History Film / TheTurningPoint1977

The film received 11 MediaNotes/AcademyAward nominations, including: [[MediaNotes/AcademyAwardForBestPicture Best Picture]], [[MediaNotes/AcademyAwardForBestDirecting Best Director]], [[MediaNotes/AcademyAwardForBestOriginalScreenplay Best Original Screenplay]] for Arthur Laurents, [[MediaNotes/AcademyAwardForBestActressInALeadingRole Best Actress]] for Bancroft, [[MediaNotes/AcademyAwardForBestActorInASupportingRole Best Supporting Actor]] for Baryshnikov, [[MediaNotes/AcademyAwardForBestActressInASupportingRole Best Supporting Actress]] for Browne,
[[MediaNotes/AcademyAwardForBestCinematography Best Cinematography]] for Robert Surtees, [[MediaNotes/AcademyAwardForBestProductionDesign Best Art Direction]] for Albert Brenner, and [[MediaNotes/AcademyAwardForBestProductionDesign Best Set Decoration]] for Marvin March.

The film received 11 MediaNotes/AcademyAward nominations, including: [[MediaNotes/AcademyAwardForBestPicture Best Picture]], [[MediaNotes/AcademyAwardForBestPicture Best Picture]], [[MediaNotes/AcademyAwardForBestDirecting Best Director]], [[MediaNotes/AcademyAwardForBestOriginalScreenplay Best Original Screenplay]] for Arthur Laurents, [[MediaNotes/AcademyAwardForBestActressInALeadingRole Best Actress]] for Bancroft, [[MediaNotes/AcademyAwardForBestActorInASupportingRole Best Supporting Actor]] for Baryshnikov, [[MediaNotes/AcademyAwardForBestActressInASupportingRole Best Supporting Actress]] for Browne,

[[MediaNotes/AcademyAwardForBestCinematography Best Cinematography]] for Robert Surtees, [[MediaNotes/AcademyAwardForBestProductionDesign Best Art Direction]] for Creator/AlbertBrenner, and [[MediaNotes/AcademyAwardForBestProductionDesign Best Set Decoration]] for Creator/MarvinMarch.

Nominated for 11 [[UsefulNotes/AcademyAward Academy Awards]], but lost all of them, setting a record since tied by ''Literature/TheColorPurple''. Now often accused of being SoapOpera ''en pointe''.

Released in 1977 -- the same year as ''Film/AnnieHall'' and ''Film/ANewHope'' -- ''The Turning Point'' revitalized the fad for {{ballet}} and dance films, and inaugurated Mikhail Baryshnikov's pop culture career as a film star. The film's ballet credentials are impeccable: it was directed by former dancer and choreographer Herbert Ross; was produced by Ross's wife, the legendary ballerina Nora Kaye; and featured several established or up-and-coming ballet stars in the cast.

Released in 1977 -- the same year as ''Film/AnnieHall'' and ''StarWars'' -- ''The Turning Point'' revitalized the fad for {{ballet}} and dance films, and inaugurated Mikhail Baryshnikov's pop culture career as a film star. The film's ballet credentials are impeccable: it was directed by former dancer and choreographer Herbert Ross; was produced by Ross's wife, the legendary ballerina Nora Kaye; and featured several established or up-and-coming ballet stars in the cast.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: Gelsey Kirkland, these days mentioned in almost the same breath as Pavlova and Fonteyn, was originally cast as Emilia.

[[quoteright:312:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/img_0980.JPG]]

The plot covers two generations of dancers. In the older generation, a touring stop by the ballet company reignites the rivalry between Emma (Creator/AnneBancroft) and [=DeeDee=] (Creator/ShirleyMacLaine). [=DeeDee's=] career ended shortly after she became pregnant and married another dancer, Wayne (Creator/TomSkerritt). Emma, however, became a star in then up-and-coming choreographer Michael's adaptation of ''Literature/AnnaKarenina'', a part that [=DeeDee=] had also wanted. In the younger generation, [=DeeDee's=] daughter Emilia (Leslie Browne) receives a fellowship for a special program at the company ballet school, where she catches the eye of philandering star Yuri (Baryshnikov).

[[quoteright:310:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/img_0980.JPG]]

''The Turning Point'' revitalized the fad for {{ballet}} and dance films. Released in 1977, the same year as ''Film/AnnieHall'' and ''StarWars'', it also inaugurated Mikhail Baryshnikov's pop culture career as a film star. The film's ballet credentials are impeccable: it was directed by former dancer and choreographer Herbert Ross; was produced by Ross' wife, legendary ballerina Nora Kaye; and featured several established or up-and-coming ballet stars in the cast.

[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/img_0980.JPG]]

* YourCheatingHeart: Everybody, pretty much:
** Emma is the other woman in a longtime affair.
** [=DeeDee=] has a brief fling with the company's old music director.
** Emilia catches Yuri in the act of seducing another dancer.

The plot covers two generations of dancers. In the older generation, a touring stop by the ballet company reignites the rivalry between Emma (Creator/AnneBancroft) and [=DeeDee=] (Creator/ShirleyMacLaine). [=DeeDee's=] career ended shortly after she became pregnant and married another dancer, Wayne (Tom Skerrit). Emma, however, became a star in then up-and-coming choreographer Michael's adaptation of ''Literature/AnnaKarenina'', a part that [=DeeDee=] had also wanted. In the younger generation, [=DeeDee's=] daughter Emilia (Leslie Browne) receives a fellowship for a special program at the company ballet school, where she catches the eye of philandering star Yuri (Baryshnikov).

[[SimilarlyNamedWorks Not to be confused]] with 1945 Russian war drama ''Film/{{The Turning Point|1945}}''.

Nominated for 11 [[UsefulNotes/AcademyAward Academy Awards]], but lost all of them, setting a record since tied by ''Literature/TheColorPurple''. Now often accused of being SoapOpera ''en pointe''. Not to be confused with 1945 Russian war drama ''Film/{{The Turning Point|1945}}''.

Nominated for 11 [[UsefulNotes/AcademyAward Academy Awards]], but lost all of them, setting a record since tied by ''Literature/TheColorPurple''. Now often accused of being SoapOpera ''en pointe''.

[[quoteright:346:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/turningpoint77_4741.jpg]]

''The Turning Point'' revitalized the fad for {{ballet}} and dance films. Released in 1977, the same year as ''Film/AnnieHall'' and ''StarWars'', it also inaugurated Mikhail Baryshnikov's pop culture career as a film star. The film's ballet credentials are impeccable: it was directed by former dancer and choreographer Herb Ross; was produced by Ross' wife, legendary ballerina Nora Kaye; and featured several established or up-and-coming ballet stars in the cast.

!! This Movie Contains Examples of:

* TheCameo: Notably, famed ballerinas Antoinette Sibley and Alexandra Danilova. A number of then-current ABT performers and backstage personnel also make brief appearances, including Alexander Minz (best known as Drosselmeier in Baryshnikov's ''Theatre/TheNutcracker'') and Enrique Martinez. For ballet fans, this film amounts to one long HeyItsThatGuy.

The plot covers two generations of dancers. In the older generation, a touring stop by the ballet company reignites the rivalry between Emma (Creator/AnneBancroft) and [=DeeDee=] (Creator/ShirleyMacLaine). [=DeeDee's=] career ended shortly after she became pregnant and married another dancer, Wayne (Tom Skerrit). Emma, however, became a star in then up-and-coming choreographer Michael's adaptation of ''AnnaKarenina'', a part that [=DeeDee=] had also wanted. In the younger generation, [=DeeDee's=] daughter Emilia (Leslie Browne) receives a fellowship for a special program at the company ballet school, where she catches the eye of philandering star Yuri (Baryshnikov).

* ICouldaBeenAContender: [=DeeDee=] is still obsessed with ''AnnaKarenina,'' and finally asks Michael if he ''would'' have given her the leading role instead of Emma. [[spoiler: He doesn't remember.]]

Nominated for 11 [[AcademyAward Academy Awards]], but lost all of them, setting a record since tied by ''Literature/TheColorPurple''. Now often accused of being SoapOpera ''en pointe''.

Nominated for 11 [[AcademyAward Academy Awards]], but lost all of them, setting a record since tied by ''Film/TheColorPurple''. Now often accused of being SoapOpera ''en pointe''.

Although nominated for 11 Academy Awards, the film is now often accused of being SoapOpera ''en pointe''.

* ActorAllusion: Sometimes so close as to verge on AsHimself. Mikhail Baryshnikov, Leslie Browne and Daniel Levans (Arnold, the annoying choreographer) were all with American Ballet Theatre at the time, while James Mitchell (Michael) had danced with the company in the 1950s.
** In addition, Leslie Browne is playing the daughter of a character based on her own mother, Isabel Brown.

The plot covers two generations of dancers. In the older generation, a touring stop by the ballet company reignites the rivalry between Emma (Creator/AnneBancroft) and [=DeeDee=] (ShirleyMacLaine). [=DeeDee's=] career ended shortly after she became pregnant and married another dancer, Wayne (Tom Skerrit). Emma, however, became a star in then up-and-coming choreographer Michael's adaptation of ''AnnaKarenina'', a part that [=DeeDee=] had also wanted. In the younger generation, [=DeeDee's=] daughter Emilia (Leslie Browne) receives a fellowship for a special program at the company ballet school, where she catches the eye of philandering star Yuri (Baryshnikov).

The plot covers two generations of dancers. In the older generation, a touring stop by the ballet company reignites the rivalry between Emma (Anne Bancroft) and [=DeeDee=] (ShirleyMacLaine). [=DeeDee's=] career ended shortly after she became pregnant and married another dancer, Wayne (Tom Skerrit). Emma, however, became a star in then up-and-coming choreographer Michael's adaptation of ''AnnaKarenina'', a part that [=DeeDee=] had also wanted. In the younger generation, [=DeeDee's=] daughter Emilia (Leslie Browne) receives a fellowship for a special program at the company ballet school, where she catches the eye of philandering star Yuri (Baryshnikov).

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: Gelsey Kirkland was originally cast as Emilia.

* HardWorkHardlyWorks: Averted hard. The film makes clear that even the most talented dancers need to spend hours in class, and [=DeeDee=] warns her son that he needs to focus his attention either on baseball or on ballet.

The plot covers two generations of dancers. In the older generation, a touring stop by the ballet company reignites the rivalry between Emma (Anne Bancroft) and [=DeeDee=] (Shirley [=MacLaine=]). [=DeeDee's=] career ended shortly after she became pregnant and married another dancer, Wayne (Tom Skerrit). Emma, however, became a star in then up-and-coming choreographer Michael's adaptation of ''AnnaKarenina'', a part that [=DeeDee=] had also wanted. In the younger generation, [=DeeDee's=] daughter Emilia (Leslie Browne) receives a fellowship for a special program at the company ballet school, where she catches the eye of philandering star Yuri (Baryshnikov).