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Two lonely souls, one house, zero chill. Liz Taylor as a prickly professor? Instant chaos.
TMDB
73
IMDb
68

Return Engagement (1978)

retro chamber dramaslow-burn connectionacademic grumpiness

Overview

DramaTV Movie

A live-theater production in which Elizabeth Taylor stars as Emily Loomis, a professor of ancient history at a small California college, who reluctantly agrees to rent a room in her house to one of the new students, named Stewart Anderson. Both happen to be loners (she with a secret past) and although they initially get on each other's nerves, they eventually realize the rapport to help one another emerge from their emotional shells.

Flag of USUS
Content warning
professorloner

Standout Aspects

Acting

Taylor's brittle vulnerability—she's doing A LOT with very little.

Production

Shot-on-stage intimacy that feels accidentally cinematic.

Best for:Solo: Rainy afternoon when you want feelings, not explosions.·Background: Cooking dinner while half-watching 1978 energy.
J

Director

Joseph Hardy

ReleasedNov 17, 1978
Runtime1h 14m
StatusReleased

Vibe

Paceslow
Intensitylow
Tonemixed
Feelmedium
NBC
The Production Company

Top Cast

Elizabeth Taylor

Elizabeth Taylor

Dr. Emily Loomis

Joseph Bottoms

Joseph Bottoms

Stewart Anderman

Allyn Ann McLerie

Allyn Ann McLerie

Florence

Peter Donat

Peter Donat

George Riley

James Ray

James Ray

Mr. Keith

Susan Buckner

Susan Buckner

Janice

Don Stark

Don Stark

Waiter

Mary Kay Bergman

Mary Kay Bergman

Mary

Darlene Conley

Darlene Conley

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Deep Dive

Trivia, insights & behind the scenes

Trivia

This was Taylor's only TV movie in the 1970s—she reportedly took it for the short shoot so she could return to Richard Burton's side.

Cultural

The 'loner professor' trope peaked here before 1980s cinema turned all academics into either heroes or villains.

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