morales

Gender : Male

Saax Bradbury

Character Name : Florence

Original Name : Saax Bradbury

Gender : Male

Alexander Minz

Character Name : Boys Class Teacher

Original Name : Alexander Minz

Gender : Male

Howard Barr

Character Name : Rehearsal Pianist

Original Name : Howard Barr

Gender : Male

Martha Johnston

Character Name : Rehearsal Pianist

Original Name : Martha Johnston

Gender : Female

Anne Barlow

Character Name : Ballet Mistress

Original Name : Anne Barlow

Gender : Male

Enrique Martinez

Character Name : Ballet Master

Original Name : Enrique Martinez

Gender : Male

James Crittenden

Character Name : Billy

Original Name : James Crittenden

Gender : Male

Lucette Aldous

Character Name : Artist of American Ballet Theatre

Original Name : Lucette Aldous

Gender : Male

Fernando Bujones

Character Name : Artist of American Ballet Theatre

Original Name : Fernando Bujones

Gender : Male

Richard Cragun

Character Name : Artist of American Ballet Theatre

Original Name : Richard Cragun

Gender : Male

Suzanne Farrell

Character Name : Artist of American Ballet Theatre

Original Name : Suzanne Farrell

Gender : Male

Marcia Haydée

Character Name : Artist of American Ballet Theatre

Original Name : Marcia Haydée

Gender : Female

Peter Martins

Character Name : Artist of American Ballet Theatre

Original Name : Peter Martins

Gender : Male

Marianna Tcherkassky

Character Name : Artist of American Ballet Theatre

Original Name : Marianna Tcherkassky

Gender : Male

Clark Tippet

Character Name : Artist of American Ballet Theatre

Original Name : Clark Tippet

Gender : Male

Martine Van Hamel

Character Name : Artist of American Ballet Theatre

Original Name : Martine Van Hamel

Gender : Male

Nanette Glushak

Character Name : Self (uncredited)

Original Name : Nanette Glushak

Gender : Male

Bob Harks

Character Name : Waiter (uncredited)

Original Name : Bob Harks

Gender : Male

Rebecca Wright

Character Name : Self (uncredited)

Original Name : Rebecca Wright

Gender : Male

Donald Petrie

Character Name : Barney Joe

Original Name : Donald Petrie

Gender : Male

Reviews

Charles Tatum

@CharlesTatum

2023-09-27

The year 1977 was very good for director Herbert Ross. Not only did Ross direct this film, which was nominated for eleven Academy Awards, but he also helmed "The Goodbye Girl," which received five nominations. Out of the twenty acting nominees that year, seven were from two of his films. If you love ballet, you will love "The Turning Point." If you have flashbacks to your little sister's bit part in "The Nutcracker" the same way military veterans flashback to combat, you might still like "The Turning Point." Deedee (Shirley MacLaine) is a former dancer now running a ballet school with her husband Wayne (Tom Skerritt) in Oklahoma City. The American Ballet Company comes through, and Wayne and Deedee reunite with all their old friends and rivals- both ingredients can be found in Emma (Anne Bancroft). Emma and Deedee competed for the same part back in the day, but Deedee ended up pregnant and Emma went on to be a star of the company. Deedee, however, gave birth to Emilia (Leslie Browne), who is now a supreme dancer in her own right. She joins the company, and Deedee and Emilia move to New York City for a summer. Childless Emma makes herself Emilia's surrogate mom, and Deedee finds herself in the arms of old crush Rosie (Anthony Zerbe), never living the life Emma lives. The two head for a collision course on the very night of Emilia's lead debut. While I am not a big ballet fan, I am a big fan of good acting. MacLaine and Bancroft nail their parts. Ross never lets one actress overshadow the other. Both of them are equally heroic and flawed, so the viewer cannot come down on one side or the other. Leslie Browne is hot and cold as Emilia, letting her great dancing speak for her character. Mikhail Baryshnikov is very effective in a clicheed role as the company horndog Yuri, who quickly beds Emilia. While Wayne is wishy-washy, we find out why at the end of the film, and Skerritt holds his own. As with "The Goodbye Girl," Ross directs with a vengeance, never letting the camera stop. He is not show-offy or pretentious, but he keeps things going at a fast clip, even the dance sequences. They do not run too long or too short, but are brief enough where you can still appreciate the pure athleticism of the performers. I have not been in awe of dancers like this since I sat through the original "West Side Story." Watch for a wonderfully edited sequence where a fantasy dance between Yuri and Emilia turns into the two making love, a perfect blend of cuts and musical accompaniment. I do complain that the film runs about fifteen minutes too long, and some closure with Deedee and Rosie would have been nice. "The Turning Point" is not everyone's cup of tea, but the actors and direction save it from being just another melodrama.