Product Details

• Actors: James Garner, Joanne Woodward, Kathryn Erbe, Joyce Van Patten, Eileen Heckart
• Directors: John Erman
• Writers: Anne Tyler, Robert W. Lenski
• Producers: John Erman, Andrew Gottlieb, Brent Shields, Richard Welsh, Robert Huddleston
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Original recording reissued, NTSC
• Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Hallmark
• VHS Release Date: April 20, 1999
• Run Time: 108 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6304956479
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #94,898 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

A married couple review their lives and renew their love for one another while driving to a friend's funeral.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Tylerland, March 14, 2001

By 

Peter Shelley "petershelley" (Sydney, New South Wales Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Breathing Lessons (Hallmark Hall of Fame) [VHS] (VHS Tape)

This Hallmark Hall of Fame TVM is an adaptation of the Pulitzer prize-winning novel by AnneTyler about a Baltimore married couple who travel to a friend's funeral. We're in road movie territory with James Garner and Joanne Woodward bickering along the way. The bickering is of the amusing variety because of the skill of both actors, the tone set by director John Erman and music by Broadway composer John Kander. Although Garner has a non-threatening manner, it's funny to see how Woodward as a dithery eccentric infuriates him. Woodward reminded me a little of Shirley Booth in Come Back Little Sheba, but without the dog. Garner says she "believes the people she loves are better than they are" which explains her romantic quest to rejoin her divorced son with his ditzy ex-wife, Kathyrn Erbe, in a performance as strong as Garner and Woodward. Woodward has an hysterical turn when she is called upon to sing Love is a Many Splendid Thing at the funeral, and gets a good line at Garner with "You and reality oughta go steady", which is also a little Blanche DeBois "I don't want realism. I want magic". In smaller roles are Joyce Van Patten as the funeral's widow, and Eileen Heckart who comes off a little better as a diner waitress (though Garner upstages her with his looks of disdain at Woodward's openness with her). Paul Winfield is also in a few scenes where he is the victim of Woodward's road rage.

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Family Show!, June 23, 2008

By 

Mark Evans - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Breathing Lessons (DVD)

This is a great family show filled with wonderful warmth and comedy, it will have your whole family enjoying a great show together.

4.0 out of 5 stars Breathing Lessons Video, April 7, 2011

By 

Barry Silver "BS" (Hemet, California USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Breathing Lessons (Hallmark Hall of Fame) [VHS] (VHS Tape)

I have read and enjoyed every novel by Anne Tyler. Breathing Lessons is one of my favorites. I was a little hesitant to purchase the Hallmark Hall of Fame video of the novel since, in my opinion, movie renditions either don't follow the story line or the actors are not the best choices for the role. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the movie adaptation, the actors, and the rigorous adherence to the plot. The quality of the tape was good, the price was exceptional, and the shipment superb.