''Changes'', also known as ''Danielle Steel's Changes'', is a 1991 American made-for-television romantic

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super- ...

directed by

Charles Jarrott Charles Jarrott (16 June 1927 – 4 March 2011) was a British film and television director. He was best known for costume dramas he directed for producer Hal B. Wallis, among them '' Anne of the Thousand Days'', which earned him a Golden Glob ...

. The film is based upon the 1983 novel of the same name written by

Danielle Steel Danielle Fernandes Dominique Schuelein-Steel (born August 14, 1947) is an American writer, best known for her romance novels. She is the bestselling author alive and the fourth-bestselling fiction author of all time, with over 800 million ...

Plot

Melanie Adams is a divorced mother who gave birth to twin girls Val and Jessica at age 19 before becoming a successful news correspondent working in New York City. For her latest story, she travels to Los Angeles to do a report on a sick, but an optimistic girl. She immediately feels attracted to the girl's doctor, Peter Hallam. Peter is a widowed father of three children; 18-year-old Mark, 15-year-old Pam, and 8-year-old Matt. Their mother died of pulmonary hypertension after refusing treatment. The family is still grieving - especially Pam - has difficulty dealing with the loss. After a short-lived romance, Melanie and Peter part ways. They soon conclude that they can't live without each other and Melanie reluctantly gives up her job, thereby ruining her chances of becoming an anchor, to move with Val and Jessica, now 16, to Los Angeles. There, she takes a job as a co-host at a local news program and soon finds out the other co-host, Paul Stevenson, is not glad about her arrival, trying to sabotage her opportunities. Further on, she and Peter are married. Trying to adjust to Californian life does not go without trouble. Val and Mark fall in love and she becomes pregnant. Fearing their parents' judgment, they decide to visit a downtown inexperienced doctor for an abortion. Val soon becomes very sick, which forces Mark to tell Melanie and Peter the truth about her abortion. While dealing with this information, Melanie is bothered by the great impact Peter's first wife still has. Pam and the maid, Mrs. Hahn treat Melanie horribly by not allowing Melanie to take in her own furniture and the twins still have to use a spare room. When Melanie finds out she is pregnant, Peter is delighted, but the children are disgusted. Realizing she already does not have enough time to spend time with Val and Jessica, she considers having an abortion. When Peter thinks she only wants an abortion because of her career, Melanie decides that she has had enough. She packs her stuff and runs away to San Francisco. The family soon realizes all the problems they have caused Melanie. Peter fires Mrs. Hahn for not accepting Melanie as his new wife, and he takes down his late wife's portrait from the wall. Afterward, Peter convinces Melanie to return and everyone - including Pam - apologizes. The family decides to move to a new house with more space, and Peter hires Raquel, her maid from New York. Melanie soon gives birth to twins.

Cast

Cheryl Ladd Cheryl Ladd (born Cheryl Jean Stoppelmoor; July 12, 1951) is an American actress, singer, and author best known for her role as Kris Munroe in the ABC television series ''Charlie's Angels'', whose cast she joined in its second season in 1977 to ...

as Melanie Adams * Michael Nouri as Peter Hallam *

Christopher Gartin Christopher Russell Gartin (born January 12, 1977, in New York City, New York) is an American actor and producer, known for ''Black Swan'' (2010), '' Tremors 2: Aftershocks'' (1996) and ''Transcendence Transcendence, transcendent, or transcende ...

as Mark Hallam *

Christie Clark Christie Mary Clark (born December 13, 1973) is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Carrie Brady in ''Days of Our Lives''. Early life Clark was born in Los Angeles, California, on December 13, 1973, to Craig and Cathy Cla ...

as Valerie 'Val' Adams *

Renee O'Connor Evelyn Renee O'Connor (born February 15, 1971) is an American actress, producer, and director, known for the role of Gabrielle on the television series '' Xena: Warrior Princess''. Early life Born in Houston, and raised in suburban Katy, Texas, ...

as Jessica Adams *

Ami Foster Ami Foster is an American actress and singer. She is best known for her role as Margaux Kramer in the TV series ''Punky Brewster''. Biography Foster, a native of California, won the National Tap Dance Championship after which she was discove ...

as Pam Hallam *

Joseph Gordon-Levitt Joseph Leonard Gordon-Levitt (; born February 17, 1981) is an American actor. He has received various accolades, including nominations for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy for his leading performances ...

as Matthew 'Matt' Hallam *

Liz Sheridan Elizabeth Ann Sheridan (April 10, 1929 – April 15, 2022) was an American actress. While best known for her roles as Jerry's mother, Helen, in '' Seinfeld'' and the nosy neighbor, Mrs. Ochmonek, on sitcom '' ALF'', her decades-long career was e ...

as Mrs. Hahn *Betty Carvalho as Raquel *

Randee Heller Randee Heller (born Randee Antzis; June 10, 1947) is an American television and film actress known for playing Alice in the 1970s sitcom ''Soap (TV series), Soap'' – one of television's first lesbian characters – as well as for portraying Li ...

as Carol Kellerman *Cynthia Bain as Marie Dupres *

Charles Frank Charles Reser Frank (born April 17, 1947) is an American actor noted for playing Bret Maverick's cousin Ben Maverick in the 1978 TV-movie ''The New Maverick'' with James Garner and Jack Kelly, and in the short-lived 1979 television series '' ...

as Brad Buckley *

James Sloyan James Joseph Sloyan (born February 24, 1940 in Indianapolis, Indiana) is an American actor. Early years Sloyan left the United States at an early age to live abroad in Rome, Capri, Milan, Switzerland, and Ireland. His career in show busi ...

as Paul Stevenson *

Luis Avalos Luis is a given name. It is the Spanish form of the originally Germanic name or . Other Iberian Romance languages have comparable forms: (with an accent mark on the i) in Portuguese and Galician, in Aragonese and Catalan, while is archaic ...

as Ray *Flo Di Re as Helen

References

External links

* {{Charles Jarrott 1991 television films 1991 films 1991 romantic drama films American romantic drama films Films based on American novels NBC Productions films NBC network original films Films directed by Charles Jarrott Films scored by Lee Holdridge Films based on romance novels Films based on works by Danielle Steel American drama television films 1990s American films