Making Love (1982)

After eight years of marriage, a young doctor (Michael Ontkean, TWIN PEAKS) finds it impossible to suppress his gay urges any longer. But he soon discovers trying to balance a wife (Kate Jackson) who's kept in the dark and a male lover (Harry Hamlin) who isn't interested in a relationship isn't going to work. As the first mainstream Hollywood movie to deal directly with homosexuality, Arthur Hiller's film gets an A for effort while phrases like "well intentioned" and "noble failure" come to mind. The truth is ... it's just not very good. If one compares it to, say, a film like SUNDAY BLOODY SUNDAY from 1971, the difference in quality is incomparable. But somebody had to do it and it was a start. Unfortunately, while Jackson barely squeaks by, the two male leads are weak. Ontkean's wishy washy character becomes irritating after awhile and Hamlin's narcissistic character is simply unlikable. The film plays out like a soap opera complete with Leonard Rosenman's syrupy score. The film's title song written by Burt Bacharah and sung by Roberta Flack was a top 40 hit however. With Wendy Hiller, Nancy Olson and Arthur Hill who are all wasted and underused.