On Golden Pond

1981
PG
1h 49m

IMDb RATING

7.6/10

36K

YOUR RATING

Henry Fonda, Katharine Hepburn, Jane Fonda, and Doug McKeon in On Golden Pond (1981)

Play trailer1:48

1 Video

84 Photos

Drama

Curmudgeon Norman is estranged from his daughter Chelsea. Nevertheless, at Golden Pond he and his wife agree to look after Billy, the son of Chelsea's new boyfriend, and a most unexpected re... Read allCurmudgeon Norman is estranged from his daughter Chelsea. Nevertheless, at Golden Pond he and his wife agree to look after Billy, the son of Chelsea's new boyfriend, and a most unexpected relationship blooms.Curmudgeon Norman is estranged from his daughter Chelsea. Nevertheless, at Golden Pond he and his wife agree to look after Billy, the son of Chelsea's new boyfriend, and a most unexpected relationship blooms.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.6/10

36K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Won 3 Oscars
- 14 wins & 24 nominations total

Videos1

Trailer 1:48

On Golden Pond: Special Edition

Photos84

+ 78

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
The brown Fedora worn by Henry Fonda belonged to Spencer Tracy and was given to Fonda by Katharine Hepburn on the first day on the set. Overwhelmed with the gesture, Fonda painted a still life watercolor of the three hats he wore in the film and gave the original to Hepburn as a gift. He had 200 lithographs made of the painting and sent one to every person who worked on the film. Each copy was numbered and personally signed by Fonda, thanking each person by name. In her autobiography, Hepburn wrote that she gave the painting to screenwriter Ernest Thompson. After Fonda's death, she found the painting to be a sad reminder of him and Tracy.

Goofs
The numbers of the pump show the cost of fuel to be 67.9 cents per gallon with a total cost of $19.00. The price of gasoline in 1981 was around $1.30 per gallon. However, old pumps were not capable of charging more than 99.9 cents per gallon, so they were set to half the price, and the total was then doubled. That is why the teenager asks for $38.00.

Quotes
Billy Ray: So, I heard you turned 80 today.
Norman: Is that what you heard?
Billy Ray: Yeah. Man, that's really old.
Norman: You should meet my father.
Billy Ray: Your father's still alive?
Norman: No, but you should meet him.

Alternate versions
When premiered on TV, an extra credit dedicated to Henry Fonda was added to the final credits.

Connections
Edited into Reflections on Golden Pond (2003)

Soundtracks
Happy Birthday to You
(uncredited)
Written by Mildred J. Hill & Patty S. Hill
[Sung by all for Norman's birthday]

User reviews165

Review

Featured review

8/10

Perfect characterisation of relationships and contains all the simple pleasure that time forgot

There is a film like this very rarely and indeed it works like we actually do know the Thayers. Indeed we can most certainly relate to Henry Fonda while Katharine Hepburn is more then an incredible actress. In this film the mix of drama and comedy from her as a character shows why she won that record breaking fourth Oscar statuette.

I'll just say the story in a nutshell. Jane Fonda and her father did not get along. Jane, however wanted one last chance for a close bond to her father and bought the rights to the play "On Golden Pond." In the film the Oscar winning performance by Henry Fonda (his only in a career spanning decades.) Jane fully deserved her Oscar nomination for her exceptional (and of course very realistic performance.) In the actual film the chemistry of Hepburn and (Henry) Fonda is perfect. This film really to try to put into words is a really touching gem that makes you feel so uplifted. Your spirits soar and any relationship that can be amended and is anywhere near as strong in the film (From Hepburn and Fonda) shows us what acting can do.

Oscars abound, critical praise and very likely the last of the old fashioned melodramas (Mainly because acting has moved on a generation from these sorts of films.) The sentiment and feel is perfectly placed and the storeys clicked so much like the Fonda Father- Daughter relationship. It is a warm intelligent character based film that i would advise everyone to see at once!