Six Weeks


Six Weeks is a 1982 American drama film directed by Tony Bill and based on the novel of the same name by Fred Mustard Stewart. It stars Dudley Moore and Mary Tyler Moore.
Co-star Katherine Healy was a professional figure skater and a ballerina, both talents demonstrated by her character in the film. Golden Globe-nominated actress and ballet dancer Anne Ditchburn choreographed Healy's dance scenes, as well as appearing on camera as an assistant choreographer.

Plot

Charlotte Dreyfus, a wealthy cosmetic tycoon, and her 12-year-old daughter Nicole, who's dying from leukemia, strike up a sentimental friendship with a California politician, Patrick Dalton. Nicole has decided to abandon all further treatments for the disease because of the treatments' side effects.
Since the girl has only six weeks or less to live, the trio fly to New York City, where the daughter skates the ice rink at Rockefeller Center, assumes the lead role of Marie in The Nutcracker with the New York City Ballet at Lincoln Center, and sightsees most of the city. During her subway ride returning from her triumphant performance in the Tchaikovsky ballet, she suddenly collapses and dies in her mother's arms, having achieved her lifelong dream.
Charlotte gets on a plane to Paris alone. Patrick writes to her, imploring her to keep in touch. There is no reply.

Cast

Six Weeks was released on December 17, 1982, in the United States, where it opened in tenth place and grossed $6.7 million.

Reception

The film was nominated for two Golden Globe Awards, one for Dudley Moore for Best Score and one for Katherine Healy as Best New Female Star of the Year. However, Mary Tyler Moore's performance earned a Razzie Award nomination for Worst Actress. Roger Ebert later named it one of the worst films of 1982. Gene Siskel however, liked the film, praising the performances from the leads and its go-for-broke sentiment. Ebert later related a story in which Siskel admitted that his review was influenced by his wife's pregnancy.