Murphy’s Romance **** (1985, Sally Field, James Garner, Brian Kerwin, Corey Haim) – Classic Movie Review 6457

Director Martin Ritt’s 1985 romance finally provides a great role for James Garner as Murphy, a crusty, widowed chemist who gradually falls for another of life’s waifs and strays – younger divorced mother Emma Moriarity (Sally Field) with a 12-year-old boy, Jake (Corey Haim), trying to start a new life training horses in a small Arizona country town.

Emma suffers setbacks – like the arrival of her ex-husband Bobby Jack Moriarity (Brian Kerwin) wanting somewhere to stay – but Garner’s Murphy is always there to help. Jake likes Murphy but wants his dad back.

This is a most beguiling, old-fashioned romantic comedy drama, with the warmest of hearts and the most winning of performances from the stars: Garner received his first Oscar nomination, and he should have won. Garner personifies amiability, warmth and goodness like no other actor. It is his one and only ever Oscar nomination.

They kind of really don’t make them like this any more. Would any one come if they did? Of course they would if they were as good as Murphy’s Romance.

Harriet Frank Jnr and Irving Ravetch’s well-hones screenplay is based on Max Schott’s 1980 short novel.

It is beautifully shot in Metrocolor by William A Fraker, who was also Oscar nominated, produced by Martin Ritt and Laura Ziskin for Field’s production company Fogwood Films, and scored by Carole King, who performs the film’s theme song, ‘Love for the Last Time’.

Also in the cast are Dennis Burkley, Georgann Johnson and Charles Lane.

Field recalled that her on-screen kiss with Garner was the best film kiss she had ever experienced. It was shot on location in Florence, Arizona, whose preserved Main Street appears throughout the movie.

Ritt also directed Field in Norma Rae and Back Roads.

James Garner (1928–2014).

James Garner died on 19 July 2014, aged 86.

Corey Haim (1971–2010).

Corey Haim died on 10 March 2010, aged 38. He would have been 46 on 23 December 2017.

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 6457

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com