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As an actor who works in film and television, I think Kirkland's performance in "Anna" is one of the greatest ever given by an American actress on screen. Every actor should see it, as well as Kim Stanley's in "The Goddess" and Geraldine Page's in "The Trip to Bountiful".

I also think this film is important in its message to Hollywood - stop putting looks above talent!

This film is a fascinating story, all too true for actresses in the US, especially today. Anna, an enormously talented middle-aged woman, is overlooked, while exceptional opportunities come along for a pretty young girl with little to offer but looks and a perky personality, who just happens to use Anna to get to the top.

The story is supposed to be based on a real person and her experience trying to find work in New York after having been a star in Europe. Kirkland brings this character to life with amazing depth and courage. Although she lost the Oscar that year to the well - deserving Cher for "Moonstruck", I think if more people had seen this film, Kirkland would have walked away with the little gold man that night. I am still inspired by what the film has to say about women in this business who lose opportunities because of ageism. What is it with American producers? I love Judi Dench and Vanessa Redgrave, but if they were American women, they would never find work! The Hollywood film industry should take a lesson from their European counterparts and use the talented older ladies we have right here!!! Every time Dench or Redgrave make a film, they are nominated or win for it. There are thousands of equally gifted ladies right under our noses in Hollywood who never get a shot at greatness. Sadly, Sally Kirkland just had the one...

I was there, I lived it. I lost friends. A lot of this film was manufactured for dramatic effect, I'm sure, and that's okay. There were some touching moments and some scenes brought back memories. But Warner Bros fumbled overall, I think, making it just another inspirational popcorn movie. Certainly Jack Lengyel was nothing like the guy Matthew portrayed in my memory,(although as an actor I enjoy his work - Matthew's, not Jack's), nor did Lengyel or any of the others dress in that goofy looking polyester. I remember them in green MU dress jackets and nice clothes. Huntington, West Virginia is and was a beautiful city, Marshall is a great university, and the people who died on that rainy night and those brave kids who followed them to re-build the Herd deserved better representation on the big screen. Nobody wants to see people suffer, and seeing a city shrouded in mourning all through the holidays and for months afterward probably wouldn't sell tickets, but that's the way it was. I just wish the producers would have filmed a better story, focusing on more than the Lengyel angle. That entire city and university rose from the ashes, and that was the greater story, believe me. More than anything in the film, the reality of that year showed the quiet strength of a shattered community brought together through tragedy and grief, who re-built from scratch something they had always held in high esteem. And when each little step of that goal was reached, we never forgot those we lost, and as important as, "We Are Marshall", became later on, we also said a silent prayer - "God Bless the 75".

This film, though, critically acclaimed, has of course not yet been released in the U.S. on DVD, like another great - Christine Lahti's "Housekeeping", out the same year. But if you can support Region 4 (Australian) DVD's, this little masterpiece should be in your collection. There are still some VHS copies available on the internet as well.Davis is complemented by a great story, as well as memorable performances from her supporting cast, especially Claudia Carvan and the late, great Jan Adele. Amazingly, or maybe not, this film and its stars went unacknowledged at Academy Awards time, as did "Housekeeping", but treat yourself to both of them - you will be glad you did!