Infidelity (film)
Encyclopedia
Infidelity is a 1987
television film directed by David Lowell Rich
, and starring Kirstie Alley
and Lee Horsley
.
) and Nick Denato (Lee Horsley
) are living in the wildlife of Africa with their young daughter Melissa (Lindsay Parker
). Even though they have everything that they had ever wanted there, they return to San Francisco so Nick can focus on his career as a photographer and she can give birth to their second child. Soon, life goes on a downward spiral for the high-powered, two-career couple, as Ellie is not satisfied in their surroundings. She misses her life as a doctor in Africa and suspects that Nick is not faithful to her when Scott's young and attractive assistant Robin (Courtney Thorne-Smith
) arrives. When his partner Scott (Robert Englund
) convinces Nick to go on a business trip to Nepal for six weeks, she reluctantly accepts the situation.
Shortly after his departure, Ellie suffers a miscarriage
. Instead of dealing with her loss, she feels scattered and disconncted, pretending that nothing has happened and she even claims that Nick should have never returned from Nepal to support her. The marriage continues to crumble, and Nick eventually commits infidelity by sleeping with Ellie's best friend Eileen (Laurie O'Brien
), the one woman who took care of him when his wife did not. To worsen the matters, Ellie changes her behavior shortly after, realizing that she was a "maniac" and mistreated her husband and loves him very much.
When Ellie finds Nick's watch in Eileen's bed, she finds out about the indiscretion. Left with a broken heart, she takes Melissa and leaves for Africa, despite Nick and Eileen's attempts to assure her that their one night together meant nothing. In Africa, Ellie throws herself on her work and meanwhile raises Melissa. Six months later, Eileen is out of the picture in Nick's life, and he is still devastated by his wife's absence. Ellie, however, enjoys life and falls for the charms of French doctor Etienne (Michael Carven). She accompanies him to London, where she walks into Nick and Robin at the airport.
Initially, Ellie refuses to speak with Nick, though he is able to tell her that cheating on her has been the biggest mistake in his life. Ellie, nevertheless, goes through with the divorce and even takes off her wedding ring. However, she is unable to consummate her relationship with Etienne due to the past, much to Etienne's frustration. Meanwhile, Nick and Robin grow closer, but he rejects her when she wants to sleep with him, explaining that he is still in love with Ellie. The following morning, Nick is informed that his uncle Vito (Alfred Dennis) has died.
Simultaneously, Ellie and Melissa return to San Francisco for a short stay. There, old memories, dedications and an emotional funeral make Ellie realize that Nick still loves her very much. Even though she kisses him, she is not ready to take him back and says goodbye. Instead, she travels to Paris to meet with Etienne. After spending one night with him, she packs her stuff and returns to Africa. Nick accompanies her there shortly after, and reunites with her.
wrote that the viewer will be "bored" and most likely "will have changed the channel" before infidelity has taken place. Zuckerman furthermore criticized writer Sue Jett for waiting for the marital descretion to occur until halfway through the movie, as well as stating that the last half of the film "crumbled".
On a more cheerful side, Judy Flander of The Ledger
wrote that the infidelity theme was explored with "refreshing candor". She also wrote: "It is hardly a cliche. It is a story of strong love, of family, and, more than anything, a real romance."
In a review by The Washington Post
, the film was dismissed as irrelevant and its reviewer also criticized Jett: "Though written by a woman (Sue Jett), the film seems determined to make iron-clad allowances for Nick's little-bitty lapse. He does commit adultery, yes, but gee, it's with plain, dull, frumpy old Eileen (Laurie O'Brien) and not with his young, beautiful, tantalizing blond assistant Robin (the gawjuss Courtney Thorne-Smith)."
Alley claimed that following the film's release, she received several letters of women writing that the film helped save their marriage.
1987 in film
-Events:*January 31 - The Cure for Insomnia premieres at The School of the Art Institute in Chicago, Illinois, to officially become the world's longest film according to Guinness World Records....
television film directed by David Lowell Rich
David Lowell Rich
David Lowell Rich is an American film director and producer. He has directed nearly 100 films and TV episodes between 1950 and 1987...
, and starring Kirstie Alley
Kirstie Alley
Kirstie Louise Alley is an American actress known for her role in the TV show Cheers, in which she played Rebecca Howe from 1987–1993, winning an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award as the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in 1991...
and Lee Horsley
Lee Horsley
Lee Arthur Horsley is an American film, television, and theater actor known for starring roles in the television series, Nero Wolfe , Matt Houston , and Paradise . He starred in the 1982 cult film, The Sword and the Sorcerer, and recorded the audiobook edition of Lonesome Dove...
.
Plot
A happily married couple, Ellie (Kirstie AlleyKirstie Alley
Kirstie Louise Alley is an American actress known for her role in the TV show Cheers, in which she played Rebecca Howe from 1987–1993, winning an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award as the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in 1991...
) and Nick Denato (Lee Horsley
Lee Horsley
Lee Arthur Horsley is an American film, television, and theater actor known for starring roles in the television series, Nero Wolfe , Matt Houston , and Paradise . He starred in the 1982 cult film, The Sword and the Sorcerer, and recorded the audiobook edition of Lonesome Dove...
) are living in the wildlife of Africa with their young daughter Melissa (Lindsay Parker
Lindsay Parker
Lindsay Parker is an actress who got her start as Little Girl on an episode of MacGyver . She played the voice of Corey in Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue and has remained active in acting up until the present...
). Even though they have everything that they had ever wanted there, they return to San Francisco so Nick can focus on his career as a photographer and she can give birth to their second child. Soon, life goes on a downward spiral for the high-powered, two-career couple, as Ellie is not satisfied in their surroundings. She misses her life as a doctor in Africa and suspects that Nick is not faithful to her when Scott's young and attractive assistant Robin (Courtney Thorne-Smith
Courtney Thorne-Smith
Courtney Thorne-Smith is an American actress. She is best known for her roles as Alison Parker on Melrose Place, Georgia Thomas on Ally McBeal, and Cheryl Mabel in According to Jim, as well as her recurring role in Two and a Half Men as Lyndsey McElroy.-Early life:She was born in San Francisco,...
) arrives. When his partner Scott (Robert Englund
Robert Englund
Robert Barton Englund is an American actor, voice-actor and director, best known for playing the fictional serial killer Freddy Krueger, in the Nightmare on Elm Street film series. He received a Saturn Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors in...
) convinces Nick to go on a business trip to Nepal for six weeks, she reluctantly accepts the situation.
Shortly after his departure, Ellie suffers a miscarriage
Miscarriage
Miscarriage or spontaneous abortion is the spontaneous end of a pregnancy at a stage where the embryo or fetus is incapable of surviving independently, generally defined in humans at prior to 20 weeks of gestation...
. Instead of dealing with her loss, she feels scattered and disconncted, pretending that nothing has happened and she even claims that Nick should have never returned from Nepal to support her. The marriage continues to crumble, and Nick eventually commits infidelity by sleeping with Ellie's best friend Eileen (Laurie O'Brien
Laurie O'Brien
Born: September 6, 1952Laurie O'Brien is a professionally trained actress who started her career in 1982 with her role in Timerider: The Adventure of Lyle Swann. She is best known for voicing Baby Piggy on the 1980s Saturday morning cartoon Jim Henson's Muppet Babies from 1984-1991 & the CTW...
), the one woman who took care of him when his wife did not. To worsen the matters, Ellie changes her behavior shortly after, realizing that she was a "maniac" and mistreated her husband and loves him very much.
When Ellie finds Nick's watch in Eileen's bed, she finds out about the indiscretion. Left with a broken heart, she takes Melissa and leaves for Africa, despite Nick and Eileen's attempts to assure her that their one night together meant nothing. In Africa, Ellie throws herself on her work and meanwhile raises Melissa. Six months later, Eileen is out of the picture in Nick's life, and he is still devastated by his wife's absence. Ellie, however, enjoys life and falls for the charms of French doctor Etienne (Michael Carven). She accompanies him to London, where she walks into Nick and Robin at the airport.
Initially, Ellie refuses to speak with Nick, though he is able to tell her that cheating on her has been the biggest mistake in his life. Ellie, nevertheless, goes through with the divorce and even takes off her wedding ring. However, she is unable to consummate her relationship with Etienne due to the past, much to Etienne's frustration. Meanwhile, Nick and Robin grow closer, but he rejects her when she wants to sleep with him, explaining that he is still in love with Ellie. The following morning, Nick is informed that his uncle Vito (Alfred Dennis) has died.
Simultaneously, Ellie and Melissa return to San Francisco for a short stay. There, old memories, dedications and an emotional funeral make Ellie realize that Nick still loves her very much. Even though she kisses him, she is not ready to take him back and says goodbye. Instead, she travels to Paris to meet with Etienne. After spending one night with him, she packs her stuff and returns to Africa. Nick accompanies her there shortly after, and reunites with her.
Cast
- Kirstie AlleyKirstie AlleyKirstie Louise Alley is an American actress known for her role in the TV show Cheers, in which she played Rebecca Howe from 1987–1993, winning an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award as the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in 1991...
as Eliot 'Ellie' Denato - Lee HorsleyLee HorsleyLee Arthur Horsley is an American film, television, and theater actor known for starring roles in the television series, Nero Wolfe , Matt Houston , and Paradise . He starred in the 1982 cult film, The Sword and the Sorcerer, and recorded the audiobook edition of Lonesome Dove...
as Nick Denato - Laurie O'BrienLaurie O'BrienBorn: September 6, 1952Laurie O'Brien is a professionally trained actress who started her career in 1982 with her role in Timerider: The Adventure of Lyle Swann. She is best known for voicing Baby Piggy on the 1980s Saturday morning cartoon Jim Henson's Muppet Babies from 1984-1991 & the CTW...
as Eileen - Robert EnglundRobert EnglundRobert Barton Englund is an American actor, voice-actor and director, best known for playing the fictional serial killer Freddy Krueger, in the Nightmare on Elm Street film series. He received a Saturn Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors in...
as Scott - Courtney Thorne-SmithCourtney Thorne-SmithCourtney Thorne-Smith is an American actress. She is best known for her roles as Alison Parker on Melrose Place, Georgia Thomas on Ally McBeal, and Cheryl Mabel in According to Jim, as well as her recurring role in Two and a Half Men as Lyndsey McElroy.-Early life:She was born in San Francisco,...
as Robin, Scott's assistant - Lindsay ParkerLindsay ParkerLindsay Parker is an actress who got her start as Little Girl on an episode of MacGyver . She played the voice of Corey in Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue and has remained active in acting up until the present...
as Melissa 'Millie' Denato - Michael Carven as Etienne
- Vera Lockwood as Rose
- Alfred Dennis as Uncle Vito
- Lynne Charnay as Aunt Flo
- Ben Wright as Edgar
- Jeb Ellis-Brown as Ray
- Helaine Lembeck as Jennifer
Reception
Infidelity received both positive and negatieve reviews when it first premiered in 1987. Faye Zuckerman of The Gainesville SunThe Gainesville Sun
The Gainesville Sun is a newspaper published daily in Gainesville, Florida, United States, covering the North-Central portion of the state. It is a part of the New York Times Regional Media Group. The paper is published by James E...
wrote that the viewer will be "bored" and most likely "will have changed the channel" before infidelity has taken place. Zuckerman furthermore criticized writer Sue Jett for waiting for the marital descretion to occur until halfway through the movie, as well as stating that the last half of the film "crumbled".
On a more cheerful side, Judy Flander of The Ledger
The Ledger
The Ledger is a daily newspaper serving Lakeland, Florida and the Polk County area. It is owned by The New York Times Company. Jerome Ferson became publisher of the newspaper on July 30, 2007....
wrote that the infidelity theme was explored with "refreshing candor". She also wrote: "It is hardly a cliche. It is a story of strong love, of family, and, more than anything, a real romance."
In a review by The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
, the film was dismissed as irrelevant and its reviewer also criticized Jett: "Though written by a woman (Sue Jett), the film seems determined to make iron-clad allowances for Nick's little-bitty lapse. He does commit adultery, yes, but gee, it's with plain, dull, frumpy old Eileen (Laurie O'Brien) and not with his young, beautiful, tantalizing blond assistant Robin (the gawjuss Courtney Thorne-Smith)."
Alley claimed that following the film's release, she received several letters of women writing that the film helped save their marriage.