The same year as On Golden Pond, but filmed and released afterwards, Henry Fonda made a very similar television drama called Summer Solstice. It's about an elderly couple reflecting on all their decades of marriage as they spend one last summer by the water. Sound familiar? The movie even starts with a cinematic shot of ripples during the golden sunset.
Alright, it's a shameless rip-off. But if you like to grab for your handkerchiefs when old timers grace the screen for the last time, you probably eat up every one of these movies. This is both Henry Fonda and Myrna Loy's final movie, and it is incredibly sad - even though they split their screen time with their younger counterparts. About half the movie is full of flashbacks during their meeting, courtship, and early marriage. Stephen Collins and Lindsay Crouse play the young couple, and if this was a full-length film, it would have been full of far more opportunities for tragic moments. Instead, this is like a Cliffs-Notes version, with little memories they get to share with the audience.
There is an interesting, poignant line nestled into this tv drama. Henry Fonda remarks about the difference between having a son and a daughter. With a son, he says, a father has to be honest about himself. A daughter puts him up on a pedestal so high, he can stay dishonest about himself and forget about his flaws. If you're in the mood to cry, you definitely will. The ending in particular is extremely sad - no spoilers here - and Henry Fonda's performance will reduce the hardest hearts to mush. It's not as polished as On Golden Pond, but it certainly tugs on your heartstrings.
Alright, it's a shameless rip-off. But if you like to grab for your handkerchiefs when old timers grace the screen for the last time, you probably eat up every one of these movies. This is both Henry Fonda and Myrna Loy's final movie, and it is incredibly sad - even though they split their screen time with their younger counterparts. About half the movie is full of flashbacks during their meeting, courtship, and early marriage. Stephen Collins and Lindsay Crouse play the young couple, and if this was a full-length film, it would have been full of far more opportunities for tragic moments. Instead, this is like a Cliffs-Notes version, with little memories they get to share with the audience.
There is an interesting, poignant line nestled into this tv drama. Henry Fonda remarks about the difference between having a son and a daughter. With a son, he says, a father has to be honest about himself. A daughter puts him up on a pedestal so high, he can stay dishonest about himself and forget about his flaws. If you're in the mood to cry, you definitely will. The ending in particular is extremely sad - no spoilers here - and Henry Fonda's performance will reduce the hardest hearts to mush. It's not as polished as On Golden Pond, but it certainly tugs on your heartstrings.