Rating: 
Summary: My Favorite
Review: "On Golden Pond" is my favorite movie of all time.
Rating:
Summary: Drama Packed
Review: "On Golden Pond" is one of the top 10 best films released in 1981. It won three Oscars: Best Actor(Henry Fonda in his last movie role), Best Actress(Katharine Hepburn, her forth in her career), and Best Director(Mark Rydell). Its unique plot gives it further joy to the audience. Its theme of Norman'(Fonda) anger increasing dramatically because of getting old always has its twists and turns. The emotion is never lost. While Norman tries to reconcile with his estranged daughter, Chelsea, many life changing events occur that keep the audience interested. Such mix of events, plus a few others, are combined wonderfully by the writer. He accomplished a more difficult challenge considering there aren't many characters. The screenplay lives up to the original stage version. The acting is wonderful. Besides the Oscar winning actors who performed brilliantly, Jane Fonda's performance as Chelsea is great. The entire cast add their own emotional value to the dramatic plot. Such movie quality makes "On Golden Pond" highly enjoyable to watch. This will keep many entertained many more years to come.
Rating: 
Summary: OUTSTANDING NEW TRANSFER OF A CRITICAL MASTERPIECE
Review: "On Golden Pond" was a moderately successful, off Broadway play until Jane Fonda decided that it would be the ideal vehicle to help shore up the rift between she and her father, Henry. But under director, Mark Rydell's command, the film version became a tender, poignant and loving account of old age and loving through the ages. Katharine Hepburn and Henry Fonda (who had never worked together before)were ideal as Ethel and Norman Thayer. Jane is Chelsea, Norma's headstrong, rebellious daughter. See the parallel yet? What followed was a tear-jerker that never became maudelin or trite.
TRANSFER: A really handsome looking transfer indeed. Though plagued by hints of edge enhancement throughout, this updated, remastered anamorphic DVD transfer is much more rich and varied with its color palette than the previously issued DVD. Film grain is still present but greatly reduced over the previous DVD. Fine details tend to get lost during the darker scenes, but over all, the film elements hold up remarkably well. Blacks are black. Contrast and shadow levels are bang on. The audio has been remastered to 5.1 with impressive results and a natural sounding spread across all five speakers.
EXTRAS: A good documentary on the film's cameraman and a little nothing on Kate Hepburn's career that, unfortunately, shows too little in the way of clips from Hepburn's illustrious film career. Also, the "Loving Through Time" documentary that was far superior to either of these - included on the previously issued DVD - is absent here. It follows the film's development and creation and its popular aftermath far more succinctly than anything featured on this disc. Also, the trailers included on the previous DVD release are not reproduced on this disc.
BOTTOM LINE: My advice is to get both versions of this film on DVD. Though this is clearly the better looking and sounding DVD of the actual film transfer - the other DVD is essential for its extra features content.
Rating:
Summary: A total comfort movie.
Review: A compelling drama: well acted and directed. All the players are superb. The music is wonderful and quite memorable (how often can you say that about instrumental music from a movie?). Very higly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: Deep, true, intense feeling movie about growing with life
Review: Fonda shines as Norman Thayer Jr., a tired old grump. Hepburn is a loving pillar of strength. Their daughter Chelsea, played by Jane Fonda, is trying to start a friendship with father. This is the most true life-filled movie ever made.
Rating:
Summary: Fonda and Hepburn Together!
Review: Henry Fonda and Katharine Hepburn in one movie, how could anything be better than that. I'm glad during the courses of their careers, their path crossed to make this wonderfully touching movie. Just thinking about their scenes together makes me smile.
This is Henry Fonda's last film and his farewell movie sums up all things that made him a legend. How many screen legends get to play one of the best roles of their career in their last movie, that's why this movie is even more special. This is one of the most moving, honest, and touching performances I've seen. Katharine Hepburn gave a marvelous support to Fonda (in the end this is really his movie), she just has a glow around her that's contagious. Her knight in shining armor speech was just beautiful. Both actors are at the top of their acting prowess, they work beautifully together.
The movie has a very calming effect probably because of the setting. It's a very relaxing movie to watch even though they tackled subjects like the fear of mortality, estrangement, and losing oneself to age probably because it showed it in such a positive light. I whole heartedly recommend this movie. This is a movie worth keeping. .
Grade: A-
Rating:
Summary: FONDA & HEPBURN ARE FABULOUS
Review: Henry Fonda plays his age in this sentimental but well-done tear-jerker, set, not coincidentally, in the autumn/sunset/loonsong glow of Golden Pond's lake shore. Though family tensions abound, it is the rascal wit and toughness of Katherine Hepburn and Henry Fonda, doing what they do best in the sunset of their own lives, that carry this movie. There are some winning moments with the young boy, and the music by Dave Grusin remains winsome and evocative, if a bit overstated, but any scene with these two giants takes your breath away. Jane Fonda, who must have been plugging her first aerobic workout tape with incongruous scenes of her in a bathing suit stuck into the middle of the movie, seems amplified and tense, and therefore unbelievable, and Dabney Coleman, who is a perfect comedian/foil in practically every movie he has ever been in, seems out of place here. Still, there is much to recommend in this movie, which, if you have not seen, will undoubtedly move you with its simple but true through-line of familial love in the face of mortality.
Rating:
Summary: The beauty and agony of Aging
Review: Hepburn and Fonda are excellent! I have watched this movie time and time again and still find myself brought to tears. The journey of parent and child is painfully raw in stubborness and forgiveness. The difference in generations is another bridge to be crossed. With time and mutual respect it does get crossed which makes for a nice ending.
Also the painful awareness of aging and illness brings one to face their own mortality. In short, life is short, make everyday full of whats important.
Like Gone With The Wind, a CLASSIC!
Rating:
Summary: Great Family Movie
Review: Hepburn, Fonda and Fonda are fabulous!!
This movie will viewed by families for generations to come.
There are a lot of messages about life and family in this picture.
Rating: 
Summary: Gack!
Review: I could not understand how others thought that both the acting and the attempt at reality was entertaining. Please forgive me but much of what I saw was forced and not very enjoyable to watch. I guess I missed something.
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