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Six Weeks

Six Weeks

In six weeks you can find memories to last a lifetime.

1982107 minPGMidcredits score: 39th percentile of all films
Director
Tony Bill
Starring
Dudley Moore, Mary Tyler Moore, Katherine Healy, Michael Ensign

A wealthy cosmetic tycoon and her 12-year-old daughter, who's dying from leukemia, strike up a sentimental friendship with a California politician. Since the girl has only six weeks or less to live, the trio fly to New York City where the daughter skates the ice rink at Rockefeller Center, assumes the lead in The Nutcracker ballet, and sightsees most of the city.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Six Weeks?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Six Weeks streaming on Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Prime Video.

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Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Six Weeks?

Six Weeks earns 3 badges, led by Box Office Flop and Preferred by US Viewers.

  • Reception
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Six Weeks worth watching?

Six Weeks' Midcredits score is the 39th percentile of all films, from 1.6K ratings across 4 sources. 42% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

39th percentile

Better received than 39% of films

36th percentile among Drama41st percentile among 1980s
Acclaim (how much people like it)38th
Approval (how many liked it)41st

58 /100

38th percentile of all films

35th percentile among Drama39th percentile among 1980s

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.1 — solid but not unanimous.

42% liked it

41st percentile of all films

37th percentile among Drama43rd percentile among 1980s
42% rated it 7–1058% rated it 1–6

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 0 wins / 4 noms overall

  • NominatedGolden Globes· Best Original Score - Motion Picture
  • NominatedGolden Globes· New Star of the Year in a Motion Picture - Female

52nd percentile

1.6K ratings across platforms

55th percentile among Drama48th percentile among 1980s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 52% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$9M
Opening weekend$979K
Domestic gross$6.7M
Worldwide gross$6.7M

Returned 0.7× its budget — 81st percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A sentimental tear-jerker driven by a terminally ill child's wishes and the bond she forms with a married politician.

Fans praised

  • strong performances from Dudley Moore, Mary Tyler Moore, and Katherine Healy
  • genuinely emotional and uplifting despite the tragic subject
  • effective chemistry between Dudley Moore and Katherine Healy

Detractors panned

  • cloying, manipulative sentimentality
  • unrealistic plot and contrived character motivations
  • awkward lack of chemistry between Dudley Moore and Mary Tyler Moore

What stands out

Sound and musicDivisive75

Dudley Moore's composed score praised as moving and magical, but some call soap-opera-ish

ActingDivisive72

Katherine Healy praised as promising; Dudley Moore and Mary Tyler Moore divisive — some call superb, others bland

Emotional impactDivisive60

powerful tear-jerker for many; others left dry-eyed by manipulation

AtmosphereDivisive55

cozy New York Christmas setting praised by fans; detractors find it an elegant tear-jerker

EndingDivisive50

bittersweet resolution praised as mature by fans, predictable by detractors

CharactersDivisive40

precocious dying child works for fans but annoys detractors; politician and cosmetics exec roles seen as unrealistic

OriginalityDivisive35

familiar dying-child wish-fulfillment plot; some note unusual refusal of romantic payoff

Plot and storyDivisive30

melodramatic setup with campaign and platonic romance; detractors find it disjointed and contrived

Preferred by

US vs non-US

Preferred by US Viewers

US viewers scored it 15 points higher than non-US viewers.

Watch experience

What is Six Weeks like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Moving and bittersweet: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready for heavy feelings, and you want a story that moves you and leaves an ache.

It takes its time and leaves you bittersweet. Skip it when you want an easy night or you want things to move fast.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Room for heavy feelings and patience.

What it feels like

Moving and bittersweet.

The answer rests on this: Moods
MelancholicHopeful
Heaviest: late
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
Sentimental · 8% of filmsTender · 13% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film holds its sentimental material straight, relying on earnest performances and avoiding irony.
The rideThe film maintains a tender and melancholic register throughout, with hopeful moments during the New York trip, before the girl's death in the final act creates a devastating close.
StructureThe story unfolds chronologically from the initial meeting through the girl's decline and death.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Bittersweet.

The answer rests on this: BittersweetDevastating · 3% of films
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves the viewer with the warmth of the bond formed and the grief of the loss.
How it ends · evidence
Tragic ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Tragedy
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9% (this title): Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3% (this title)
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Tragedy: A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin. · Crushed by fate: Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.

9% of films fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeA politician befriends a dying girl and her mother, and the girl's inevitable death from leukemia drives the narrative toward tragedy.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfFamilybonds
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27% (this title): Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% (this title) · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% (this title) · Grief 6% (this title) · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Bonds

Family bondsMortality · 2% of filmsGrief · 6% of films
Mourns its theme: Grieves its theme, or what has been lost of it.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe film centers on the makeshift family formed between a dying girl, her mother, and a politician, exploring love and loss in the face of imminent death.
StanceThe film mourns the loss of a child and the family bonds forged too briefly, focusing on the intimate grief of the two adults.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanDomesticIn transitRealistic
Orchestral classicalSupportive music · original score · Dudley Moore
SettingLos Angeles and New York City in the early 1980s, among wealthy political and business circles
MusicDudley Moore, also the lead actor, composed the score, which features classical ballet music for the Nutcracker scenes.

Content guide

Is Six Weeks okay for kids?

PG

Six Weeks is rated PG.

Ratings in 1 other country
  • Germany12

No detailed content scores for this title yet.

What content warnings does Six Weeks have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Six Weeks?

Cast

Dudley Moore
as Patrick Dalton
Mary Tyler Moore
as Charlotte Dreyfus
Katherine Healy
as Nicole Dreyfus
Michael Ensign
as Choreographer
Bill Calvert
as Jeff Dalton
Anne Ditchburn
as Assistant Choreographer
Shannon Wilcox
as Peg Dalton
John Harkins
as Arnold Stillman
Joe Regalbuto
as Bob Crowther
Clement von Franckenstein
as TV Interviewer

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Six Weeks?

Movies like Six Weeks include Untamed Heart (1993), A Death in the Gunj (2016) and 120 BPM (Beats Per Minute) (2017). Two are found-family stories; two are films that feel wry.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Six Weeks?

560 other films share the rarest tag below, follows: politician. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.