''A Change of Seasons'' is a 1980 American

comedy-drama film Comedy drama, also known by the portmanteau ''dramedy'', is a genre of dramatic works that combines elements of comedy and drama. The modern, scripted-television examples tend to have more humorous bits than simple comic relief seen in a typical ...

directed by Richard Lang. It stars

Anthony Hopkins Sir Philip Anthony Hopkins (born 31 December 1937) is a Welsh actor, director, and producer. One of Britain's most recognisable and prolific actors, he is known for his performances on the screen and stage. Hopkins has received many accolad ...

, Shirley MacLaine and

Bo Derek Bo Derek (born Mary Cathleen Collins, November 20, 1956) is an American actress and model. Her breakthrough film role was in the romantic comedy '' 10'' (1979). Her first husband John Derek directed her in '' Fantasies''; '' Tarzan, the Ape Man ...

. The film was a critical and commercial failure, grossing $7.2 million against its $6 million budget and receiving three nominations at the

1st Golden Raspberry Awards The 1st Golden Raspberry Awards were held on March 31, 1981, at John Wilson's living room alcove to recognize the worst the film industry had to offer in 1980. Each category included as many as ten nominees; the maximum was lowered to five the f ...

including Worst Actor (Hopkins), Worst Screenplay.

Plot

When fortysomething Karyn Evans discovers her arrogantly self-centered professor husband Adam is having an affair with student Lindsey Rutledge, she retaliates by having a dalliance of her own with young, philosophical campus carpenter Pete Lachappelle. Adam is infuriated when he learns about his wife's new relationship, and she in turn defends her right to enjoy the same carnal pleasures he does. The four decide to share a

Vermont Vermont () is a state in the northeast New England region of the United States. Vermont is bordered by the states of Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, and New York to the west, and the Canadian province of Quebec to ...

ski house, where their efforts to behave like liberal adults are tested by middle-age

angst Angst is fear or anxiety ('' anguish'' is its Latinate equivalent, and the words ''anxious'' and ''anxiety'' are of similar origin). The dictionary definition for angst is a feeling of anxiety, apprehension, or insecurity. Etymology The word ...

, hurt feelings, and teenager Kasey Evans (played by

Mary Beth Hurt Mary Beth Hurt (''née'' Supringer; born September 25, 1946) is an American actress of stage and screen. She is a three-time Tony Award-nominated actress. Notable films in which Hurt has appeared include '' Interiors'' (1978), ''The World Accord ...

who was 34 at the time), who unexpectedly arrives to confront her parents with their outrageous behavior.

Production notes

The film was shot on location in

Glenwood Springs, Colorado Glenwood Springs is a List of municipalities in Colorado#Home rule municipality, home rule municipality that is the county seat of Garfield County, Colorado, Garfield County, Colorado, United States. The city population was 9,963 at the 2020 Uni ...

and

Williamstown, Massachusetts Williamstown is a town in the northern part of Berkshire County, in the northwest corner of Massachusetts, United States. It shares a border with Vermont to the north and New York to the west. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolit ...

. Hopkins and MacLaine famously did not get along during the filming, and Hopkins said "she was the most obnoxious actress I have ever worked with." The theme song "Where Do You Catch The Bus For Tomorrow?" was written by Alan and

Marilyn Bergman Alan Bergman (born September 11, 1925) and Marilyn Keith Bergman (November 10, 1928 – January 8, 2022) were an American songwriting duo. Married from 1958 until Marilyn's death, together they wrote music and lyrics for numerous celebrated telev ...

and

Henry Mancini Henry Mancini ( ; born Enrico Nicola Mancini, ; April 16, 1924 – June 14, 1994) was an American composer, conductor, arranger, pianist and flautist. Often cited as one of the greatest composers in the history of film, he won four Academy Award ...

and performed by Kenny Rankin. Originally,

Noel Black Noel Black (June 30, 1937 – July 5, 2014) was an American film and television director, screenwriter, and producer. Black was born in Chicago, Illinois. He won awards at the 1966 Cannes Film Festival for an 18-minute short subject filmed in ...

was hired to direct after producer Martin Ransohoff had seen his film, '' A Man, a Woman, and a Bank'' (1979). Black left the film during shooting due to creative differences. He was replaced by Richard Lang. Black shot the first half of the film only. ''Consenting Adults'' was the film's working title.

Principal cast

* Shirley MacLaine ..... Karyn Evans *

..... Adam Evans *

..... Lindsey Rutledge *

Michael Brandon Michael Brandon (born Michael Feldman; April 20, 1945) is an American actor. He is known for his role as James Dempsey in the British drama series '' Dempsey and Makepeace'' (1985–1986). His theatre credits include the original Broadway produ ...

..... Pete Lachapelle *

..... Kasey Evans * Edward Winter ..... Steven Rutledge *

K Callan Katherine Elizabeth Callan (née Borman; January 9, 1936) is an American author and actress known for playing Clark Kent's mother Martha in the ABC television series '' Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman''. Early years Callan was born ...

..... Alice Bingham *

Rod Colbin Rod Colbin (born Irving Herbert Lichtenstein: December 23, 1923 – February 4, 2007) was an American character actor whose career spanned four decades. He was also a fencing instructor who, at one time, served as Katharine Hepburn's personal ...

..... Sam Bingham * Steve Eastin ..... Lance * Billy Beck ..... Older Man * Karen Philipp ..... Young Girl *

Paul Bryar Paul Bryar (born Gabriel Paul Barrere; February 21, 1910 – August 30, 1985) was an American actor. In a career spanning nearly half a century, he appeared in numerous films and television series. Career Bryar appeared in nearly 220 fil ...

..... Man at Table

Critical reception

In his review in ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...

'',

Vincent Canby Vincent Canby (July 27, 1924 – October 15, 2000) was an American film and theatre critic who served as the chief film critic for ''The New York Times'' from 1969 until the early 1990s, then its chief theatre critic from 1994 until his death in ...

said the film "exhibits no sense of humor and no appreciation for the ridiculous ... the screenplay soften dreadful ... the only appealing performance is Miss MacLaine's, and she's too good to be true. ''A Change of Seasons'' does prove one thing, though. A farce about characters who've been freed of their conventional obligations quickly becomes aimless." ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'' observed, "It would take the genius of an

Ernst Lubitsch Ernst Lubitsch (; January 29, 1892November 30, 1947) was a German-born American film director, producer, writer, and actor. His urbane comedies of manners gave him the reputation of being Hollywood's most elegant and sophisticated director; as ...

to do justice to the incredibly tangled relationships in ''A Change of Seasons'', and director Richard Lang is no Lubitsch. The switching of couples seems arbitrary and mechanical, and more sour than amusing." ''

TV Guide TV Guide is an American digital media company that provides television program listings information as well as entertainment and television-related news. The company sold its print magazine division, TV Guide Magazine LLC, in 2008. Corpora ...

'' rates it one out of a possible four stars, adding the film "is as predictable as a long Arctic winter, and just about as interesting ... Marybeth Hurt ... steals what there is of the picture to steal." ''

Time Out London ''Time Out'' is a global magazine published by Time Out Group. ''Time Out'' started as a London-only publication in 1968 and has expanded its editorial recommendations to 328 cities in 58 countries worldwide. In 2012, the London edition becam ...

'' calls it "kitsch without conviction, schlock without end ... glib trappings ... and witless dialogue sink everything except for the perky intelligence of MacLaine, who clearly deserves better than this."''Time Out London'' review

Awards and nominations

The film had the dubious distinction of garnering three nominations at the first

Golden Raspberry Awards The Golden Raspberry Awards (also known as the Razzies and Razzie Awards) is a parody award show honoring the worst of cinematic under-achievements. Co-founded by UCLA film graduates and film industry veterans John J. B. Wilson and Mo Murphy, ...

. * Nominated, Worst Actor (

) * Nominated, Worst Song (''Where Do You Catch the Bus Tomorrow?'' by

, Alan Bergman) * Nominated, Worst Screenplay (

Erich Segal Erich Wolf Segal (June 16, 1937January 17, 2010) was an American author, screenwriter, educator, and classicist who wrote the bestselling novel ''Love Story'' (1970) and its hit film adaptation. Early life and education Born and raised in a J ...

Ronni Kern Ronni Kern is an American film and television writer and producer. Kern is best known for writing such films as ''American Pop'' and ''A Change of Seasons'', as well as miniseries and television movies such as '' Helen of Troy'', '' Homeless to ...

, and

Fred Segal Fred Segal is a clothing and accessories retail brand founded in West Hollywood, California. Its main location is on Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood, California, United States. Stores There are four Fred Segal locations in the United States ...

)

References

External links

* * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Change of Seasons, A 1980 films 1980 comedy-drama films 20th Century Fox films Films scored by Henry Mancini American comedy-drama films Films directed by Richard Lang (director) Midlife crisis films 1980s English-language films 1980s American films