Endless Love is a 1981 American romantic drama film directed by Franco Zeffirelli, starring Brooke Shields and Martin Hewitt. The screenplay by Judith Rascoe was adapted from the novel by Scott Spencer. The original music score was composed by Jonathan Tunick. The film is marketed with the tagline "She is 15. He is 17. The love every parent fears."

As of 2008, the film has yet to be released in the United States on DVD (Region 1).

Plot summary

In Chicago, Jade Butterfield and David Axelrod, both teenagers, fall in love. Their consuming, passionate love becomes dangerously obsessive, especially for David. Jade's family is known in their community for a bohemian lifestyle; they even allow David to make love with Jade in her bedroom. In contrast to the openness of her family, David's home life is dull; his parents are radical political activists who ignore him. When Jade's mother goes downstairs one night, she sees Jade and David make love in her living room, and starts living vicariously. When Jade's father tries to stop them from seeing each other, David accidentally burns down the Butterfields' house. For this, he is sent to a mental hospital for the next five years and is forbidden to contact Jade ever again.

When David is released on parole, he goes to look for Jade and remains obsessed with her. In Manhattan, Jade's mother tries to seduce David, but he refuses and tells her that he can make love only with Jade. In a chance meeting, Jade's father is hit and killed by a car after running into the street to chase after David. David tries to explain to Jade's family that this was an accident, but her brother Keith falsely accuses him of murder, and David is arrested by the police. Sent to prison, David seems doomed never to see his beloved again. Jade, though, comes to realize that no one will ever love her like David does and goes to him.

Main cast

• Brooke Shields .... Jade Butterfield
• Martin Hewitt .... David Axelrod
• Shirley Knight .... Ann Butterfield
• Don Murray .... Hugh Butterfield
• Richard Kiley .... Arthur Axelrod
• Beatrice Straight .... Rose Axelrod
• James Spader .... Keith Butterfield
• Ian Ziering .... Sammy Butterfield
• Penelope Milford .... Ingrid Orchester
• Tom Cruise .... Billy
• Jami Gertz .... Patty
• Jeff Marcus .... Leonard
• Walt Gorney .... Passerby

Reception

Awards and nominations

Winner: 1981 ASCAP Award, Lionel Richie, Endless Love

Nominee: 1982 Academy Award for Best Song, Lionel Richie, Endless Love

Winner: 1982 American Movie Award, Marquee Award, Lionel Richie, Endless Love

Nominee: 1982 Golden Globe Award, Best Original Song - Motion Picture, Endless Love

• Young Artist Awards

Nominee: Best Young Motion Picture Actor - Martin Hewitt

Nominee: Best Young Motion Picture Actress - Brooke Shields

• 1981 Golden Raspberry Awards

Nominee: best Actress - Brooke Shields

Nominee: best Director - Franco Zeffirelli

Nominee: best New Star - Martin Hewitt

Nominee: best Picture - Dyson Lovell

Nominee: best Screenplay - Judith Rascoe

Nominee: best Supporting Actress - Shirley Knight

Trivia

• The film's theme song, recorded by Diana Ross and Lionel Richie, was a #1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. "Endless Love" was later covered by Mariah Carey and Luther Vandross in 1994 and became a #2 hit.
• Martin Hewitt beat out 5,000 different actors (including Tom Cruise) for the lead role.
• This was Jami Gertz's first film; she and James Spader were reunited six years later for the film drama Less Than Zero.
• This was Tom Cruise's first film.
• This was Jeff Marcus' first film.
• This film marks a very early appearance by James Spader, as the elder brother of Brooke Shields... and of a pre-Beverly Hills 90210 Ian Ziering.
• Endless Love was the film mentioned during the ice skating scene in the comedy film Happy Gilmore. During the scene, Happy Gilmore mentions to Virginia Venit that when he was young he had a crush on Brooke Shields after seeing the film.
• The film was noted to have one of the most spectacular one-man stunt displays when Hugh Butterfield gets hit by a car in New York. The stuntman does a high end-over-end flip in mid-air.
• This film was shot on location in Chicago, Illinois, New York City, and Long Island.

External links

• Video about "Endless Love"

Endless Love is a 1981 American romantic drama film directed by Franco Zeffirelli, starring Brooke Shields and Martin Hewitt. The screenplay by Judith Rascoe was adapted from the novel by Scott Spencer. The original music score was composed by Jonathan Tunick. The film is marketed with the tagline "She is 15. He is 17. The love every parent fears."

As of 2008, the film has yet to be released in the United States on DVD (Region 1).

Plot summary

In Chicago, Jade Butterfield and David Axelrod, both teenagers, fall in love. Their consuming, passionate love becomes dangerously obsessive, especially for David. Jade's family is known in their community for a bohemian lifestyle; they even allow David to make love with Jade in her bedroom. In contrast to the openness of her family, David's home life is dull; his parents are radical political activists who ignore him. When Jade's mother goes downstairs one night, she sees Jade and David make love in her living room, and starts living vicariously. When Jade's father tries to stop them from seeing each other, David accidentally burns down the Butterfields' house. For this, he is sent to a mental hospital for the next five years and is forbidden to contact Jade ever again.

When David is released on parole, he goes to look for Jade and remains obsessed with her. In Manhattan, Jade's mother tries to seduce David, but he refuses and tells her that he can make love only with Jade. In a chance meeting, Jade's father is hit and killed by a car after running into the street to chase after David. David tries to explain to Jade's family that this was an accident, but her brother Keith falsely accuses him of murder, and David is arrested by the police. Sent to prison, David seems doomed never to see his beloved again. Jade, though, comes to realize that no one will ever love her like David does and goes to him.

Main cast

• Brooke Shields .... Jade Butterfield
• Martin Hewitt .... David Axelrod
• Shirley Knight .... Ann Butterfield
• Don Murray .... Hugh Butterfield
• Richard Kiley .... Arthur Axelrod
• Beatrice Straight .... Rose Axelrod
• James Spader .... Keith Butterfield
• Ian Ziering .... Sammy Butterfield
• Penelope Milford .... Ingrid Orchester
• Tom Cruise .... Billy
• Jami Gertz .... Patty
• Jeff Marcus .... Leonard
• Walt Gorney .... Passerby

Reception

Awards and nominations

Winner: 1981 ASCAP Award, Lionel Richie, Endless Love

Nominee: 1982 Academy Award for Best Song, Lionel Richie, Endless Love

Winner: 1982 American Movie Award, Marquee Award, Lionel Richie, Endless Love

Nominee: 1982 Golden Globe Award, Best Original Song - Motion Picture, Endless Love

• Young Artist Awards

Nominee: Best Young Motion Picture Actor - Martin Hewitt

Nominee: Best Young Motion Picture Actress - Brooke Shields

• 1981 Golden Raspberry Awards

Nominee: best Actress - Brooke Shields

Nominee: best Director - Franco Zeffirelli

Nominee: best New Star - Martin Hewitt

Nominee: best Picture - Dyson Lovell

Nominee: best Screenplay - Judith Rascoe

Nominee: best Supporting Actress - Shirley Knight

Trivia

• The film's theme song, recorded by Diana Ross and Lionel Richie, was a #1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. "Endless Love" was later covered by Mariah Carey and Luther Vandross in 1994 and became a #2 hit.
• Martin Hewitt beat out 5,000 different actors (including Tom Cruise) for the lead role.
• This was Jami Gertz's first film; she and James Spader were reunited six years later for the film drama Less Than Zero.
• This was Tom Cruise's first film.
• This was Jeff Marcus' first film.
• This film marks a very early appearance by James Spader, as the elder brother of Brooke Shields... and of a pre-Beverly Hills 90210 Ian Ziering.
• Endless Love was the film mentioned during the ice skating scene in the comedy film Happy Gilmore. During the scene, Happy Gilmore mentions to Virginia Venit that when he was young he had a crush on Brooke Shields after seeing the film.
• The film was noted to have one of the most spectacular one-man stunt displays when Hugh Butterfield gets hit by a car in New York. The stuntman does a high end-over-end flip in mid-air.
• This film was shot on location in Chicago, Illinois, New York City, and Long Island.

External links

• Video about "Endless Love"