Actor: Jack Lemon
Born: February 8, 1925
Died: June 27, 2001
R.I.P.
Directed by: Mick Jackson
Produced by: Kate Forte, Oprah Winfrey
Starring: Jack Lemon, Hank Azaria, Wendy Moniz, Caroline Aaron, Bonnie,
Bartlett, John Carroll Lynch
Music by: Marco Beltrami
Release date: December 5, 1999
Plot: In 1995, Mitch Albom (Hank Azaria) became caught up with
his career as a sport commentator and journalist. His girlfriend,
Janine (Wendy Moniz), a backup singer feels that he never places her
as a priority. Mitch is consistently doing six things at once. One
evening, while on the telephone with Janine, Mitch flips through TV
channels and lands on an edition of Nightline where he sees his former
professor Morrie Schwartz (Jack Lemmon) being interviewed by Ted Koppel.
Morrie discusses his current health and lets everyone know he is dying
of Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, often referred to as "Lou Gehrig's
disease" or ALS. Morrie, a retired sociology professor from Brandeis
University, comes on the show to describe his final journey.
As life goes
on with work and balancing his relationship with Janine, Mitch feels
bothered he never got a chance to visit his old professor. Feeling
so moved by the interview, Mitch reaches out for a visit with Morrie
after sixteen years of no contact. Morrie has an affinity with food
and it becomes a regular endeavor with his visits with Mitch. Office
hours during university were on Tuesdays, Morrie would grade papers
and critique student’s assignments, Mitch now makes it a habit to
visit him every Tuesday. Connie (Caroline Aaron), Morrie’s home nurse,
is his primary care taker. After leaving Morrie, Mitch continues working
and can’t find a groove with Janine.
Mitch returns
and witnesses a “living funeral” where friends and family come to
honor Morrie while he is still alive, per Morrie’s request. As the
two get reacquainted, they participate in several thoughtful and reflective
conversations about various substantial topics. Morrie divulges in
many stories on his time as a young boy and how his relationships
unfolded between his mother, stepmother, and father. Back home Mitch
continues with his impressive and busy journalism career, and while
out on a story he receives a call from Janine breaking up with him.
Review:
Tuesdays with Morrie is a poignant story about real people rediscovering
what it means to be alive and to connect with those people who are
the most important.
The story centres on two main characters. The first we meet is Mitch
Albom. A highly successful sports writer who seemingly has it all.
A successful carrier, loving wife and a gathering of friends. Along
with the usual trappings of a good life that can be measured in material
objects people collect.
Yet a chance interview on a late night channel of Morrie Schwartz,
his college professor from nearly twenty years ago creates a chain
of questions that had been ignored. Questions as to what price he
was paying for his success and comfort. Was his work negatively affecting
his relationships.
A reuniting with Morrie reminds him of the things that once were important
in life. The imagined and rewarding life that he had looked forward
to. One that made his current light start to fade and pale in comparison.
This is a real story about people who are learning to move and not
stagnate. One that is well worth watching. Many times.
M J Flack