Hi peg7777,
The following is the result of my research on movies about single mothers:
Terms of Endearment (1983)
This is a bittersweet, heartwarming story of an unusual
mother-daughter relationship, and Shirley MacLaine is memorable as
Aurora Greenway, a widowed mother often at odds with her rebellious
daughter (Debra Winger). I love how this film brings to life the
almost inseparable mixture of love and hate that often occurs in close
mother-daughter relationships.
All About My Mother (1999)
This hard-hitting film is Almodovar?s homage to maternal love and his
own mother. Manuela is a single mother who witnesses a car on a Madrid
street kill her son, and she returns to Barcelona looking for his
father who has become a transvestite. Although this movie is unusual
and disturbing, it is moving because the feeling of love infusing the
story feels real.
Stella (1990)
Not the best version of the classic tearjerker, but certainly the
campiest. Bette Midler is over the top as the mother who does
everything for her daughter.
Mildred Pierce (1945)
Joan Crawford won an Oscar for her role as a sacrificing mother with a
most ungrateful daughter, played by Ann Blyth. The mother-daughter
relationship never quite seems believable. Would Joan Crawford put up
with such insolence?
Mermaids (1990)
In what was, in retrospect, a remarkable casting coup, Winona Ryder
and Christina Ricci play Cher's daughters. Cher is sexier than any
mother is supposed to be and a real cross to bear for her teenage
daughter (Ryder), who is having a sexual awakening of her own. Set in
the early '60s, this sweet comedy seems as fresh today as when it was
released.
Little Women (1994)
Surprisingly lively adaptation of Louisa May Alcott's Civil War story
of a mother (Susan Sarandon) left alone with four daughters while her
hus band is off at war. Each of the girls has a very distinct
personality. This version is particularly good at capturing the bond
among the sisters, played by Winona Ryder, Samantha Mathis, Kirsten
Dunst and Claire Danes. But all the versions of "Little Women" are
worth watching.
Gas Food Lodging (1992)
Brooke Adams tries to bring up two daughters on her salary as a truck-
stop waitress. The older girl, played by Ione Skye, resents their
circum stances and takes every opportunity to let her mother know it.
There's a touching scene of motherly love where Adams tries to get a
belligerent Skye to eat some protein with her meal.
Gypsy (1962) Rosalind Russell takes on the role of the stage mother
from hell played so memorably on Broadway by Ethel Merman. Natalie
Wood plays the ugly duckling daughter who grows up to be Gypsy Rose
Lee.
Imitation of Life (1959)
This is the version directed by Douglas Sirk, which means he wrung
every bit of melodrama out of the story of two mothers on their own
raising rebellious daughters. Lana Turner and Juanita Moore are the
moms; Sandra Dee and Susan Kohner are their offspring. Troy Donahue
appears briefly as a rich boy who drops Kohner when he discovers she
is part black.
The Perfect Man (2005)
Moving is second nature to Holly Hamilton (Hilary Duff). She's packed
and unpacked many times in her scant seventeen years of life... and
she's about to do it again when her single mom's relationship with an
imperfect man falls apart. Holly wants to do anything she can to bring
some happiness and stability to her parent's life.
(...)
The final product is a light hearted, yet thoughtful, tribute to
single mothers, and an interesting look at the concerns and stress
their children may be asked to endure. In the end, Holly appears to
have learned lying can't make things better.
Tumleweeds (1999)
Gavin O'Connor directed, co-wrote and plays a major supporting role in
this drama about a mother and daughter coming to terms with each
other's problems. In Tumbleweeds, Janet McTeer plays Mary Jo Walker, a
single mother with a long string of bad marriages and a habit of
hitting the road when things start to turn sour.
White Oleander (2002)
"White Oleander," adapted from Janet Fitch's best-selling novel, is
hard and edgy about the bond between single mother and daughter,
letting us see the reality of a strong artistic mother (Michelle
Pfeiffer) tyrannizing her gifted daughter (Alison Lohman). After
murdering her lover, mom goes to prison and daughter goes on an
odyssey of self discovery in foster families.
Sources:
Top 3 Movies About Moms on Video and DVD
http://mothersday.about.com/od/entertainment/tp/moviesaboutmoms.htm
Mothers raising daughters alone is a popular theme in Hollywood
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/1999/11/07/PK16827.DTL&type=movies
Parents Television Council Movie Reviews
http://www.parentstv.org/PTC/publications/moviereviews/main.asp
MSN Movies
http://entertainment.msn.com/movies/movie.aspx?m=116028
Internet Movie Database
http://www.imdb.com/
This may interest you:
Motherhood Movies
http://www.mothers.net/mothersmovies.htm
Search criteria:
movies "single mothers"
site:.imdb.com inurl:plot summary "single mother"
I hope this is helpful. If you have any questions regarding my answer
please don?t hesitate to ask before rating it.
Best regards,
Rainbow |
Clarification of Answer by
rainbow-ga
on
20 Oct 2005 01:43 PDT
Here you go:
Terms of Endearment - PG
All About My Mother - R
Stella - PG-13
Mildred Pierce - PG
Mermaids - PG-13
Little Women - PG
Gas Food Lodging - R
Gypsy - PG
Imitation of Life - (unrated)
The Perfect Man - PG
Tumbleweeds - PG-13
White Oleander - PG-13
Sources of Reference:
Motion Picture Association of America
http://www.mpaa.org/movieratings/search/index.htm
Internet Movie Database
http://www.imdb.com/
Here's another one I found:
Hope Floats (1998) - PG-13
Birdee Calvert Pruitt is back in her hometown of Smithville, Texas
after discovering that her husband is having an affair with her best
friend, Connie. The entire town knows what happened to flawless beauty
Birdee since Connie let her know about the affair on a national talk
show. Back in town, she's dealing with catty old friends and
acquaintances from high school who can't help rubbing it in her face
that she isn't as perfect as she thought while still trying to get
back on her feet with her daughter, Bernice. Deeply depressed, she
runs into an old friend, Justin Matisse, who tries to help her
through, but is still in love with her. Birdee must make a new life
for her and her daughter, but will Justin be able to be part of it?
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119313/
I hope this is helpful.
Best regards,
Rainbow
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