Marriage

Film critic Stephen Schiff reviews the new film, "Widow's Peak," starring Mia Farrow, Joan Plowright, and Natasha Richardson.

When Ursula Seinige started her surgical residency, not much about breast cancer was known. In the early 80s, more treatments were developed, like the modified radical mastectomy. Two and a half years ago, Seinige was diagnosed with breast cancer. She joins Fresh Air to discuss her own treatment, as well as her role in a support group she founded for survivors of the disease.

Reiser was a stand-up comedian for years and was in the sit-com "My Two Dads." He's the creator and co-star of a new show, "Mad About You," a Seinfeldesque comedy on NBC, about a married couple. Helen Hunt plays Reiser's wife.

Film critic Stephen Schiff reviews Woody Allen's latest film, which draws inspiration from the director's troubled, real-life relationship with co-star Mia Farrow.

Film critic John Powers of the L.A. Weekly reviews "The Best intentions," a three-hour film based on Bergman's parents' troubled relationship.

Historian Glenda Riley. Riley's new book, "Divorce: An American Tradition," looks at the long history of divorce. Among the book's revelations: the first divorce in America happened way back in 1639 (on grounds of bigamy) and that in 1880 as many as one in 16 marriages ended in divorce. (The book's published by Oxford university Press).

Architects Robert Venturi and Denise Soctt Brown. Venturi has just been awarded the prestigious Pritzker Architecture Prize. His famous response to the modernist philosophy that "less is more," was "less is a bore," and is credited as a major turning point in modernist architecture. Venturi and Brown are the authors of several books on architecture. Current projects include a new wing of the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square in London, and a new building for the Seattle Art Museum.

In honor of Saint Valentine's Day, film critic Owen Gleiberman reviews the 1946 romance, "Humoresque," with Joan Crawford and John Garfield. He says no recent romance films capture Hollywood's early edginess.

Book critic John Leonard reviews Grossman's first novel, "The Smile of the Lamb," originally written in 1983. It explores the conflict between the Israelis and Palestinians through the lenses of culture and language.

Classical Music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews the Great Performances telecast of Peter Sellars' production of "The Marriage of Figaro." It airs this Friday night on PBS.

The stage and screen actor's career has spanned nearly 50 years. One of his most well-known films is the Magnificent Seven. Wallach is currently touring the country in the play Love Letters with his wife Anne Jackson, and also has a role in the upcoming film, Godfather Part III.

The Fleetwood Mac founder and drummer has a new memoir about the romantic entanglements that tore apart the band. Despite their troubled history, they're on tour in support of a new album, Behind the Mask.

Stephen Schiff reviews The Two Jakes, directed by star Jack Nicholson. Schiff says nothing about the film is particularly bad -- nor does anything stand out.

Commentator Patricia McLaughlin examines the travails of buying a something to wear to a wedding.

Actor Timothy Busfield. He plays Elliot Weston on the ABC series, "thirtysomething." (he's the one with the red hair). He also appeared last summer in the movie, "Field of Dreams." Those roles follow a career that included commercials, parts in "Revenge of the Nerds," "Reggie," and "Trapper John M.D." Next week, Busfield is hosting a Lifetime cable special called "Don't Divorce the Children," about the trauma of childhood separation and divorce.

Maureen Corrigan reviews the new novel by feminist author Marge Piercy. The book focuses on a love triangle between a woman and a married couple, as well as the nature of art, and living in Cape Cod year round.

The writer published her first story she was 35; her first novel came out nine years later. Her latest book, Silver, is about marriage, domesticity and suburban life.

Maureen Corrigan has regularly read the Sunday New York Times wedding announcements. She says the kind of information that's printed -- and the kinds of couples who are highlighted might say as much about the paper's editorial slant as much as it does the current state of marriage.

Film critic Stephen Schiff reviews the new, gauzy picture by Joel Schumacher, and starring Ted Danson and Isabella Rossellini. He says the movie, a remake of a French film, has all the tired trappings of other romances, but the acting is better than he expected.

Psychologist Judith Wallerstein completed a long-term study to learn the effects of divorce on families, especially on children. She says that kids often bear the responsibility of giving their parents emotional support, and that the impact on the children's own lives often won't manifest itself until years later.