Twice in a Lifetime Reviews

Gene Hackman carries most of this soap opera about the blue-collar world and is supported well by Ann-Margret and Ellen Burstyn. About to celebrate his 50th birthday, Harry MacKenzie (Hackman) goes to a neighborhood bar and discovers sexy, classy-looking Audrey Minelli (Ann-Margret). He decides then and there that he will leave his wife and daughters for this voluptuous woman. Kate (Burstyn), the self-sacrificing wife, represses her despair at being deserted and goes about planning her daughter's wedding. Harry also makes plans: he will leave his family and live with the busty barmaid, no matter what anyone thinks. But his oldest daughter (Amy Madigan) thinks her father has turned into a bum. There's not much to this down-home story; but Hackman is so convincing as a steady, reliable laborer suddenly aroused and Burstyn's so surprisingly gentle in response to emotional betrayal that much more is made here. It's a film that deals with natural emotions and commonplace decisions creating uncommon situations. Bud Yorkin's direction is also top-notch. Madigan received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress.