Mrs Delafield Wants to Marry **½ (1986, Katharine Hepburn, Harold Gould, Bibi Besch) – Classic Movie Review 10,390

Venerable senior citizen Katharine Hepburn stars as Margaret Delafield, a wealthy WASP widow who astounds her family by announcing that she has fallen in love with her old Jewish doctor Dr Marvin Elias (Harold Gould), shocking his family too.

Producer-director George Schaefer’s warm and generous 1986 TV movie Mrs Delafield Wants to Marry is well bred, gentle, and expertly made to measure for its elderly star, then 80.

It is her imperious presence alone that commands your attention, though Gould, Denholm Elliott and David Ogden Stiers give sterling support, all in seamless, skilled performances.

It is written by James Prideaux, tackling the subject of prejudices carefully and nicely.

Also in the cast are Charles Frank, Kathryn Walker, Bibi Besch, Brenda Forbes and John Pleshette.

Walter Lassally shoots and Peter Matz scores.

It was nominated for three Primetime Emmys, including Outstanding Drama/Comedy Special, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Special and Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Special (Gould).

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 10,390

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