User Reviews

This is a lovely tale of two people whose personal stories become revealed and their lives intertwined when they meet by chance on a bus. I agree with others who have compared it to Murphy's Romance, another great comedy romance, starring Sally Field and James Garmer.

Here we have an encounter on a bus between Mike Finnegan, who is a crotchety newspaperman and caretaker for his senile wife, and Liz DeHann, a widowed art teacher en route to a tryst with married lover, Paul, a funeral parlor director. Finnegan prides himself on being able to ferret out other people's character and actions, so guesses Liz's unfortunate situation, naturally much to her displeasure. Nevertheless, as time passes, they exchange life stories and become confidantes and friends, with of course always a possibility of something further developing between them...

The cast are all superb. Mary Tyler Moore, my favorite from her old sitcom days, is convincing as the woman caught in an affair, unhappy but trying to convince herself it's neither immoral nor hopeless, as she clings to the belief that her lover, Paul, will eventually leave his wife for her. Paul is portrayed by Sam Waterston, normally another of my favorites, though his role here, as you might imagine, is pretty sleazy and despicable, in terms of his behavior toward both his wife and Liz. It is really Robert Preston who sparkles here as Finnegan. I was unfamiliar previously with this actor, but he very much reminds me here of the wonderful James Garner. Finnegan makes this story.

This TV movie has a couple of messages, entertainingly but not subtly given. One of course is the sordid nature of the classic affair. Liz and Paul rendezvous in a seedy hotel, arriving separately so as not to arouse suspicion. Also, Paul of course has absolutely no intention of leaving his wife. The other message is the loyalty and devotion of Finnegan to his wife of many years, Margaret, who apparently suffers from dementia, and is truly lost to him in terms of any genuine companionship. Yet, although discouraged, he remains by her side and true to his vows, caring for her and putting up with a household in disarray cased by her condition. So we see two very different husbands, two sharply contrasting views of marriage, in the faithless Paul and the loyal Finnegan.

WARNING: SPOILER...It has both witty dialogue and a touching tale of friendship and love. However, I agree with another reviewer who commented that it's a pity the pair are shown in bed together at the end. Somehow, it seems rather inappropriate for this story.

This movie was released in 1985 direct to cable TV on HBO.

Romantic-Drama. It's really not a comedy. There are some humorous moments, just as in real life, but the overall tone of the movie is serious.

This movie does not have an MPAA rating. I would rate it as PG-13 because of mild violence, adult content and adult dialog.

Mike Finnegan (Robert Preston) is a newspaperman. When he turned 65 and was forced to retire, the Managing Editor kept him on to write the lonely-hearts column as "Felicity Hope." Mike is not a good fit for the job. His replies are filled with bitterness and morality, which is causing a drastic drop in the number of letters received. His attitude may be because of his own marital situation. His wife, Margaret (Silvia Sydney), is 75 years old and suffers from senile dementia. Despite his personal troubles, he's always a public symbol of cheer when he takes the bus to and from work every day. He greets everyone who boards with a smile and a compliment.

Liz DeHaan (Mary Tyler Moore) is a teacher in her mid-forties. She's widowed and having an affair with a married man, Paul Broadbent (Sam Waterston). Liz keeps up hope that Paul will eventually leave his wife, so she continues to meet him once a week in a run-down apartment on the bad side of town. She takes the bus to their rendezvous so their cars won't be seen together on the street.

On the bus is where Mike and Liz meet. Mike notices Liz is troubled and, because he is an observant newspaperman, deduces this is caused by her present relationship. When he tries to help her by explaining what he has determined by observing her, he actually scares her because he is 100% correct and she thinks that what he knows may cause trouble for her and Paul. Mike allays her fear by confiding some of his own history that relates to her present situation, which also explains why he hasn't left his wife and why he isn't such a good fit as the newspaper's advice columnist.

So now Liz and Mike are friends, although Mike is not quite sure what to make of it all. Liz likes him because what he tells her is what she tells herself. She easily denies the truth when it's herself talking, but she listens when Mike says it. She doesn't understand why; maybe it's because he's completely blunt about it. Whatever it is, she likes it.

A distressing situation occurs and their friendship deepens, but neither of them notices because of their other troubled relationships. Eventually the strength of their friendship is tested.

Watch this movie to see how it all turns out. You won't regret it.

This movie is an A+ across the board.

Story: A+ The character development is excellent, true-to-life and very believable. The dialog is also real and believable. There's nothing corny or glamorous here. No hidden messages. No sugar sweetening.

Acting: A+ How can it be anything but A+ from this cast?

Robert Preston was one of this country's most under-appreciated performers. He was much more than just The Music Man. Sure, when you see him strut down the street with the boom box guy, you might think Harold Hill, and that's okay. It put a smile on my face.☺ He always covers all of the emotions with perfection. With Mike, he gets the chance to cover everything; happy, sad, love, pain.

Mary Tyler Moore is just plain perfect, as usual. She takes Liz from being completely tangled up in her affair that she can't see how wrong it is, then is confused yet intrigued by this strange but honest and concerned man until finally she's able to break free from her troubles.

Sam Waterston surprised me. He's very comical here and I'd never seen him in this type of role. He fits it well and he's very believable and actually makes me like Paul even though Paul is a louse.

Another part of why the main cast works is that their real ages are close to their character's ages. They look the part; they act the part.

Direction: A+ Another great job from Joan Micklin Silver. Full of emotions, evenly flowed.

Visuals: A+ Again, very real and nothing fancy. You don't feel like you're watching this story through a camera.

Great quotes: "If only flesh and spirit could grow at the same pace." "I did your ironing."

Other movies like this: Murphy's Romance (1985) Starring: Sally Field, James Garner

Robert Preston's last film was OUTRAGE! (1985) which followed this film. Although a central figure in that movie, his part was not as important as several others - I keep thinking his health may have been beginning to fail, so that his role as a murder case defendant was curtailed as a result. He still gave an intelligent performance but it seemed short in comparison to what it should have been.

For his last solid, good performance look at this film made slightly earlier in 1984-85. Preston plays the newspaper columnist Michael Finnigan, who has reached the age of 65 and is still working as the advice to the lovelorn columnist for David Huddleston's newspaper. He hates that job, but it's that or retirement. He is living in a large house with his ten year older wife Sylvia Sydney, who is suffering from dementia, and very demanding in her ways. There is little real love left - he loved some other woman, not the current Sydney. But he is loyal and protective.

Then he meets Mary Tyler Moore - a woman who is close in age to him, and a widow (although currently seeing Sam Waterson). With Moore Preston finds a soul mate again, someone to talk to, and someone he can understand (and who can understand him). But he will only go so far with her - he feels he is duty bound to care for his wife Sydney.

Preston raises the film's level of interest by his charm - nicely abetted by Moore's response to him (and even Sydney's response - she may be sadly demented, but she does show gratitude occasionally to him). Waterson is funny but sleazy, as he is two-timing his wife.

Although a type of "deus ex-ma-china" conclusion assists in resolving the plot, FINNEGAN BEGIN AGAIN remains an adult film of late romance, and a worthy conclusion to a great acting career.

This HBO drama with elements of comedy has some great characterizations but you have to face it. Robert Preston's character of Michael Finnegan is certainly not someone that you will automatically like. In the first 20 minutes of the show, he is downright obnoxious with his ogling of women as they get on the bus, even if it does end up being innocent. People look at him as if he is nuts, and indeed, he is. But as you get to know him, you'll begin to see if some of the elements that made him that way, and that starts with his older, senile wife, played by the legendary Sylvia Sidney.

One of the women that he always tries to make conversation with who usually ignores him is the seriously unhappy Mary Tyler Moore, having an affair with the married Sam Waterson and desperate in her not knowing what to do. He's a romantic advice columnist at a local newspaper, and his advice to say the least is a bit abrupt. He stalks her to a laundromat, gets on her nerves by analyzing her a bit too much, but before long, they are sharing lunches at first outside then finally at her apartment. His ailing wife is made worse by a home break in, ending up in the hospital with little chance of survival, and this gives Preston the opportunity to spend more time with Moore even though she's still seeing Waterson on the side.

I had high hopes for this drama because everything seemed like it would work out realistically. The problem is that it doesn't as Moore doesn't have romantic chemistry with either of the men, and Preston's character is definitely someone that would make people turn and walk away from him. He's excellent, but then again that's the actor, not the character. Lots of sympathy for Sylvia Sidney, looking very pretty even though she's in her mid-seventies, and it's evident that she stuck in the past when you see her dancing around her overstuffed living room with the fan. Her character is heartbreaking to watch with the changes she goes through.

It's obvious that the reason why the house is so messy is because of her. Moore gets to lighten up after a bit so this is not a retread of her Beth Jarrett from "Ordinary People". A young Giancarlo Esposito is the shaky young tough guy who mugs Preston, a little bit of a stereotype that is uncomfortable as is the slapstick bit at the cemetery later on. It's the flawed script that's the issue. At least it's better than HBO's other big name TV movie "Best Friends" from several years before.

One of those quiet, near perfect movies that sneak up on you and are just unresistable. Preston [I'm an unashamed fan,] and Tyler Moore, are just right together, and the movie isn't just funny, sad, poignant and good fun, it also has something to say about relationships and about life. If I had a criticism of the film, it would be the last scene. I didn't need to see them in bed. It would have been much better if this had just been implied.

Saw this movie when I was 20 and really liked it. Now I'm 50 and I really love it.... It's very real. I admit Robert Preston (Michael) doesn't look like he did in the music man, but he certainly is just as charming. MTM (Elizabeth) is just beautiful and equally appealing. Lot of great chemistry between them. Sam Waterston is hysterically yucky. The movie has great lessons, "romance is cotton candy, real love is what you do for each other" (ironing)

I remember the first time I saw the movie being slightly turned off by the ending. Seeing "mature" folks in bed in bed was not something I expected, or was interested in seeing. Now I think it's an important part of the message. Elizabeth and Michael love each other, it may not be as pretty as Pitt and Jolie..... But who is? It's as real as the rest of the movie.

It makes me sad to think when Michael claims he only has 10 good years to offer Elizabeth, in reality Preston only had 2. He seemed so energetic and full of life . He is loved and missed by so many, but will continue to touch future generations.

Anyone who has been married or been in a relationship, whether good or bad, will find something they can relate to in this movie. It is a story about what it means to truly love and be loved.

Micheal Finnegan cares for his mentally incompetent wife for 20 years though he could have put her in an Alzheimer's unit somewhere and probably lived a very nice life. Elizabeth Dehaan realizes that her dead end relationship with a married man is not real love, just "cotton candy".

Elizabeth and Michael have a great friendship where they do things for each other. " real love is what you do for each other". When they find love, the 20 year age difference seems to be more of an issue for Michael ( he is thinking of her), but her response of "would you trade 10 good years for 40 indifferent ones?" Rings true. Some other memorable lines are " if only flesh and spirit could grow at the same pace", and " why do you expect to find the secrets of life in somebody else?"

The ending is a little convenient with the death of Michael's wife... And one has to wonder what would have happened with the couple if she survived and came back home to live.

It's an uplifting movie with very funny scenes, beautifully acted by Mary Tyler Moore and Robert Preston. Preston is especially good, and who couldn't fall for Mary, beautiful and witty. Sam Waterston and Silvia Sidney also do a great job. I think most people will find the emotions real, and the ones in a May/ September relationship or considering starting one, will really appreciate it. I bet there are more of those out there than most people realize.