Jack Nicholson At 80: His 10 Best Performances
5. Garrett Breedlove (Terms Of Endearment)
Once again, this is essentially Nicholson playing himself, minus the actual devil within. Although he is a delightfully devilish cad in this film. Garrett is a womanising retired astronaut who has a brief fling with his next door neighbour Aurora Greenway (Shirley MacLaine). Their side story is the perfect comedy accompaniment to the main plot of the film that charts the 30-year relationship between Greenway and her daughter Emma Greenway-Horton (Debra Winger).
One of the funniest scenes is when Garrett and Aurora are driving along a beach in a hilariously unconventional manner: Garrett is sat on top of the convertible sports car using his feet to turn the wheel whilst Aurora, clearly not enjoying the experience, is in control of the pedals.
Aurora suddenly breaks, causing him to fall into the sea, and when she checks on Garrett he cheekily says to her, "If you wanted to get me on my back, you just had to ask me," before they end up kissing.
One of the most tender moments, though, is during the funeral of Emma when Garrett goes over to chat to the eldest child of Emma and the useless Flap (Jeff Daniels), to try to take his mind off the death of his mother.