Endless Love: https://youtu.be/98toFJt2Bds?si=iymoPSE2vHgtgH6h Cast - Brooke Shields, James Spader, Tom Cruise,
The theme: Crossing boundaries got backfire, destroying families and oneself!
James Spader's first film role as "Keith" - the brother of Brooke Shields of 15 YO, "Jade"): https://youtu.be/98toFJt2Bds?t=2566 . What an extraordinary talent right from the beginning. Spader said, "There is something wrong with this guy (17-YO boyfriend "David," sport T-shirt #33). He sucked up to everybody. "
Tom Cruise as "Billy" https://youtu.be/98toFJt2Bds?t=2963
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In Endless Love, the theme of "crossing boundaries backfires, destroying families and oneself" is central to the film’s narrative. Here are specific examples from the movie that illustrate how crossing emotional, relational, and societal boundaries leads to devastating consequences for both individuals and families:
1. David’s Obsessive Love for Jade
David’s intense love for Jade begins as a passionate teenage romance but quickly turns into an unhealthy obsession. His inability to respect boundaries between them results in increasingly reckless behavior. One of the major ways David crosses boundaries is by ignoring Jade’s family’s concerns and continuing to pursue her despite their disapproval.
Example: When Jade’s parents try to intervene and ask David to stay away from her so she can focus on her education, David refuses to accept their decision. His refusal to respect the family's boundaries leads him down a dangerous path, showing how crossing boundaries backfires when love turns into obsession.
2. Burning the Butterfield House
The most dramatic instance of crossing boundaries is David's decision to set fire to the Butterfield family home. In a desperate and misguided attempt to appear heroic and win favor with Jade’s family, David sets fire to their house with the intent of extinguishing it and saving them.
Example: David believes that this dramatic act will bring him back into Jade’s life and endear him to her family. Instead, the fire spirals out of control, leading to the destruction of their home. This act symbolizes how his obsession and inability to recognize boundaries result in chaos and destruction, not only of the physical home but of the relationships within the family.
3. Jade’s Family Falling Apart
David’s actions don’t just affect him and Jade; they lead to the destruction of the Butterfield family itself. Jade’s parents, who were already struggling in their marriage, become even more fractured after David’s involvement with their daughter. The family is torn apart by the scandal, the house fire, and the trauma of dealing with their daughter’s relationship with someone as unstable as David.
Example: Jade’s father, in particular, spirals out of control due to David's presence in their lives, leading to tension and dysfunction within the family. This further illustrates how crossing boundaries—David’s refusal to respect the family's wishes—has lasting, negative effects on everyone involved.
4. David’s Descent into Self-Destruction
David’s obsession with Jade and his refusal to respect limits ultimately lead to his own downfall. His actions cause him to be institutionalized and branded as dangerous, destroying his future and personal reputation. In trying to maintain control over Jade and their relationship, he loses control of his own life.
Example: After the fire, David faces legal consequences, including time in a psychiatric institution. His relentless pursuit of Jade, even when it’s clear that their relationship is not sustainable, ruins his life and his potential, showing how crossing emotional boundaries ultimately leads to his own self-destruction.
5. Impact on Jade
While the film focuses primarily on David, Jade also suffers from his inability to let go. Her life is disrupted by his actions, and she struggles to move forward. David’s failure to respect her autonomy and her family’s boundaries creates emotional turmoil for her as well, reinforcing the destructive impact of crossing boundaries on others.
Example: Jade tries to move on with her life, but David's repeated interference forces her to deal with the aftermath of his extreme actions, preventing her from growing emotionally and leaving her deeply affected by the traumatic experiences.
Conclusion:
Throughout Endless Love, the film demonstrates how crossing emotional, relational, and physical boundaries leads to tragedy. David’s inability to recognize limits leads to the destruction of the Butterfield family, his own self-destruction, and lasting harm to Jade. This illustrates the broader lesson that failing to respect boundaries can backfire and lead to devastating consequences, both for oneself and for those around you.
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The 1981 film Endless Love, based on Scott Spencer’s novel and directed by Franco Zeffirelli, is a romantic drama centered on the intense and obsessive love between two teenagers, Jade Butterfield (played by Brooke Shields) and David Axelrod (played by Martin Hewitt).
Theme of the Film
The primary theme of Endless Love is obsessive love and the consequences it can have when boundaries are crossed. David's love for Jade starts as a passionate teenage romance but quickly spirals into obsession. As their relationship grows more intense, Jade's family becomes concerned, especially after David's behavior turns more possessive and unstable.
The film also touches on themes of youthful passion, forbidden love, family conflict, and the emotional volatility of adolescence. As David becomes consumed by his obsession with Jade, it leads to catastrophic decisions, including an incident where he sets fire to her family’s house in a desperate attempt to get closer to her.
Lesson from the Film
One of the central lessons in Endless Love is the dangers of obsessive love and the importance of emotional boundaries in relationships. The film shows how love, when taken to an extreme, can become destructive and harmful to both parties involved. David's inability to control his emotions and his obsession with Jade ultimately leads to tragic consequences, affecting not only their relationship but also their families.
Key takeaways from the film include:
- Balance and self-control in relationships: It's important to maintain a sense of self and not let love become an unhealthy obsession that overrides reason and personal boundaries.
- Respecting boundaries: Love must be mutual and respectful of each other's space. Crossing those boundaries, as David does, can lead to loss of trust and irreversible damage.
- The consequences of impulsive actions: Acting out of emotion without considering the long-term effects can lead to disastrous outcomes, as shown by David's destructive actions in the film.
- Parental guidance and intervention: The film also portrays how family dynamics and parental involvement can either help or complicate situations, especially during the turbulent teenage years.
In essence, Endless Love is a cautionary tale about the line between love and obsession, and the destructive power of emotions when they are not controlled.
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17-year-old David and 15-year old Jade (Brooke Shields) find themselves in a passionate love affair. But as their relationship becomes more intense, it begins to take its toll-- and when David is barred from seeing Jade, a chain of tragic events unfold.
Release date
1981
Running time
1:54:20
Audio
English
Subtitle
English [CC]
Actors
Director
Producer
Writer
Genres
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I was a romantic 15-year-old when I first saw this movie, and I remember it being so much better than this. I had forgotten entirely the part of the house fire and the psych ward. I just remember how David and Jade were so starry-eyed in love with each other (sigh).
Now that I'm a little older and a mom, what on earth were Jade's parents thinking about allowing that boy to sleep in their 15-year-old daughter's bedroom!!!
And the mom gazing dreamily at her daughter and the boy having sex in the living room - what the heck was that about? Pretty bad and terribly sappy, but it's a classic. [@amgirl4286
1 year ago
The mother was living through the daughter. She was in love with youthful romance.] [@Rollimggiant
3 months ago
Finally someone with a brain. Did they not watch the movie ?] [This doesn’t look like a love story, this looks more like control, not to mention he was with her mom too.]
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Love that you can't believe how much you love the other person, can either last forever, or it can burn you down. Sometimes both. A lot depends on if it's mutual or not.
But don't hold out waiting for it or them. It's okay if it feels real for a time; just put it away as a fond memory and go on with your life. Don't ever let your heart or your life be someone else's toy. There are people who will play games, play with your heart, and throw you away when they feel "bored", and do it over and over as long as you let them manipulate you and your feelings. Don't let them trust me. It, they, can wreck your life.
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@Marissa-ys4qp
1 year ago
SPOILERS BTW: What a little creep, creeping his way into people's lives and ruining them. He couldn't keep it in his pants for one night to let her study?! This dude was right to be in a mental hospital. He burns down a house and expects Jade to what, be okay with it? He reminds me of Heathcliff; like, let her go man. This was not a very healthy relationship, I mean, is he even able to hold down a job because all he seems to be able to think of is her. Weirdo
@Rollimggiant
3 months ago
How sad that you see it as weird . Did you not experience that all consuming first love ? I guess not . I did, and I still dream of him at 54. No first love is a healthy relationship. You are too young and have no life experience yet to deal with such strong feelings. But you never forget about the first love as long as you live, and I have zero regrets as far as the fire relax; it's a movie, not real life.
@honest6360
1 year ago (edited)
Being crazy in love made him selfish, pushing himself on her family and never letting her get any sleep. Then challenging her father? Bad move, David. lol
If he had backed off just a little, it never would have blown up to begin with.
@benestrope3173
2 weeks ago
Wasn't it Tom Cruise's first appearance too?
This boy was super disrespectful! I don't blame the father for being so angry; ultimately, it's the parents' fault for having no boundaries with their children.
It's a MOVIE, remember? This is not a reality show. It's for entertainment, and besides that fact, we all have had that first love that was all-consuming, at least those of us lucky enough to experience it. I'm 54: but I remember that first love, and I disobeyed my parents and would sneak him in every night. I wouldn't change a thing about it.
@sirena7811
1 year ago
I could never get over how in love the mother is with David []
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11 replies@samueltabo3390
1 year ago
Creeped me out
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Reply@smitha5022
1 year ago (edited)
@samueltabo3390 AND she watched them in action!! YUCK!
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Reply@juliemontano8786
1 year ago
Pretty sickening
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Reply@sara31773
1 year ago
Yeah that was a twist I didn’t expect. Very weird.
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Reply@DeeMontezx1
1 year ago
She was not in love, she was in lust. Totally sickening.
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Reply@renzob.4501
1 year ago
And the fact Brooke Shields was only 16 in these love scenes showing nips and all [] [] makes it child pornographic. I CAN'T BELIEVE YOUTUBE DID THIS SHIT!!! I can't BELIEVE DIDN'T NONE OF Y'ALL CATCH ON []
@shawnastephens1536
1 year ago
I remember my first love. Just like this. Obsessed, we couldn't keep our hands to ourselves. Wrote a thousand letters to each other. His broke us up because we were to serious. I felt like dying. I was so hurt. Just crushed.
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@cherrydelrey1949
1 year ago (edited)
@smitha5022 Bro I was NOT expecting that. Traumatized []
I am 50 years old. When this movie came out, I was in first grade. This song, endless Love, has always been my favorite love song and I had it played at my wedding and it is the all-time prettiest love song. The movie is also my favorite, next to Urban Cowboy.
