Rich in Love is a 1992 drama film directed by Bruce Beresford, and starring Albert Finney, Kathryn Erbe, Kyle MacLachlan, Jill Clayburgh, Suzy Amis, and Ethan Hawke. It is based on the 1987 novel Rich in Love by Josephine Humphreys.

Plot

The Odom family lives in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, just off Bennett Street, looking out onto Charleston Harbor. Lucille Odom (Erbe) is nearing the end of her last year of high school when her mother, Helen Odom (Clayburgh), leaves the family, breaking all ties. Lucille is left to care for her recently retired father, Warren Odom (Finney). The family spends the summer trying to get their lives together, which is complicated when the older daughter of the family, Rae (Amis), moves back home with a new husband (MacLachlan) and a baby on the way, about which Rae has mixed feelings. While reminiscing about their mother, Rae tells Lucille that their mother tried to abort Lucille when she was pregnant. Warren notices his daughters in new and different ways now that his wife is gone and he is no longer working. Everything changes for Lucille as she comes-of-age and learns about her family in new ways.

Cast

Production

The film was set and produced in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. Some additional footage was shot across the Cooper River in Charleston.

Reception

While the film received mostly positive reviews, it was a major box office failure. One drawback was that many did not find the story believable, as the family's problems and a happy ending were something of a fantasy. For example, Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave the film three stars out of four, writing "I must confess I didn't much believe the story".

Home media

The film was released on DVD via Amazon’s On-Demand service on December 15, 2009.