Men Don't Leave (1990) starring Jessica Lange

Love this movie

I love this, too. it's not even on Blu-ray. I think I had this on Laserdisc!

I own the DVD. Fab pic.

Wonderful movie and a great soundtrack too.

R4 It really is a great soundtrack. So bittersweet. You can hear how Newman's score here influenced a lot of his later, more popular work.

One of my favorites. I just bought the DVD from Amazon a little while ago. When the movie first came out I SO UNDERSTOOD her. I love Joan in this movie.

"Why are we so groggy?"

When she sat at the window and just threw her muffins out the window. It was so clear to me. Joan and Jessica had such grate chemistry together. I love this scene. Even just this clip makes me tear up.

Jessica and Joan were at their best here. I have always liked both of them.

Joan should work more, she is still funny as hell.

Saw this movie on a misbegotten high school date ... with a girl. That I picked this movie for us to see should have been a warning shot. A few weeks later I turned her down for another date by explaining I couldn't because I had to watch "LA Law."

I loved how at the start you were supposed to dislike Jody. Then it turned out she was just the tread of brutal, in you face honesty that ran through the movie. This should have been Jessica's Oscar.

LOVELY, LOVELY film....

Lange came in third place for the National Society of Film Critics Award. She and Joan Cusack should've made the short list. Chris O'Donnell was quite effective, too. When he meets with Arliss Howard about Beth needing a friend. I lose it every time.

"Beth lost her fuckin' earring!"

Regarding taking Beth on a hot air balloon ride to solve her depression.

Jody: "I did this with another friend once. My friend was very depressed. Suicidal, even."

Beth: "What happened to your friend?"

Jody: "Oh, she's institutionalized now. But I still like the IDEA. Don't you?"

R11 Joan Cusack's character really elevates the piece. They could've easily had Lange's character hook up with a man. Instead, he backed off and they just remained friends.

Has anyone seen the original French film, "La Vie Continue", this is based on?

Plus, Chris O'Donnell in white briefs!

I remember renting this from an independent video store I worked at -- my first job as an 18 year old. Haven't seen it in 15+ years now, but remember really liking it too.

Jody: "What did we put in our mouth?" Beth: "A Beth cake." Jody: "What's that?"

Beautiful, luminous film.

Link please, r17!

Mrs. Macauley.

The irony, lol.

I adore this movie but Beth's haircut. Who thought that was attractive?

R23 Dottie Hinkle.

That is one of the best parts of the movie when Jody first calls her Beth and Beth say "It's Mrs. Macauley" in that exasperated, eye rolling way that Jessica does so well.

I love Kathy Bates in this. She was so thin!

O'Donnell looked so fuckable in this.

Skinny Kathy Bates is one of the highlights. I guess this is where she and Jessica become friends? Lange is superb. The movie is a little too Alice Doesn't Live Here anymore at times and I hate the subplot of the son buying lottery tickets but, otherwise, I love it. Haven't seen it in years so thanks for the link.

It's amazing how Bates wasn't even a known film actress at this point and then a year later - bam! - she's an Oscar winner. She and Lange are still very, very close. Lange got her the gig on AHS, which Bates claims pulled her from a deep depression she was suffering from due to health issues.

Why hasn't Paul Brickman directed another film after Men Don't Leave? I love the work he did in both his films.

R28 Yep. They became friends while shooting this movie. Bates always tells the story of how

[quote] This should have been Jessica's Oscar.

Yes but then she would have denied Julia Roberts an Oscar nomination for Best Actress that year for Pretty Woman

There was a poster on here not too long ago who apparently worked on the sets of both AHS and Feud. He claims that he was "almost certain" Kathy had a huge crush on Jessica. He talked about watching them interact behind the scenes and "the way Kathy looked at" her. It was a very juicy thread. See below.

"Working with you, babe, is like riffing jazz with the lights turned down low." - Kathy Bates

Kathy!

R20 Apparently, he's a writer now. He's had a few writing gigs and has produced (?) a third film.

I agree, though. He had quite the eye and a unique pov as a director.

Thanks r35! I hope he directs again. He was definitely unique.

Lifetime movies are scrumptious!

R37 Yes, they are!

I loved the bit part the woman from Orange is the New Black plays in this. I'm not good with names.

THIS WAS NOT A LIFETIME MOVIE!!!!!!!

R40 I's Faye, seeking revenge. Don't humor it.

When I see Ina Garten on Barefoot Contessa it always reminds me of Bates' character in this movie. Always feel bad when the little brother's friend takes his share of the lottery ticket and no one believes him.

R42 I know, right. That fucking little bastard. The parents were even worse.

Total gem of a film. Chris O's scene with Arliss Howard asking him, through tears, to not give up on his mom always gets to me.

The muffin scene is me.

Kathy Bates is good in anything not by Disney.

Kathy is good in EVERYTHING.

Well, almost everything. She was horribly misdirected by hack director Rob Marshall in that totally unnecessary remake of [italic]Annie[/italic] (you dare bash the original movie and I will shut you down), and the remake of [italic]Around the World in 80 Days[/italic] was equally unnecessary and she seemed wasted. I wish [italic]The Office[/italic] used her more; she was a hoot as the company's CEO, and they needed her desperately in the later years.

Her TV show Harry's Law was off the fucking charts good. Plus she stars in my all time favorite movie....Dolores Claiborne.

R48 You got me, copper. I grew up on the original "Annie" (35 here) and no other Annie compares.

R49 She should've been nominated for DC. She was fucking amazing. There's a reason Stephen King considers it his favorite adaptation of his his books.

I love the part where Jessica Lange says to her son, "You don't always have to be such a good boy."

Also, any scene with Joan Cusack.

R52. Fuck. That scene is so fucking heartbreaking.

I knooow, R53.

I am Beth.

I watched this on a loop on HBO when I was 11-12. It reminds me of my depressed mother. Yes, I ripped my mother out of bed before like Joan does in the movie.

R56 Momma is proud, R56.

Loving the love for this film. I thought it was largely forgotten.

Another under the radar Jessica movie not to be missed is The Music Box. This is why I keep a DVD player and a bookcase to keep the 100s I have. I got both of these off Amazon for like six bucks each. The amount of DVDs on Amazon you can buy, that aren't streamed, for under ten bucks is mind boggling. I just wish I had a way to transfer them to a hard drive.

Was it ever explained why they moved to Baltimore? Why not somewhere where she had relatives or friends?

R59 She is SHATTERING in "Music Box". The film itself is severely underrated. One of Costa-Gavras' best. This was her 5th Oscar nomination. Much deserved.

R60 It was the city closest to their former house., which was in a Maryland suburb. I think it was just a natural move vs. moving to NY or LA.

How do you play someone who just finds out her beloved father is a NAZI war criminal? Jessica did in The Music Box.

R63 Astonishing performance. That ending!

I love Men Don't Leave, even though it's one of those movies that never explains why she has no family whatsoever to turn to in a time of need.

I like when Joan Cusack's character forces the mom out of bed and into the shower. Her character is so irritating and inappropriate dating the young son yet she probably is good for them.

r63 I know Music Box has been out for almost 30 years but... could you at least have used a spoiler alert??

The revelation is the most powerful scene in the film and of course deepens Lange's already-amazing performance.

1989/90 were excellent years for Lange.

[quote]1989/90 were excellent years for Lange.

Agreed. She was also excellent in "Far North" and yhe moving, extremely underrated "Everybody' All-American".

I'm not a sports fan, though I do work out, so the latter really gave me insight into the mind of a football player. I cried. lol.

r68 Quaid and Lange were really sexy in that film.

R69 Yes, they were.

I have only seen this once, when it was first on VHS (!) but I remember loving it. Time to rewatch. Thanks for the link, OP!

R71 Enjoy!

Beth Macauley: You know what, Chris, you can be a real little shit sometimes.

Chris Macauley: Can I say that now?

Beth Macauley: Yes.

Chris Macauley: I'm going to.

Beth Macauley: Fine.

Chris Macauley: And I feel like it.

Beth Macauley: Be my guest.

Chris Macauley: Shit.

Beth Macauley: Oh... You feel better now?

Chris Macauley: Shit.

Beth Macauley: [turns to Matt] You wanna try it?

Matt Macauley: No, thank you. Can I say fuck?

Beth Macauley: No.

Matt Macauley: Okay.

Kathy Bates was also thin and young in a 1978 movie starring Dustin Hoffman, "Straight Time."

I remember loving Lange and Cusack in this movie, and liking the film as a whole, but it's been so long since I've seen it I remember almost nothing.

But the one Cusack line that has stuck with me, and I've actually used a couple of times (for humor) is something like "There's probably not a feeling you're having right now that I can't validate."

Love.

A bit down today. Received a bit of sad news. Not shattering, mind you, but deeply sad.

Pukling out my "Men Don't Leave" DVD and spending some time with Beth and Jody.

For you R77. My copy of Music Box came in from Amazon today. Guess what I'm doing tomorrow night?

R75, You need to take your Gingko. That line is from Terms of Endearment.

Flap's mistress says that to Emma when Emma hunts her down at the campus where Fat teaches.

Where FLAP teaches.

R78 Aw. Just saw this, lol. Thank you, Jody. Also, so psyched you ordered Music Box. One of her best.

Let us know when you've watched it :)

^*Forgot to sign.

Lange and Bates both won Emmys for "American Horror Story: Coven". Here's the moment when Bates was announced as the winner, with Jessica sitting right behind her.

R83 Love that!

Even Reese loves this movie.

"I stood on this spot and said, "Beth, get fettuccine with veal."

Bittersweet perfection.

This movie makes me cry.

Perfect movie.

It's okay. Lange doing stock Lange. Best work Chris O'Donnell ever did though (and he was a local hire).

Hate the scene where she is dancing with the large German woman and it is supposed to be cathartic somehow but just looks stupid instead. And laugh at the air balloon ride that clearly nobody would take because you never see Lange and Cusack on it but hear a voiceover over stock footage. Not that I blame them.

I saw "Men Don't Leave" when it first came out and loved it. I was convinced at the time that Chris O'Donnell was going to be a huge star. Now I'm curious to watch the movie again to see it if holds up. Thanks, OP

Lange gives one of her most subtle and funny performances. She's piercing during the final reunion.

A perfect film about loss.

I must have seen this in the mid-1990s, after "Circle of Friends." I remember being surprised he hadn't become the new Tom Cruise.

Lange should've been nominated for her nuanced yet funny and heartbreaking work in this.

I thought I had blocked the Jessica Lange Troll who keeps starting posting 'Insert Movie starring Jessica Lange' threads and then proceeds to fill both the post and thread itself with a gushing thesaurus of praise for her 'incandescent', 'full-fat,' and 'unstitched,' work. They also manage to get it jibes about Streep, Close, Dunaway, and other someone inevitably mentions that their work is superior to Lange's ham.

Guess she's been clearing cookies. Time to reblock!

At least he doesn't put "uncompromising" on repeat, r96, like the Joni Mitchell troll.

R96 Put the pipe down, Erna.

Watching this now. Such an underrated gem. Everyone is at the top of their game.

Lange, O’Donnell and Cusack should’ve received nominations.

Watching this movie was the highlight of my month. Cinema can be so good.

I miss white America so much. Mass immigration destroyed everything.