On Golden Pond Page #7

Synopsis: The loons are back again on Golden Pond and so are Norman Thayer, a retired professor, and Ethel who have had a summer cottage there since early in their marriage. This summer their daughter Chelsea -- whom they haven't seen for years -- feels she must be there for Norman's birthday. She and her fiance are on their way to Europe the next day but will be back in a couple of weeks to pick up the fiance's son. When she returns Chelsea is married and her stepson has the relationship with her father that she always wanted. Will father and daughter be able to communicate at last?
Genre: Drama
Director(s): Mark Rydell
Production: Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment
  Won 3 Oscars. Another 11 wins & 23 nominations.
 
IMDB:
7.7
Metacritic:
68
Rotten Tomatoes:
92%
PG
Year:
1981
109 min
4,068 Views


Never mind.

We'll stay in the damn cove.

With a tent on the banks

of the Golden Pond

We are the girls

from Camp Hoochicoya

You can tell who we are

By the gleam in our eyes

Oh, our minds are clear

And our hearts are strong

We are dancing here

But we won't be long

There will soon be deer

Where there now are fawns

But we'll remember our years

- On Golden Pond

- On Golden Pond

How!

Hey!

- Mommy.

- Oh!

How did you get here?

I rented a car...

a Volare, made by Plymouth.

- Oh, ho.

- Look at you.

My God. You've had this jacket

as long as I can remember.

- It looks it, doesn't it?

- It looks great.

How was your trip?

Oh, not bad.

How's the kid?

- You still got him, or did you drown him?

- We've still got him.

He's out there fishing

with his best buddy.

- You can see him.

- Where's the Thayer IV?

Charlie's fixing her.

Norman and Billy

tried to drive her...

through a rock

in Purgatory Cove.

- Did they get hurt?

- No.

Norman got a bump on the head

which he's playing to the hilt...

but he's all right.

They're both fine,

thank God.

Do you still have Bill,

or did you drown him?

Oh, I still have him.

He had to get back to the coast.

- He had a mouth that needed looking into.

- Ah.

So, Norman and Billy

have gotten along all right?

Oh, Billy is the happiest thing

that's happened to Norman since Roosevelt.

I should have rented him

a 13-year-old boy years ago.

You could have

traded me in.

Except I think he probably

makes a better son than I did.

You made

a very nice daughter.

How come it's so easy?

What do you mean, darling?

Why wasn't that old son of a b*tch

ever my friend?

You're sounding very childish.

Of course he was your friend.

He's your father.

Chels, you're

such a nice person.

Can't you think

of something nice to say?

I married Bill

in Brussels.

You did what in Brussels?

I married Bill.

Does it count

in this country?

- Afraid so.

- Oh, bless you, darling.

- Congratulations.

- Nothin' to it.

Norman will be

so pleased.

Yeah, sure. What do you

suppose he's gonna say?

"Hey, Chels, fantastic!

I'm so happy that you finally

got your life together.

And I'm so proud."

- And he will be proud.

- No, he won't. No, he won't.

And you know why?

Because he doesn't care.

He is a selfish

son of a b*tch.

That old son of a b*tch

happens to be my husband.

Oh, sh*t!

Oh, sh*t!

Norman!

- Sh*t!

- Don't get so excited.

It's only a sunfish.

Only a sunfish?

You doubting the word

of a genius?

No respectable trout

in this cove.

Chased 'em out years ago.

Well, it's doing

a pretty good trout imitation.

Get the net!

Good God!

It's Walter!

What the hell

you doin' here, you son of a b*tch?

Oh! Keep that line

tight, boy!

Oh, you beauty.

Keep your line tight.

Keep reeling in.

Little closer. Little closer.

Oh, look at that!

- We caught Walter!

- We caught Walter, the son of a b*tch!

Chels? I brought

your sweater and your shoes.

- And your car's out front.

- I'm such an ass. I'm sorry.

I'm sorry too. But, darling,

you're wrong about your dad.

He does care.

He cares deeply.

It's just that he's an absolute mutt

about telling anyone.

I know he'd walk

through fire for me...

and he'd walk

through fire for you too.

And if you don't

understand that...

you're not

looking closely enough.

I don't even know him.

Chels, Norman

is 80 years old.

He has

heart palpitations...

and trouble

remembering things.

Just exactly when do you expect

this friendship to begin?

I'm afraid of him.

Well, he's afraid of you,

so you should get along fine.

Here he comes, Chels.

Talk to him.

Hey, hey!

Hey!

Look at you!

Hi, kid.

- Where's the dentist?

- He had to get back.

- He'll call you tonight.

- Okay.

- Hello, Norman.

- Well, well.

Oh, Chelsea!

We caught Walter.

Do you know

who Walter is?

- Well, I have a feeling he's a fish.

- Yes.

A humongous fish! And we

caught him today, didn't we, Norman?

- Well, let me see him.

- We let him go.

- Yeah. We let him go.

- I think I've heard this story before.

No! No, it's true.

Norman and I thought

that if Walter's lived this long...

we should let him

keep on living.

I'm gonna go tell Ethel.

Hey, Norman!

We caught the son of a b*tch!

We caught him!

Good job! Whoo!

You got yourself

a friend, huh?

Yeah, he's all right.

Hasn't been too difficult.

- How's your forehead?

- Huh?

Oh, this.

It's all right.

Lot of pain.

Nothing to worry about.

Norman, I want to talk to you.

What seems

to be the problem?

There's no problem.

I just...

I want to talk to you.

I think that...

maybe you and I should have the kind

of relationship that we're supposed to have.

What kind of relationship is that?

Well, you know...

like a father

and a daughter.

Oh, just in the nick

of time, huh?

Worried about

the will, are you?

I'm leaving everything to you

except what I'm taking with me.

Just stop it.

I don't want anything.

It seems that you and me

have been mad at each other for so long.

I didn't know we were mad.

I thought we just didn't like each other.

- I want to be your friend.

- Oh.

This mean you'll

come around more often?

Mean a lot

to your mother.

I'll come around

more often.

Well.

Yep.

- Oh! I got married in Brussels.

- You did?

In Brussels?

- He makes me very happy.

- Well, good.

Does he speak English?

- Bill... I married Bill.

- Bill? Oh, Bill!

I'm glad, Chelsea.

That's "san frantastic."

- What?

- Is Billy gonna be living with ya?

- Uh-huh.

- Well, good.

Isn't that something?

Good for you.

You know something?

I got him doing

the back flip just like a pro.

Oh, yeah?

That's great.

- Want me to get him down and show you?

- No. Not right now.

Okay. Oh, that's right.

You never were a great back flipper, were you?

I was always

too fat, remember?

Yeah, I do

remember that now.

Well, probably

a lot easier for a boy.

I beg your pardon.

- Do you want to see me do a back flip?

- Huh?

I am gonna do

a goddamn back flip.

Chelsea,

you don't have to.

I want to!

Make sure you go up,

not just back.

Up and back.

Oh, I'm scared.

Nothing to be scared of.

The back flip is one of the easiest dives of all.

- I'm scared anyway.

- Don't do it.

It doesn't matter

if you don't do the stupid dive.

It's not important.

I did it!

She did it!

Chelsea did a back flip!

I went over!

It was lousy, but I did it!

- Good for you!

- Yea!

You could come out...

- instead of going to Florida.

- We'll discuss it.

If I can persuade Norman that Los Angeles

is part of the United States...

it shouldn't be too much...

Norman! What in the world

are you doing now?

Hey there, cool breeze.

In case you want

to take a break from cruising.

- Wow! Thank you, Captain.

- He can't take that fool thing on the plane.

- Yes, he can.

- Got something for you too.

You know

what this is?

University of Pennsylvania diving finals, 1921.

Second place.

Oh, thanks.

Now I can retire.

Show that to your new husband.

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Ernest Thompson

Ernest Thompson (born Richard Ernest Thompson; November 6, 1949) is an American writer, actor, and director. He won an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for On Golden Pond an adaption of his own play of the same name. more…

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