David Ansen

“…. beautifully acted….

“If this old predicament seems fresh, it's largely because of the generous and complex parts Alda has written for the women--and because Harris and Streep respond with two of the most stunning performances of the year. Director Jerry Schatzberg brilliantly films a phone conversation between Tynan and his wife by focusing on Streep's silent reaction, and her eyes alone tell us more than most actresses could manage in an hour. Harris, free at last from having to play a zany, is devastating as the bright, bitter wife.

“In such colorful company--which includes Douglas's… senator and Rip Torn's… Kittner--Alda's performance may seem a shade bland…. Whatever, it's in keeping with the temperate nature of the film…. When was the last time you saw a Hollywood movie about three flesh-and-blood adults? And cared about them all?”

David Ansen
Newsweek, August 27, 1979