MAKING LOVE [1982 / 2006] [DVD] [UK Release] A Provocative Tale of Hidden Desire! One of the most honest and controversial film that has ever been produced!
Arthur Hiller masterfully directs this fascinating drama about the disintegration of an ideal marriage after the husband discovers he is gay. Kate Jackson stars as Claire, a successful television producer, who is married to Zack [Michael Ontkean], an equally successful doctor. Eight years into their marriage, Zack meets Bart [Harry Hamlin], a gay writer, and the more he gets to know Bart, the more he is attracted to him. As one thing leads to another, Zack realizes he must be honest with Claire about his desire to explore a relationship with Bart. You won’t want to miss a moment of this compelling story about love, honesty and courage.
FILM FACT No.1: Awards and Nominations: 1982 Golden Globe Awards: Nominated: Best Original Song “Making Love” for Burt Bacharach (lyrics), Bruce Roberts (lyrics/music) and Carole Bayer Sager (lyrics).
FILM FACT No.2: ‘MAKING LOVE’ was the first mainstream Hollywood drama to address the subjects of homosexuality, coming out and the effect that being closeted and coming out has on a marriage. The film contrasts two visions of the “gay lifestyle.” Zack wants to settle into a long-term monogamous relationship, while Bart is shown as promiscuous and uninterested in forming commitments. Issues of the tension many women felt over pursuing careers are also touched on in Claire's fears that she is being forced to choose between her career and having a baby. By the film's end, she does have a child, but it is unstated whether she is still working, so that issue ultimately remains unresolved, although it is implied she now is a housewife. ‘MAKING LOVE’ was one of several mainstream Hollywood films to be released in 1982 dealing with themes of homosexuality in a more tolerant and sympathetic light. Others included ‘Personal Best,’ ‘Victor/Victoria’ and ‘Partners.’ Principal photography for ‘MAKING LOVE’ commenced in February 1981 being completed that May 1981 auguring the film would be a high-profile summer release: however ‘MAKING LOVE’ would not be released for almost a year, a key factor in this delay reportedly being the negative reaction of Marvin Davis the Denver oil tycoon who purchased 20th Century Fox in April 1981 and "At a private screening of... ‘MAKING LOVE’ he...bellows: 'You made a goddamn faggot movie!' and storms out!"
Cast: Michael Ontkean, Kate Jackson, Harry Hamlin, Wendy Hiller, Arthur Hill, Nancy Olson, John Dukakis, Terry Kiser, Dennis Howard, Asher Brauner, John Calvin, Gwen Arner, Gary Swanson, Anne Haney, Stanley Kamel, Charles Lucia, Doug Johnson, Ben Mittleman, Mickey Jones, Joseph G. Medalis, Erica Hiller, Michael Shannon, Arthur Taxier, Phoebe Dorin, Mark Schubb, Carol King, Camilla Carr, Lili Haydn, Paul Sanderson, David Knell, David Murphy, Michael Dudikoff, John Starr, Charles Zukow, Scott Ryder, Joanne Hicks, Stacey Kuhne-Adams, Stephanie Segal, Kedren Jones, Alexander Lockwood, Michael Harris, Robert Mikels, Jason Mikels, Leoda Richards (uncredited)
Director: Arthur Hiller
Producers: Alan J. Adler, Barry Sandler, Daniel Melnick and Dorothy Wilde
Screenplay: A. Scott Berg (story) and Barry Sandler (screenplay)
Composer: Leonard Rosenman
Costume and Wardrobe Department: Betsy Cox (costumer: women) and Bruce Walkup (costumer: men)
Cinematography: David M. Walsh (Director of Photography)
Image Resolution: 1080i (Color by DeLuxe)
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Audio: English: 2.0 Dolby Digital Stereo Audio
French: 2.0 Dolby Digital Stereo Audio
Spanish: 2.0 Dolby Digital Stereo Audio
Subtitles: English, Spanish, English SDH and Spanish SDH
Running Time: 111 minutes
Region: All Regions
Number of discs: 1
Studio: 20th Century-Fox
Andrew’s DVD Review: ‘MAKING LOVE’ [1982] Claire [Kate Jackson] and Zack [Michael Ontkean] have been married for eight years. She is a TV executive, and he's a doctor. They share a consuming passion for the music of Gilbert & Sullivan, are sexually faithful to each other, and have just bought a dream house. But something is eating away inside Zach.
When Bart [Harry Hamlin] comes to his office, the two seem to connect. Bart thinks the lump on his neck is a tumour; it turns out to be an ingrown hair. Doctor and patient go out for lunch. Weeks later, they have dinner and end up at Bart's house. Zack's curiosity is quenched when they make love.
There have been quite a number of terrible movies about gay persons. Two made-for-television movies, "That Certain Summer" and "A Question of Love," handled the subject with maturity and taste. But it's been over 10 years since a feature film, ‘Sunday, Bloody, Sunday,’ gave us a rounded view of a gay relationship. ‘MAKING LOVE’ with a screenplay by Barry Sandler deals honestly with both homosexuality and one woman's loss.
Harry Hamlin's Bart is a talented writer who worries about his health, treasures his independence, and shies away from longer term relationships with anyone. Bart’s brief affair with Zach forces him to prioritize his needs.
Michael Ontkean's Zach is a relatively self-confident man who must finally face up to his true nature and sexual preference. He has no interest a transitory relationship with Bart even though their mutual interest in imagination initially provides a deep bond.
Kate Jackson's Claire is a strong woman who, watching her marriage fall apart, knows that there is nothing she can do to save it. Claire’s moving performance ought to resonate with all those who have experienced such a loss. Claire bears a double burden when Zach tells her: "You've got to let go for both of us."
Through the technique of on-screen interviews with Claire and Bart, we gain access to their feelings, attitudes, and dreams. This is helpful since viewers will probably come to the film with questions: Do gay men want long-term relationships with a single partner or do they prefer to live without commitments? Is their view of love romantic or cynical? While the screenplay writer obviously doesn't intend Bart and Zach to be regarded as representative of all gays, he does want viewers to understand their perceptions and, in the process, to gain a new appreciation for the nuances of love.
Throughout the film, Bart and Claire deliver several mini-monologues, speaking directly to the camera about aspects of their lives and their feelings about the scenes that had just played out on-screen. Also the director Arthur Hiller never lets forget that Claire and Zack are two people who truly and deeply love each other, and will continue to love each other come what may in the marriage. As Claire says in a tense, frustrating moment, “we've always been there for each” and “we'll get through it.” That gives this story a wistfulness and tenderness we didn't often see in “coming out” films released years later and of course the lovely theme song sung by Roberta Flack adds to the tenderness of the film.
In the final, heart-wrenching scene, Zack and Claire are reunited, after two years, at the funeral of Winnie, their sentimental poetry mentor, played by Wendy Hiller. Zack is in a monogamous relationship with a very butch, handsome professional with whom he lives on the Upper West Side of New York; and Claire is married in the suburbs of L.A. with a child, whom she tells Zack she’s named Rupert. All violins are cued. Claire touches Zack’s hair, and the star-crossed pair still clearly in love, but torn asunder by gay circumstances out of their control. Zack drives away forever, and we are left with a regretful Claire as the opening strains of Roberta Flack singing the brilliant and moving theme song, “Making Love,” rise up over the closing credits. I, for one, have already used up every Kleenex in the box.
MAKING LOVE MUSIC TRACK LIST
MAKING LOVE (Written by Carole Bayer Sager, Burt Bacharach and Bruce Roberts) [Performed by Roberta Flack]
TAKE ME HIGHER (Words and Music by Bruce Hornsby and John Hornsby)
IT’S YOUR LOVE (Words and Music by Bruce Hornsby and John Hornsby)
ANOTHER WORLD (Written by Joe Jackson) [Performed by Joe Jackson]
THE GOODBYE LOOK (Written by Donald Fagen) [Performed by Donald Fagen]
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DVD Image Quality – 20th Century Fox presents the film ‘MAKING LOVE’ with a totally stunning 1080i image and greatly enhanced with a 1.85:1 aspect ratio and for a DVD it is really excellent and the colours are produced in wonderful pastel colours that really suits the film and really shows off each scene in the film to its best quality. Skin tones are very realistic, and despite the pastel colours, some colours that really stand out reds, greens and blues. Outdoor scenes are very natural looking and cinematographer David M. Walsh pulls out the stops and makes the Color by DeLuxe image standout with total perfection. The contrast is really superb, and especially with the mid-range colours is most attractively rendered. There is not a dust spot to be seen and the image is superb for a DVD. So all in all, this definitely gets a much deserved five star rating for a 20th Century-Fox film released in 1982. Please Note: On the back of the DVD cover, it states that it is NTSC [National Television Standards Committee] is the United States color television system. Well this information is wrong; in fact you will see above that the DVD is in fact All Regions.
DVD Audio Quality – 20th Century Fox brings us the film ‘MAKING LOVE’ with one standard 2.0 Dolby Digital Stereo Audio experience. The audio is nicely rounded and also gives us a good dynamic range and is also very clear, and a well-modulated sound with no distortion or age-related surface noise, pops, or crackles and the dialogue from the actors is very clear and precise and especially you can hear all the actors speaking without any hindrances and definitely no distortion. Also outstanding is Leonard Rosenman’s composed film score and really adds ambience to the film that really helps you to enjoy this audio experience and Leonard Rosenman should have got some kind of award for his wonderful composed film score music. Also outstanding is the brilliant and very evocative song “Making Love” that is so well executed by the wonderful Roberta Flack who sings the song in a very emotional way and adds to the wonderful enjoyment of the film. Sadly at the 1982 Golden Globe Awards it only got a Nomination for Best Original Song “Making Love” for Burt Bacharach (lyrics), Bruce Roberts (lyrics/music) and Carole Bayer Sager (lyrics) and to my mind was robbed and should have got an actual Academy Award. So all in all, this soundtrack definitely gets a five star rating from me.
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DVD Special Features and Extras:
Theatrical Trailer [1982] [480i] [1.78:1] [1:56] This is the original Theatrical Trailer for the film ‘MAKING LOVE.’ We are informed that Twentieth Century-Fox is proud to present one of the most honest and controversial films we have ever released. We believe ‘MAKING LOVE’ breaks new ground in its sensitive portrayal of a young woman executive who learns her husband is experiencing a crisis about his sexual identity. ‘MAKING LOVE’ deals openly and candidly with a delicate issue. It is not sexually explicit. But it may be strong for some people. ‘MAKING LOVE’ is bold but gentle. We are proud of its honesty. We applaud its courage.
Fox Flix Trailers: Here we get to view three 20th Century-Fox film trailers and they are ‘The Object of My Affection’ [1998] [480i] [2.35:1] [2:10]; ‘The Dreamers’ [2003] [480i] [1.37:1 [2:23] and ‘Next Stop, Greenwich Village’ [1976] [480i] [1.78:1] [2:16].
Finally, the Arthur Hiller film ‘MAKING LOVE’ holds a special place in my heart. I feel that ‘MAKING LOVE’ deserves a second look and some long term appreciation. The screenplay was written by Barry Sandler, a gay man who had come out by the time of the release of the film. As for the two main leading male actors Michael Ontkean and Harry Hamlin, you just know that other actors might have timidly turned that script down. The two leading actors in ‘MAKING LOVE’ deserve a very big applause for taking on those roles and committing to their characters. ‘MAKING LOVE’ is compact, unpretentious and very economical, especially being a low-budget film and I don't mean that it looks cheap either. You especially can tell that the brilliant director Arthur Hiller helped when shooting the film by utilizing the residential, business and other locations in proximity to the 20th Century-Fox Hollywood lot. Arthur Hiller gave the film a very sensitive feel to it and especially when the film opens with each main character Zack, Claire and Bart in close-up talking directly to the camera, and talking honestly about their relationships and innermost feelings. We see Zack's inner character in the way he treats his patient. Not only does he listen and comfort as best he can, he even makes a house call to check on a women in great distress. Claire is a network TV producer and when we see her in action in a meeting, we wish today's networks were run by women like Claire and is constantly pushing for programming that will entertain and also have substance, and especially have quality. Zack and Claire frequently spend time with an elderly neighbour, who is played by the British acting great Wendy Hiller. Director Arthur Hiller keeps a working class tone in this look at the three middle class people and gives us scenes that are significant and subtle in their way and they don't call attention to themselves either. This film was a breath of fresh air when you consider that most images of gay men in films in the 1960’s and 1970’s fell mainly into the categories of social deviants or blackmail victims. I won't tell you how the film ends, but I will say that it was a total relief to see a film drama about gay male love in which one of the main male characters does not die at the end of the story. When viewing the film ‘MAKING LOVE’ it always brings back really nice memories and touched me emotionally even more now with the passage of time. There's sweetness in the films simplicity. Thank you, Arthur Hiller. Highly Recommended!
Andrew C. Miller – Your Ultimate No.1 Film Aficionado
Le Cinema Paradiso
United Kingdom
