Claim: Donald Sutherland is an actor in movies.

Ordinary People is a 1980 American drama film that marked the directorial debut of actor Robert Redford . The film stars Donald Sutherland , Mary Tyler Moore , Judd Hirsch , and Timothy Hutton .   The story concerns the disintegration of an upper-middle class family in Lake Forest , Illinois , following the death of one of their sons in a boating accident . The screenplay by Alvin Sargent was based upon the 1976 novel Ordinary People by Judith Guest .   The film received six Academy Award nominations and won four : the Academy Award for Best Picture , Best Director for Redford , Adapted Screenplay for Sargent , and Supporting Actor for Hutton . In addition , it won five Golden Globes : Best Motion Picture -- Drama , Best Director -LRB- Redford -RRB- , Best Actress in a Drama -LRB- Tyler Moore -RRB- , Best Supporting Actor -LRB- Hutton -RRB- , and Best Screenplay -LRB- Sargent -RRB- .