Mrs. Delafield Wants to Marry (1986)

A Jew. A Jew? Yep, an honest to goodness Jewish doctor. She is Katharine Hepburn, the WASP of all WASPS, and he is Harold Gould, aka Rhoda's father, aka Betty White's boyfriend on Golden Girls. Hepburn is very naive, obviously never having seen Fiddler on the Roof since she first know what Lacheim means. Her family and socially elite neighbors are taken aback by all this, and it is obvious that his kids have some trepidation as well. Being courted at her age surprises her, more because she likes it. Perhaps recovering from a heart attack brings out long suppressed romantic feelings, and in Gould's case, he is worth it. Will wedding bells bring the family together or tear them apart because of their prejudices?Her children range from stuffy to eternally drunk to free-spirited while his are far more open minded but still unsure of a mixed marriage. In reference to Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, neighbor Denholm Elliott brings up a local rich girl who brought home a black fiancée to shock her family. Hepburn's liberal response? He's too good for her! So comparisons are inevitable while this also tries somewhat successfully to also update Abie's Irish Rose with an aging theme to bring the controlling natures and prejudices of the younger generation. When not wanting to slap the adult children of Hepburn and to a lesser extent, Gould, you just want to hug them because they are both so likable and noble. Elliott and Brenda Forbes are just as manipulative as the children, both snooty and prejudice. A few on each side are more supportive and this makes for an easy conflict to resolve. So while there are no surprises in the witty and often tender script by James Prideaux isn't as complex as it could have been. The two lovers become as start crossed as Sandra Dee and Troy Donahue so the results are sweet and satisfying if not anything you don't expect.

******A possible Spoiler for the movie The Sixth Sense follows at the end of this review as well as a possible spoiler for this movie******I give this film an 8 out of 10 based on my original TV viewing of this movie. The spoiler on the DVD packaging would probably have it only rate a 5. I had first seen this movie on TV and found it to be a delightful little movie - I've been a Katherine Hepburn fan for decades. It dealt well with the prejudices of different groups in western society and had a lot going for it. It was about a wonderful romance between two senior citizens. However what was for me a delightful surprise when the wedding finally took place was completely spoiled by the photo of Katherine in her sari on the cover of the DVD case! It completely diluted the wonderful surprise of the wedding they created for themselves when neither of their religions would agree to marry them. When I saw it on TV I had no warning or even any idea about what they would do and how they would do it but when my husband and I watched it together a few years later, the photo on the packaging had completely removed all the surprise of the wedding for my husband since he was the one who had purchased the DVD and seen the cover photo. Talk about a spoiler! It was like telling the punch line first and then telling the joke. Or for the movie The Sixth Sense to have on the DVD cover, information that gives away the surprise twist ending of the movie.I'm really angry at them for spoiling the delightful ending of this film. The cover photo was really harmful to what should have been a surprise ending of this film.

I'll clear up two things before I review,Katharine Hepburn made 8 movies for TV and this was her fourth. I said,"Man Upstairs" was the best of her latter day TV films (I meant her final four). I also said,"Iron Petticoat" was the last movie I needed to complete seeing all of her movies (I meant one's from the big studios)."Mrs. Delafield Wants To Marry" is out of her first four TV movies the best and certainly most memorable and like "Iron Petticoat" I won it off of Ebay. This is not some fluff piece about two older people who meet,fall in love and get married. No,this is a story about second chances in late life,prejudice,ignorance,hypocrisy and even faith.Briefly,Mrs. Delafield has a near miss after being rushed to the hospital. Her family and friends prepare for the worst but thanks to her doctor,she recovers. (Some of her offspring are not exactly happy about that,for very selfish reasons.) Harold Gould is the doctor and he brings her home and joins the gathering to welcome her home. This is the simple beginning of their unexpected romance. The neighbors and family are shocked at his constantly coming to see her. Not just because of the age thing but they dislike the fact that he's Jewish! David Ogeden Stires & Charles Frank (both of MASH)are Delafield's sons who show their prejudices without shame. Her daughter is an alcoholic who has the nerve to judge her own mother. The good doctors children are no better,thinking he's turned his back on his "people". Past the middle of this movie,you'll be rooting for these two to make it to the alter!There's not just humor here but good simple drama and honesty. For a TV outing,it's message is a very strong one and you have to watch until the end to see if there's a happily ever after or not. Ten stars ladies & gentleman! I can't say more than that,although I certainly could. (END)

It would be easy to say that this film is just one for those who are fans of Kate Hepburn- and certainly Kate's fans will be in for a treat- but it's a lovely film as a whole, topped off by two beautiful performances in Kate Hepburn and Harold Gould.To be perfectly honest, the script lacks in parts, and the supporting characters are very cliched, with the acting mostly stereotyped. But then, there's Kate. Kate makes the picture worth seeing. Her performance is simply beautiful- she portrays the helplessness of old age with such tenderness, and fills us with joy at her desire to live out her last years to the best of her ability, and to find some joy late in life. She portrays Margaret Delafield, a woman of a certain age, who, after a near- death experience falls in love with the doctor that brings her back to health. Much to the objections of both their families, they decide to marry anyway, because, as Margaret says, "I won't live in sin!" It's witty and lovely and Kate simply lights up the screen. She manages to lose none of the tough on- screen persona that dominated so many of her great roles, but at the same time, she brings a real tenderness to the performance, a tenderness that sometimes was missing from her earlier movies. In one scene she describes to her neighbour a late- night kiss from her doctor, and her eyes light up as she talks of how wonderful it was- it's a really beautiful moment. For a brief minute, we forget we are watching a 79 year old woman- she could be 15, if we were just judging the pure innocent happiness shining through in her eyes.If you're a fan of Kate, then you mustn't miss this. If you don't know much about her, see it anyway- it's just a really lovely performance. And Harold Gould is great, too! But it's all about Kate- it's her film, and she carries it brilliantly.