wfgodot I rewatched this not long ago to see a late hometown friend, appearing "as himself," perform. Wow what a dud this movie is (CT still great "as himself" though!). When I watched it -- early '78 maybe -- the first time, it was enough to have a kid you went to school with performing in a multi-nominated feature film with Mikhail, Shirley and Co.; now, not so much. So watch if you want to see '70s dance or if you know someone on- screen. Don't watch for any other reason. Dire.

artisticengineer First things first; this movie takes place within the American Ballet Theater. The name "American Ballet" was chosen by George Balanchine- a white Russian émigré to the United States- back in the 1930s when it was indeed probably the only major ballet company within the United States. However, their use of this term now is certainly misleading. I believe an alternative, and much more descriptive name, is "New York City Ballet"; that may in fact be the name they are legally required to use now due expiration of the original copyright though I would not swear to it. They are certainly very good at what they do; but, there are quite a few ballet companies within the United States nowadays and they are just as American as the group in New York City. And, probably just as good. Their is an irony here in that the movie starts, for some unfathomable reason, in Oklahoma City- which is, I guess, meant to show a place as far away from the "Big City" ballet as one can get. Perhaps in 1977 it was, but nowadays Oklahoma City itself has a very good ballet company. The only major reason why I do not consider the OKC ballet company as good as the one in New York City is due to the shortage of funds they have encountered recently. The OKC ballet school is pretty good- from what I have heard. Anyway, the New York City Ballet is a top notch outfit but it is certainly NOT the only major ballet company in the United States-despite what this movie implies. Okay, now that I have cleared this up I will now comment on this movie.It is a "must see" movie for people who like ballet and even other major dance forms. There are a few problems- one is that Tom Skerritt plays the husband of a former ballerina of the company; himself a former "danseur" with the company. Yet, as good an actor as Mr. Skerritt is, I find his performance in this movie far from convincing in this manner. Their son is shown as an up and coming dancer; also with the company yet he disappears midway into the movie. What happened to him? I know the daughter is primary point of interest, but what happened to her brother?? Other than these weaknesses it is a very good movie- though it is somewhat surprising that it received 11 Academy Award nominations. Anne Bancroft was fantastic. In real life she never danced professionally nor took lessons yet she did a great job portraying an over-the-hill prima ballerina (possibly based on Margot Fonteyn). Shirley McClain- who did dance a lot - ironically is never seen dancing or even prepared for dancing. This is a "chick flick"- no doubt about it, but if you are male and interested in the behind the scenes of a ballet company you will find this interesting also. Speaking of males- Mihail Baryshnikov comes close to stealing the show from the female leads. This movie, along with "The Nutcracker" that he performed later in 1977, was the "turning point" in his career. Well worth seeing by anybody of either gender for this alone!!

jotix100 Having recently seen this 1977 Herbert Ross film, one can't even imagine what was the appeal when this movie was released. Basically, it's a story about the world of ballet and about what goes on backstage. The screen play by Arthur Laurents presents us with all the petty little feuds, roles coveted and not gotten. Ultimately, it's a story about that a sin in the dancing and acting milieux: growing old!The film deals with the long standing friendship of DeeDee and Emma. DeeDee has left the ballet company when she became pregnant. Emma goes to shine as the prima ballerina who gets all the honor and accolades. DeeDee is fulfilled with a family of her own, whereas Emma is lonely and desperate. The 'turning point' comes at the end when DeeDee and Emma square their differences in one of the most hilarious moments of the movie.Shirley MacLaine and Anne Bancroft have great moments in the film. It's always a great fun to watch both of these actresses by themselves, so it's even better watching them together. The rest of the cast includes Tom Skerritt, Martha Scott, Leslie Browne, Anthony Zerbe, Mikhail Baryshnikov and great moments of ballet magic.

Peter Swanson After my 26th time watching The Turning Point I stopped counting my viewings. Some viewers might say it's not a tightly-written drama, and I don't care. For anyone who's ever enjoyed a dance performance, this is a must-see...or must-OWN. Mikhail Baryshnikov, recently-defected and at the absolute peak of his extrahuman abilities, is nothing short of breathtaking in this film. The first time he's shown dancing in the rehearsal studio invariably takes away my ability to breathe.I also admit that I like the stories which provide the framework for the dance performances. When The Turning Point was originally released, I was about to turn 30. Now bumping my head on 60, I've seen the decisions, transitions, and forks in life's road which face all the film's characters, and have a much greater appreciation for the truth of the film. Shirley MacLaine, Anne Bancroft, Tom Skerrit, and Anthony Zerbe are, as we'd expect, excellent. The 18-year-old Leslie Browne is lovely, and a fine dancer. I'm particularly fond of Alexandra Danilova, one of ballet's immortals, as the matriarchal Madame Dhakarova. In the scene where she's coaching a much-younger woman on the Don Quixote pas de deux, she performs the role not only more correctly, but also more playfully and flirtatiously than her student. It's a treat to see. I love dance (see review of All That Jazz), and I admit my bias freely. In addition to spectacular dance performances, there are good, human stories behind the 70's clothing and hair styles, so watch this film at least once and decide for yourself whether you'll see it again.