Review of On Golden Pond (1981) by Liam H — 06 Jun 2008

An American classic! I absolutely love this film and have seen it dozens of times. Henry Fonda & Katharine Hepburn captivated me as a 12 year old boy in 1981 with their Academy Award winning performances of Norman & Ethel Thayer. Jane Fonda was equally brilliant as estranged daughter Chelsea, and she was most deserving of the Oscar for which she was nominated but lost out to Maureen Stapleton in Reds.

I still to this day hold a grudge against the British film Chariots of Fire which stole the Best Picture Oscar away from On Golden Pond. It was so beautifully acted and had such a strong focus on relationships.....the relationships between the characters and each other and between the characters and Golden Pond. The lake itself was a central charater to the film as well and was also representative of the seasons of change that take place in our lives. This is a film to savor and treasure! I would say it sparked my lifelong love of movies, but that started at a much younger age than 12. However, it did greatly impact my love for serious film and my fascination with Academy Award nominated films! After all, we all know how much Gray loves the OSCARS!!!