On Golden Pond: A Review

ON GOLDEN POND

This review is part of the Summer Under the Stars Blogathon. Today's star is Henry Fonda.

Even those who have never seen On Golden Pond would recognize some elements of it thanks to everything from Jim Carrey's imitation of star Henry Fonda to many others quoting fellow star Katharine Hepburn's monologue from the film. Sincere and heartfelt, On Golden Pond touches on universal themes of familial bonds, sometimes frayed, but with a chance to mending.

Retired professor Norman Thayer, Jr. (Fonda) and his wife Ethel (Hepburn) arrive at their summer retreat on Golden Pond. Norman, cantankerous and a bit obsessed with death, seems to have a permanent dark cloud over him. Ethel, who loves him despite his flaws, is upbeat and optimistic, the perfect yin to his yang. Here, they spend their days picking strawberries, reading, playing Parcheesi, canoeing and fishing. Ethel is aware that Norman is having memory loss and heart palpitations, but she does what she can to keep his spirits up.

As Norman gets ready, crabbily, to celebrate his 80th birthday, their daughter Chelsea (Jane Fonda) arrives. With her are her new boyfriend, dentist Billy Ray (Dabney Coleman) and his son, Billy Ray, Jr. (Doug McKean). Chelsea has a fraught relationship with her father. She easily calls Ethel "Mommy", but he is always "Norman". Norman does not dislike his only child, but he is openly critical of her.

Chelsea asks Ethel to look after Billy, Jr. while she and Billy, Sr. spend time together in Europe. Ethel agrees. Initially both Norman and Billy are unenthusiastic about the arrangement but they quickly bond. Norman enjoys being a mentor to Billy as he learns fishing and diving. Soon, despite his bouts of irascibility and memory lapses, Norman finds almost a kindred spirit with this 13-year-old. After a boating accident, Chelsea returns newly married. She now has to confront her past with Norman to build a new life, and Norman & Ethel Thayer must accept the inevitability of permanent separation.

On Golden Pond is one for the history books. It earned both its leads historic Oscar wins. This was Henry Fonda's only competitive Best Actor win out of a lifetime tally of only two nominations (for this and The Grapes of Wrath). For Hepburn, this was her fourth Best Actress win, making her as of this writing the most honored actress in Academy history. Each earned their respective wins with their beautiful performances.

Fonda's Norman is hard, crotchety, sometimes inscrutable. He is also at times unaware, frightened and in need of support. He and Hepburn have exceptional interplay between them as Norman and Ethel. In the film, we see Norman's desperation when he gets lost in the woods. Dave Grusin's music and the camerawork enhance Norman's confusion and growing terror. However, Henry Fonda is what gives it that sense of desperation and fear. Norman, this proud, crusty man, is facing what should be easily recognizable to him. As he starts going around, unsure of where he is and with a growing terror that he will not make it back, Fonda brings both a genuine fear and empathy to the character. Henry Fonda's best moments are when we see the vulnerable man behind the gruff exterior. It is not just when he is having hard moments. It is also when he delights in mentoring Billy, Jr. or when Billy is able to tell Norman off.

In his final film, Henry Fonda showcases a masterful performer, making Norman relatable, at times likeable, at times maddening.

Katharine Hepburn is more than Henry Fonda's equal. Her Ethel is patient, loving and funny. When asked how she came to be with Norman, she quips, "I won him in a contest. He was the booby prize". However, we know that she deeply loves her deeply flawed husband. Her speech about him being her knight in shining armor may be a great source for Hepburn impersonators. However, she delivers this monologue brilliantly, moving the viewer with her great love for her man. She is not blind to how Norman has been with Chelsea. She understands that Norman could have been better. However, when Chelsea still expresses bitterness and resentment towards Norman, the audience is genuinely shocked when Ethel slaps her daughter. He may not be perfect, and Ethel knows it. However, he is still her husband, the man she loves, and she will not accept Chelsea's demeaning of him.

Ethel is loving, supportive and wise. She knows that the past should not run your present. That is why she mostly overlooks or dismisses Norman's constant talk of death. That is why she also pushes Chelsea to reconcile with her father. However, when Norman comes close to death near the end, the genuine fear that Ethel shows moves you in the same way that Fonda's performance does. 

Jane Fonda may have been working out her own personal issues with her father in On Golden Pond. I cannot say for certain whether or not Fonda fille felt that working with Fonda père helped mend their own personal rifts. As Chelsea, she showed the character's bitterness and hurt behind said bitterness. Their big moment is when Chelsea and Norman finally talk about her desire to be his friend, to not be angry with each other anymore. The joy and pride everyone has when she does that backflip will have audiences cheering as well.

Dabney Colman truly was so underappreciated and undervalued. His Bill Ray, Sr. showed the character's nervousness, hesitancy and fear at a new situation. He, however, was able to have enough strength to tell Norman that he was able to stand up for himself. Doug McKean also did excellent work as Billy, the young man foisted on the Thayers who nonetheless won them over.

Ernest Thompson won Best Adapted Screenplay for adapting his stage play to film. On Golden Pond did not lose much of its theatrical trappings in the adaptation. You could tell how the original stage play would have played out while watching the film version. This is most notable in the arrival and exits of various characters, which would happen on a theater stage. However, I think major credit should be given to both Thompson and director Mark Rydell for making it look natural and realistic. The film is also blessed with some beautiful imagery of the bucolic Golden Pond, with Grusin's music lending a gentle, nostalgic quality to the film.

On Golden Pond is a beautiful film, deeply moving and truthful about that tension between parent and child. It is also a love letter to love, where this married couple do love each other even with their faults. The film is like its characters: gentle and strong, knowing and touching. Whether one sees themselves in any of the characters, one cannot help but be moved by those On Golden Pond.

DECISION: A-