The Best Place to Be

The Best Place to Be is a 1979 American TV film produced by Ross Hunter. It marked Donna Reed's return to acting after 13 years.^[1] Hunter planned a sequel but this did not eventuate.^[2]

The Best Place to Be
Genre	Drama
Directed by	David Miller
Starring	Donna Reed Efrem Zimbalist Jr. Mildred Dunnock
Music by	Henry Mancini
Country of origin	United States
Original language	English
Production
Executive producers	Aaron Spelling Leonard Goldberg
Producers	Ross Hunter Jacques Mapes
Cinematography	Terry K. Meade
Editor	Richard Bracken
Running time	195 min. 240 min.
Production company	Ross Hunter Productions Inc.
Original release
Network	NBC
Release	May 27, 1979 (1979-05-27)

Plot

A widowed mother has an affair with a younger man.

Cast

• Donna Reed as Sheila Callahan
• Efrem Zimbalist Jr. as Bill Reardan
• Mildred Dunnock as Rose Price
• Betty White as Sally Cantrell
• John Phillip Law as Dr. Gary Mancini
• Stephanie Zimbalist as Maryanne Callahan
• Michael J Shannon as Patrick Callahan
• Gregory Harrison as Rick Jawlosky
• Timothy Hutton as Tommy Callahan
• Lloyd Bochner as Bob Stockwood
• Madlyn Rhue as Emily Stockwood
• Rick Jason as Paul Bellinger
• Alice Backes as Kitty Rawlings

Production

Reed said of her character, "In a way, she is a child-woman. She must learn to grow up and earn her own way. It's a long, hard battle. The children get into trouble. She takes on the wrong lover, a younger man. It's really about a woman who grows up enough to know the difference between a really good, old-fashioned man and a rogue and a playboy. She learns the lesson and finally meets a man who is right for her."^[3]

Reception

One review called it "a two part corpse".^[4]

References

1. Donna Reed to Return to TV Los Angeles Times 3 Oct 1978: e12.
2. Donna Reed: Back Where She Wants to Be Smith, Cecil. Los Angeles Times 4 Dec 1978: f1.
3. Donna Reed back on TV in NBC drama The Globe and Mail 8 Jan 1979: P.14.
4. TV REVIEW: Any where Else Is 'Best Place to Be' Rosenberg, Howard. Los Angeles Times 26 May 1979: c2.

External links

• The Best Place to Be at IMDb
• The Best Place to Be at TCMDB