Synopsis
Three middle-aged wealthy couples take vacations together in Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter. Along the way we are treated to mid-life, marital, parental and other crises.
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Cast
- Alan AldaJack Burroughs
- Carol BurnettKate Burroughs
- Len CariouNick Callan
- Sandy DennisAnne Callan
- Rita MorenoClaudia Zimmer
- Jack WestonDanny Zimmer
- Bess ArmstrongGinny Newley (Callan)
- Elizabeth AldaBeth Burroughs
- Beatrice AldaLisa Callan
- Robert HittRoom Clerk
Recommendations
- 80
Newsweek
It's these well-lived-with characters who make The Four Seasons a pleasure to watch, and the actors obviously relish their parts. [25 May 1981, p.74] - 75
TV Guide Magazine
Alda's debut as a director is nevertheless impressive, even if he clearly doesn't know what to do with the camera. - 70
The New York Times
Mr. Alda's direction is particularly strong for bringing out his actors' humanity, and for developing a comic timing that helps unite the cast. - 70
Time Out
The camerawork is unadventurous (the only variation on static observation of the characters being the nature footage signalling the seasonal changes), but the performances Alda elicits from his co-actors almost justifies this. Within the characterisations, most of the fears and foibles of middle class, middle-aged America may be found. Amusing and worth a look. - 60
Washington Post
Stylistically, the film is all in small talk, too -- those television-perfected moments of everyday life that evoke recognition, rather than curiosity, about human behavior. But there's nothing in their lines or behavior that would make any of them irreplaceable in this sort of friendly group. [22 May 1981, p.17] - 50
Variety
Tale is populated strictly with Ordinary People, but Alda’s script doesn’t begin to scratch the surface to discover what makes them tick and is particularly stingy in giving Carol Burnett and Rita Moreno anything to work with. - 50
Washington Post
Directing from his own screenplay, Alan Alda displays an alarming aptitude for the comedy of manners at its most trifling and synthetic. [22 May 1981, p.F1] - 50
The Globe and Mail (Toronto)
Partly because of Alda's comedy training on television, he has succeeded in making, for two thirds of its length, an amusing and very commercial film. But the last part shows him failing at what he really wanted to do. [23 May 1981]
