HAVING IT ALL
US, 1982, 100 minutes, Colour.
Dyan Cannon, Barry Newman, Hart Bochner, Sylvia Sidney.
Directed by Edward Zwick.
Having It All is a comedy telemovie, reminiscent of the '50s British comedy, The Captain's Paradise, with Alec Guinness as a bigamist with wives Yvonne de Carlo and Celia Johnson. This time it is the '80s, with Dyan Cannon as a successful fashion designer, a husband who is a wine importer in New York, and a Californian artist. She has troubles trying to reconcile the different lifestyles of East Coast and West Coast. She gets advice from her friends - seeming to have it all. However, while there is comedy about bigamy, the two sides of the heroine's nature, the film sorts out priorities to move towards a conventional and loving ending.
The film was directed by Edward Zwick, best known for creating Thirtysomething as well as directing About Last Night and the excellent Civil War film, Glory.
1.Popular telemovie comedy? Glossy style? Geared towards the wide home audience?
2.East Coast and West Coast? New York and California? The different worlds? Contrasts? The world of fashion design? The musical score, the theme song?
3.The title, Thera and her lifestyle, her husbands? The irony of the difficulties - and having to make a resolution?
4.Dyan Cannon as Thera: fashion designer, at home in the fashion world? Success? The salons in New York and the range? The contrast with Los Angeles? Her marriage to Peter, his wine business? The New York base? Her manner with him? The divorce - and her believing that she was divorced? The contrast with Jess, California, the artist? The marriage? The contrast between mature and sophisticated behaviour and wild and spontaneous behaviour? Her attempts to keep the husbands apart? Each wanting to be with her? The near miss at the Los Angeles airport? Her attempts to tell them the truth? The Thanksgiving dinner and the double booking? Her juggling of her timetable? Changes of clothes in the airport? Her relationship with Dace, personal assistant, friend, advice? The clash about the designs, credits? Peter and Jess turning up at the fashion show? The divorce writs from Peter and Jess? Her visits to her mother? Talking things over, her mother's divorce? Being independent? Her time alone, the Valentine card, the visit to Jess - and his girlfriend? The meeting with Peter, their loving each other, the change of style, being impulsive - the reconciliation and her future?
5.Jess, young, Californian, the artist, impulsive, wild? His own manner and bringing the wildness out of Thera? Dace? His puzzle about Thera's behaviour, wanting more time with her? Los Angeles airport? The Thanksgiving dinner? In New York, seeing Thera at Peter's apartment? His discovery of the truth, the divorce writ? His leaving Thera, the younger girlfriend?
6.Peter, the older man, the marriage? The break-up and the divorce? Her relationship with him? The style, clothes, manner? Her visits to his apartment, Thanksgiving dinner? The fashion show and his discovering the truth? Wanting the divorce? Their rediscovering each other and the reconciliation?
7.Dace, her friendship with Thera, working? Knowing the truth, helping her with her double life? The clash about the designs, the credits, her leaving?
8.Thera's mother, manner and style, experience of divorce, advising her daughter, advising her to be independent?
9.The world of fashion, design, shows, salons, models?
10.Popular and romantic entertainment - American style?
