TWO AGAINST TIME (TV)

Summary

This made-for-television movie is based on the true story of a mother and daughter simultaneously battling cancer. The program begins with as Julie Portman happily welcomes her son Michael home from college, but is troubled by her strained relationship with her teenage daughter Emma and also by the fact that her ex-husband has stopped paying their son’s tuition. When she confronts him, he admits that he lost his job again, and they argue about their parental responsibilities. At her restaurant job, Julie flirts with the lobster delivery man, George, although she tells her friend Connie that she has “no time” for a relationship. She receives a phone call that Emma has ditched school again and comes home to find her alone with a boy, Tommy, and realizes that she is using marijuana. She lectures her daughter about ruining her future, but is distracted when the girl complains of pain in her arm. Emma soon has surgery to remove a suspicious lump, and later spends time with her father, admitting that she cannot wait to escape her mother when she goes to college. However, Julie soon receives a call from the doctor and learns that Emma has a type of cancer that attacks the muscle, and the family quickly meets with the doctors and learns that she will have to have chemotherapy as well as further surgery to verify that the disease has not spread. Julie attempts to comfort her daughter, and her relationship with George deepens when he expresses concern for Emma and they share some private time together. At the same time, Julie and Connie go in for routine mammograms. As Emma’s second operation approaches, she panics and tries to avoid it, but Julie compels her to go through with it for her own good. The surgery is a success and the cancer is entirely removed, although Emma remains doubtful about her prognosis.

George and Julie continue spending time together, but Julie soon learns that her mammogram revealed an abnormality. She focuses on caring for Emma during her first round of chemo, however, and Emma meets an oddly charming fellow patient named Eddie. Julie talks with Michael and implores him to care for Emma long-term, revealing that she has breast cancer and must have surgery herself. When George attempts to further their relationship, she sadly ends things because it is “not the right time.” Emma begins to suffer the side effects of her chemo, and Julie decides to take her home. When she returns to school, she is embarrassed to find her mother talking to the principal, but Julie finally admits that she too is sick. Julie learns that she will have outpatient treatment, assisted by Connie. Emma gets closer to Eddie, and Julie commiserates with Eddie’s mother over their shared experience. Things are still strained between mother and daughter, however, as Emma laments feeling ugly and is embarrassed by her mother’s ill appearance. Later, Julie caters a wedding with Connie and runs into George, who inquires kindly about her well-being, and they begin to rekindle their relationship. Emma, on the other hand, is crushed to learn that Tommy has taken up with someone else during her illness, and she and her mother bond as they talk about love. Emma asks Julie about her relationship with her own mother, but she remains tightlipped on the subject.

Julie learns that her condition is improved, but while at the hospital she sees Eddie brought in, and later breaks the news to Emma that he passed away, which upsets her. Soon, however, she plans her graduation party, and Julie asks if she might want to attend art school for her photographs, although Emma worries about abandoning her mother while she is sick. Later, Julie is forced to call her ex-husband to pick her up at the hospital, and admits that her cancer has returned, deciding not to tell her children just yet. She spends time with George and says that she wants the graduation party to be special and memorable to make up for milestones that they may miss, and the party is a smashing success. Emma enrolls in art school and despite her initial nervousness, she is relieved to learn that her roommate is not at all uncomfortable with her illness. Though her health continues to decline, Julie attends Parents’ Weekend and meets Emma’s new friends, but Michael soon calls Emma and suggests that Julie should possibly enter hospice, much to Emma’s distress. Emma soon begins to care for her mother as Julie did for her, eventually taking her home from the hospital and helping to give her a long-awaited shower. Julie then gives Emma her mother’s treasured recipes, and finally explains about her childhood: her mother went into a depression after her brother’s premature death and “vanished,” dying shortly thereafter herself and causing Julie to struggle with feelings of anger and resentment. Her children comfort her as she admits that she misses her mother, and they tend to her as she begins to slip away. On her deathbed, Julie asks Emma not to be angry about her passing, and Emma assures her that she can “let go now” and lies with her as she dies. The title card explains that Emma beat her illness and went on to become a professional photographer. Commercials deleted.

Details

• NETWORK: CBS
• DATE: April 21, 2002 9:00 PM
• RUNNING TIME: 0:40:20
• COLOR/B&W: Color
• CATALOG ID: B:84501
• GENRE: Drama
• SUBJECT HEADING: Drama; Mothers and daughters; Cancer
• SERIES RUN: CBS - TV, 2002
• COMMERCIALS: N/A

CREDITS

• Carol Abrams … Executive Producer
• Adrienne Levin … Executive Producer
• Marlo Thomas … Executive Producer
• Lynn Raynor … Producer
• Elena V. Dorfman … Associate Producer
• Lawrence E. Neiman … Associate Producer
• Casey Kurtti … Writer
• Peter Nelson … Writer
• David Anspaugh … Director
• David Shire … Music by
• Marlo Thomas … Cast, Julie Portman
• Ellen Muth … Cast, Emma Portman
• Peter Friedman … Cast, Robert Portman
• Karen Robinson … Cast, Connie Matthews
• Troy Hall … Cast, Michael Portman
• Joe Penny … Cast, George Tomich
• Drew Nelson … Cast, Eddie Bramante
• Daniel Petronijevic … Cast, Tommy
• David Eisner … Cast, Dr. Cooper
• Jim Codrington … Cast, Dr. Emerick
• Allegra Fulton … Cast, Theresa
• Diane D'Aquila … Cast, Dr. Wilmer
• Kristin Booth … Cast, Kimberly
• Shelly Peterson … Cast, Arlene
• Kim Roberts … Cast, Nurse Anne
• Leanna Barnes … Cast, Sheri
• Ronn Sarosiak … Cast, Vasif
• Tom Masek … Cast, Anthony Albion
• Helen Taylor … Cast, Hospice Nurse Mary
• Marty Moreau … Cast, Motorcycle Cop
• Michele Ferney … Cast, Nurse
• Neshera Tingling … Cast, Emma's Friend #1
• Caley Wilson … Cast, Emma's Friend #2
• Todd Dulmage … Cast, Doctor #1
• Vickie Papavs … Cast, Doctor #2
• Grace Armas … Cast, Nurse #1
• Julie Watson … Cast, Nurse #2
• Natalie Urquhart … Cast, Prep Student #1
• Jessica Beitchman … Cast, Prep Student #2
• Marvin Hinz … Cast, Eddie's Dad