Studio: A Presentation of HBO Premiere Films on the Home Box Office cable system
Running time: 100 minutes
Between Friends (1983)
“Between Friends is the highly acclaimed new drama starring Oscar-winner Elizabeth Taylor (Cleopatra, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf) as Deborah Shapiro, and five time Emmy-winner Carol Burnett (TV’s The Carol Burnett Show, The Four Seasons) as Mary Catherine Castelli. As new divorcees and the most unlikely of best friends, they face a world of mortgage payments and second careers, of unfamiliar joys and heartaches, disasters and successes. How they face up to the challenge is a story that is engaging, touching and inspiring.
“One wants to catch a rich husband. The other to catch up on the sexual revolution. Between Friends—today’s most compelling actresses as an odd couple with nothing in common except a friendship you’ll never forget.” [From the VHS]
Cast
Deborah Shapiro: Elizabeth Taylor
Mary Catherine Castelli: Carol Burnett
Francie Castelli: Barbara Bush
Sam Tucker: Henry Ramer
Malcolm Hollan: Bruce Gray
Dr. Seth Simpson: Charles Shamata
Lolly James: Lally Cadeau
Essie: Vera Cudjoe
Martin: Stephen Young
Michael: Michael J. Reynolds
Carolyn: Patricia Idlette
Limel: Jim Morris
Mrs. Ingram: Jeri Craden
Heather: Shelach MacKerd
Young Customers: Clare Barclay and Nancy Kerr
Woman at Party: Maida Rogerson
Realty Office Customer: Jim Bearden
Man at Party: David Clement
Crew
Director: Lou Antonio
Executive Producers: Robert Cooper and Marian Rees
Writer-Producers: Shelley List and Jonathan Estrin; Based on List’s novel “Nobody Makes Me Cry”
Cinematographer: Francois Protat
Art Director: Lindsey Goddard
Musical Score: James Horner
Editor: Gary Griffen
Did You Know?
Shelley List and Jonathan Estrin adapted the screenplay based on List’s 1975 novel about two women who form an unlikely friendship with Elizabeth and Carol Burnett in mind. It was prophetic, because, as Carol put it, “friends we became.” The two formed an instant rapport that lasted long after the cameras stopped rolling. “I don't know what there was,” said Carol, “but I spent six weeks laughing. I felt like I was eleven years old. Elizabeth is a very funny person.”
The two had never met in person (although they had spoken on the phone years earlier), but found they had much common ground; Carol was raised by her grandmother, who was a Christian Scientist. Both admitted to being longtime fans of the other, and Elizabeth said she would have loved to have made an appearance on The Carol Burnett Show. “If only I’d known!” said a surprised Carol. Later that year, Elizabeth, dressed as Carol’s famous charwoman character from her long-unning variety show, would surprise her during a taping of All My Children.
Between Friends was only the second TV movie made for HBO. In Canada, where it was filmed, it aired under the title of the List’s original novel, Nobody Makes Me Cry.