Just Between Friends
| Just Between Friends | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Allan Burns |
| Produced by | Allan Burns |
| Written by | Allan Burns |
| Starring |
Mary Tyler Moore Ted Danson Christine Lahti Sam Waterston Julie Payne |
| Music by | Patrick Williams |
| Cinematography | Jordan Cronenweth |
| Editing by | Anne Goursaud |
| Studio | MTM Enterprises, Inc. |
| Distributed by | Orion Pictures |
| Release dates | March 21, 1986 |
| Running time | 110 min |
| Country |
 United States |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $6,408,791 |
Just Between Friends is a 1986 drama film about two women whose friendship is tested by tragedy. The film was written, produced and directed by Allan Burns, and it stars Mary Tyler Moore, Ted Danson, and Christine Lahti.
Plot summary
Holly Davis is a wife and mother, happily married to Dr. Chip Davis, a seismologist. She isn't aware that Chip is having an affair with Sandy Dunlap, a television news reporter who interviewed him after a quake.
Holly begins teaching aerobics part-time at the gym where she and Sandy meet. Sandy and Holly become fast friends and Holly's children like Sandy as well. The gym's owner is ready to sell so Sandy and Holly invest in it together. Sandy is a career-minded reporter, trying to become an anchorwoman at the station run by George Margolin. One day at work, a news bulletin reveals the death of Dr. Davis in a car crash.
Holly is devastated by the news and so is Sandy. Neither is aware at the time of the death that they have been in love with the same man. The truth is revealed to Holly's shock one day as she clears out her husband's desk at work where she finds a photo of Sandy and her husband together, clearly indicating evidence of an affair. She angrily confronts Sandy who tells her that she was unaware that her new friend was the wife of the man she loved. Holly angrily ends their friendship.
Sandy begs for forgiveness but Holly is devastated, hurt and angry and refuses to forgive Sandy. Holly swears she will buy Sandy out of her share of the gym they bought as soon as she is able and refuses to resume the close friendship they once shared.
Sandy discovers that she is pregnant and she tells Holly who is horrified by the news. Over time, Holly realizes that Sandy's child will also be her husband's child so she decides that she should try to forgive Sandy so that she can be a part of the child's life. Sandi rejects her at first but once the child is born, the film ends on an up note as they begin to repair their friendship.
Cast
- Mary Tyler Moore as Holly Davis
- Christine Lahti as Sandy Dunlap
- Ted Danson as Chip Davis
- Sam Waterston as Harry Crandall
- Mark Blum as George Margolin