On Golden Pond ***** (1981, Katharine Hepburn, Henry Fonda, Jane Fonda) – Classic Movie Review 2330

Director Mark Rydell’s triple-Oscar-winning 1981 tearfully poignant, heart-warming family-conflict drama is a triumphantly sentimental story of crotchety retired professor Norman Thayer (Henry Fonda), alienated from his daughter (Jane Fonda) and fearful about the onset of old age, senility and illness.

Norman is a curmudgeon with memory lapses and heart palpitations. He has a loving and cheerful wife in Ethel (Katharine Hepburn), but a difficult relationship with his only daughter Chelsea. When Norman and Ethel journey back to their long-term cottage on the lake on Golden Pond for what may be their last summer, he has to confront his old age and his inability to remember familiar sights. Chelsea arrives after many years away from her parents, bringing a new boyfriend (Dabney Coleman) and his son, Billy (Doug McKeon). Will father and daughter be able to communicate at last?

The sweetly schmaltzy tale is redeemed and brought stirringly to life by the heartfelt, emotional Oscar-winning performances from Henry Fonda, in his final role, and Katharine Hepburn as his adoring wife Ethel. Jane Fonda’s role as his daughter Chelsea is slightly underwritten but perfectly performed and she deservedly claimed a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination, one of seven other Oscar nominations for the movie, including Best Film.

Sometimes warm and uplifting, at other times cloying and heavy-handed, On Golden Pond was a surprise major box-office hit and acts as a glowing epitaph to one of America’s finest actors.

It was the winner of three Oscars for Best Actor (Henry Fonda), Best Actress (Katharine Hepburn), and Best Adapted Screenplay (for screen-writer Ernest Thompson). Sadly Henry Fonda was not present at the awards ceremony and his daughter and co-star Jane Fonda had to accept the award on his behalf because he was too ill to attend. He died five months later.

On Golden Pond’s story of a strained relationship between an ailing father and his daughter is made all the more poignant because it parallels the lives of its stars. Jane sought the rights to On Golden Pond so she could play opposite her father to mend the fences of their relationship which became turbulent when Jane began her protests over the Vietnam War.

And Katharine Hepburn was not present at the awards ceremony either and presenter Jon Voight accepted the award on her behalf. As with her three previous wins, she just did not turn up to accept it. Hepburn said: ‘As for me, prizes are nothing … My prize is my work.’ 

Hepburn’s only Oscars appearance was in 1974 when she presented producer Lawrence Weingarten with the Irving B Thalberg Memorial Award. She quipped: ‘I’m also very happy that I didn’t hear anyone call out, “It’s about time.”

Also in the tiny cast are William Lanteau and Chris Rydell. Ernest Thompson writes the hearftelt screenplay, based on his own play.

In 2001 Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer and Glenne Headly starred in a TV movie remake.

© Derek Winnert 2015 Classic Movie Review 2330

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