On Golden Pond (1981 film)

On Golden Pond is a 1981 film about an aging couple who spend each summer at their home on a lake called Golden Pond. They are visited by their daughter Chelsea, who is somewhat estranged from her curmudgeon of a father. 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.
 * Directed by Mark Rydell. Written by Ernest Thompson, adapted from his 1979 play.

When life is at its finest...when love is at its fullest...

Norman Thayer Jr.

 * [to Bill] Would you like the room where I first violated her mother?
 * [to Ethel] Wanna dance or would you rather just suck face?

Ethel Thayer

 * [to Norman] Don't be such an old poop!
 * That son of a bitch happens to be my husband.
 * Don't you think that everyone looks back on their childhood with a certain amount of bitterness and regret about something? You're a big girl now. Aren't you tired of it all? Bore, bore. It doesn't have to ruin your life, darling. Life marches by, Chels. I suggest you get on with it.
 * You know, Norman, you really are the sweetest man in the world, but I'm the only one who knows it.
 * Chelsea, Norman is eighty years old. He has heart palpitations and trouble remembering things. Just when did you expect this friendship to begin?

Dialogue

 * Bill: You're having a good time, aren't you?
 * Norman: Huh?
 * Bill: Chelsea told me all about how you like to have a good time messing with people's heads. She does too, sometimes. Me, sometimes I can get into it. Sometimes not. You know, it's not imperative that you and I become friends. I thought it would be nice. I'm sure you're a fascinating person, and I thought it would be fascinating to get to know you, but that's obviously not an easy task. So you just go ahead and be as... poopy, to quote Chelsea, as you want to be, and I'll be as nice and as civil as I can be. But I think there's one thing you should know while you're jerking me around and making me feel like an asshole. I know precisely what you're up to. And I'll take just so much of it. Now what is the bottom line on this illicit sleeping together question?
 * Norman: Very good. That was a good speech. Bottom line, huh? You're a bottom line man? All right, here's the bottom line... O-kay.
 * Bill: Huh?
 * Norman: You seem like a nice man. A bit verbose, but nice...
 * Bill: Thank you.
 * Norman: ...and you're right about me. I am fascinating.
 * Bill: I'm sure you are.
 * Norman: But let's get back to the sex thing... anything you want to know, just ask me. Go ahead.
 * Bill: No, no... I just, uh, wanted to clear that up. Chelsea and I can sleep together.
 * Norman: Sure, please do. [pauses, resumes reading] Just don't let Ethel catch you.


 * 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.


 * Norman: You like that word, don't you? Bullshit.
 * Billy Ray: Yeah
 * Norman: It's a good word.


 * Billy Ray: A canoe! Just like the Indians used.
 * Norman: Actually, the Indians used a different grade of aluminum.


 * Bill: [as he heads out to the lake to go skinny-dipping with Ethel and Chelsea] Are there any bears around here?
 * Norman: Oh, sure. Black bears, grizzlies. One of 'em came along here and ate an old lesbian just last month.


 * Chelsea: It just seems like we've been mad at each other for so long...
 * Norman: I didn't think we were mad; I just thought we didn't like each other.


 * Norman: You want to know why I came back so fast? I got to the end of our lane. I couldn't remember where the old town road was. I went a little ways in the woods. There was nothing familiar. Not one damn tree. Scared me half to death. That's why I came running back here to you. So I could see your pretty face and I could feel safe and that I was still me.
 * Ethel: You're safe, you old poop and you're definitely still you picking on poor old Charlie. After lunch, after we've gobbled up all those silly strawberries we'll take ourselves to the old town road. We've been there a thousand times. A thousand. And you'll remember it all. Listen to me, mister. You're my knight in shining armor. Don't you forget it. You're gonna get back up on that horse and I'm gonna be right behind you holding on tight and away we're gonna go, go, go.
 * Norman: I don't like horses. You are a pretty old dame aren't you? What are you doing with a dotty old son of a bitch like me?
 * Ethel: Well, I haven't the vaguest idea.
 * Note: The bolded quote is ranked #88 in the American Film Institute's list of the top 100 movie quotations in American cinema.

Tagline

 * A TRIPLE ACADEMY AWARD-WINNER!
 * when life is at its finest...when love is at its fullest...

Cast

 * Katharine Hepburn – Ethel Thayer
 * Henry Fonda – Norman Thayer Jr.
 * Jane Fonda – Chelsea Thayer Wayne
 * Doug McKeon – Billy Ray
 * Dabney Coleman – Bill Ray
 * William Lanteau – Charlie Martin