Terms of Endearment is a American family tragicomedy [ 3 ] film directed, written, and produced by James L. Brooks , adapted from Larry McMurtry 's novel of the same name. Terms of Endearment was theatrically released in limited theatres on November 23, , and to a wider release on December 9 by Paramount Pictures. A sequel, The Evening Star , was released in Aurora Greenway, a widow, keeps several suitors at arm's length in River Oaks, Houston , focusing instead on her close, but controlling, relationship with daughter Emma.
Anxious to escape her mother, Emma marries callow young college professor Flap Horton over her mother's objections. Despite their frequent spats and difficulty getting along with each other, Emma and Aurora have very close ties and keep in touch by telephone. Emma and Flap move to Iowa in order for him to pursue a career as an English professor, but they run into financial difficulties.
Emma has three children, and over the course of the next few years, the marriage begins to fray. While at the grocery store, Emma does not have the money to pay for her groceries and meets Sam Burns, who pays for them. They strike up a friendship and quickly an affair as Sam's wife refuses to have sex with him, and Emma suspects Flap of infidelity. Meanwhile, the lonely Aurora overcomes her repression and begins a whirlwind romance with her next-door neighbor, retired astronaut Garrett Breedlove, who is promiscuous and coarse.
Emma catches Flap flirting with one of his students and drives back to Houston immediately. There, Garrett develops cold feet about his relationship with Aurora and breaks it off. While Emma is gone, Flap decides to take a promotion in Nebraska; Emma and the children return to Iowa, and they move to Nebraska.
Emma finds out Flap moved them to Nebraska so he could work with his girlfriend. Emma is diagnosed with terminal cancer. Aurora and Flap stay by Emma's side through her treatment and hospitalization.
