GREAT CINEMA ADAPTATIONS: ORDINARY PEOPLE

Peter Joseph via Zoom

Judith Guest's award-winning 1976 novel is an in-depth look at an Illinois family in turmoil after the accidental death of one of two brothers, followed by the attempted suicide and the psychiatric treatment of the other. The film, directed by Robert Redford, starring Mary Tylor Moore, Donald Sutherland, Timothy Hutton, Judd Hirsch, and Elizabeth McGovern, won five Golden Globes as well as Oscars for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actor. Our first session will explore the themes and psychological issues of the novel, as well as the process of adaptation by screenwriter Alvin Sargent and director Robert Redford. Our second session will further explore the central motifs of the novel and how they are realized on film.

 [A Zoom link will be sent to you prior to each session, typically on the day before your class and the morning of your class.  If you have any questions or need help getting online, feel free to call us at 516-480-5733 and we’ll get right back to you with assistance.]