ON GOLDEN POND
A film review by Walter Frith
Copyright 1997 Walter Frith
Screen legend Henry Fonda passed away fifteen years ago in 1982 and in all the time that has passed since his death, he will be remembered by many in this generation for his last film which brought him his long awaited Academy Award for Best Actor the year he died and that film is director Mark Rydell's 'On Golden Pond'. At the 1982 Academy Awards celebrating the films of 1981 his daughter Jane (who herself retired from film acting in 1990 with 'Stanley and Iris') accepted on his behalf and truly delivered moments of gracious respect for her father and shared her father's feelings about the award and his appreciation in winning it. It is one of Oscar's finest moments in the last two decades. Nominated rarely at other previous times in his career, most notably for Best Actor in 1940 for 'The Grapes of Wrath' and in 1957 as co-producer of the year's Best Picture nominee '12 Angry Men', Fonda would take his place in history as one of Hollywood's most easy going yet powerful leading men.
Set at a summer lakefront home in Maine, 'On Golden Pond' tells the story of an elderly couple (Henry Fonda and Katharine Hepburn) who share time together at their summer retreat and await a visit from their daughter (Jane Fonda) who will join them in celebrating Henry Fonda's 80th birthday in the film. The relationship between the two Fondas in the film is a rocky one as she refers to her father on a first name basis and brings along the man she will marry (Dabney Coleman) and his young son (Doug McKeon). The film is centred primarily on the relationship between Henry Fonda and Doug McKeon as their 67 year age difference makes for an interesting and strangely compatible character study.
Based on the stage play by Ernest Thompson (for which he also won an Oscar for Adapted Screenplay), 'On Golden Pond' features a strong and emotionally balanced theme of a family struggling to restructure itself and finding a mix of happiness and sentiment in the final analysis. Katharine Hepburn won her FOURTH Best Actress Oscar for 'On Golden Pond' and no other screen performer has won as many and certainly not all of them in a leading category. Ingrid Bergman and Walter Brennan have three each (Bergman two for Best Actress and one for Best Supporting Actress and Brennan all for Best Supporting Actor). Hepburn is as important to 'On Golden Pond' as anyone in the film and was gladly not overlooked for this film as the heavy favourite to win the Oscar that year was Meryl Streep for 'The French Lieutenant's Woman'.
Not much is written or has been remembered regarding this classic motion picture but it is perfect family viewing not just for its entertainment value but for its wholesome yet modern day take on values and feelings which at first seem selfish but eventually become human.
Visit Mr. Frith's 'Movie Reviews' section of 'The Review' at http://www.arrowweb.com/review
Comments on this review may also be sent to wfrith@icom.ca
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