Skipped Flick #1
On Golden Pond is my first choice for this new venture mainly because I've been quoting the darn thing for over 25 years. I thought it would be nice if my family finally saw where some of my finest witticisms, like "The loons, Charlie, the loons!" came from. Too bad I was saying it wrong all this time. It's actually, "Look, Norman! The loons!" I was close. Luckily, my kids were never the wiser because as much as we loved this movie, the language kept us from ever bringing it home.
It's the sweetly paced story of an older couple, Norman and Ethyl--played by Henry Fonda and Katherine Hepburn--as they spend the summer at their lake home, Golden Pond and reconnect with family, friends and meet a few new folks as well. Jane Fonda--Henry's real life daughter beautifully plays their distant, wounded Chelsy--admittedly mirroring her real life struggle to be close to her own father. Ethyl's adoration of her cranky, "old poop" of a husband, is worth watching, if only to call back the classier days when people called each other "dar-ling." ~sigh~
You may be surprised to learn that On Golden Pond was the second highest grossing film of 1981--second only to Raiders of the Lost Ark, which puts it in pretty good company. I found that it's worth a second look as a moving, tender film--especially if you use your ClearPlay to clean up Norman's silly mouth. For me--well, it was just nice to sit back and just enjoy the show with my family---after all these years.
Motherly Advice: There is one place where Chelsey's boyfriend asks her father for permission to sleep in the same room, "if that wouldn't be offensive." It is handled subtly enough and frankly, I found the asking permission thing quite a jaw-dropper. Other than that, it was smooth sailing.
Launi--the Skipped Flicks Archeologist Who Hopes to be Called "Dar-ling" Someday...
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