The Subject Was Roses (1968)

The curtain of World War II lifts, revealing Corporal Timmy Cleary, a young American soldier of twenty-one, returning home to his parents' Bronx apartment after three grueling years on the frontline. Once a frail and sickly child, Timmy finds himself stepping into a domestic battlefield where his parents, John and Nettie Cleary, are still embroiled in the remnants of their long-eroded marriage. Behind the facade of their seemingly perfect Catholic household, John and Nettie have been living a life of estrangement. John, seeking to maintain the illusion of bliss, drowns his sorrows in alcohol and surrenders to extramarital affairs. Meanwhile, Nettie seeks solace in her blood relations, particularly her ailing mother and a disabled relative named Willis. Their marital discord, once a hushed secret, now threatens to spill over with Timmy's return. Timmy's homecoming alters the dynamics within the turbulent apartment. No longer the voiceless minor, he matures into an assertive adult unafraid to challenge the family dysfunction. As he navigates their domestic minefield, his perceptions oscillate, attributing the fault alternatively to his father and mother as he begins to perceive them in their true flawed humanity. A poignant moment arises when Timmy buys roses for his mother on his father's behalf, a simple act that inadvertently stirs the undercurrents of their unresolved strife. He stands helplessly amidst the emotional debris, recognizing his family's disintegration and his inability to mend it. Resolution, he realizes, can only come from both his parents. "The Subject Was Roses" is a vivid portrayal of a family caught in the whirlwind of post-war reality, their private battles as profound as the ones fought on the warfront. Throughout the unfolding drama, the characters grapple with their past and present, seeking redemption and resolution amidst a storm of emotional chaos.

The Subject Was Roses is a drama movie featuring Patricia Neal and directed by Ulu Grosbard.

The Subject Was Roses is currently streaming on TCM.