It's complicated... I really like the directing, acting and writing but, there are issues with the way it's shot that I just can't deny. As much as I love the storytelling and the fantastic performance but, there are also certain scenes that didn't need to exist.

It's hard to see any effort in the film. There's no comedy to speak of, no real drama and, worst of all.

It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties.

Great story, amazing characters, superb action, enthralling cinematography. Yes, this is something I am glad I spent money on.

On Golden Pond was a showcase of great acting, great characters of age. A bit fluffy at times, but pleasant.Katherine Hepburn in particular was wonderful. Chelsea was a bit annoying and maybe in the right, but not likable. The kid, while not annoying only really retracted from the good in the film, as all the best moments were of Ethel and Norman. The plot is supposed to be about a daughter's relationship with her father, but Jane comes for her father's birthday and they just argue, she leaves for a while leaving the kid there, the kid forms a bond with him, Jane comes back and now they will just get on because she wants them too. Nothing was resolved, the ending was silly. If the entire film had of been just Ethel and Norman, I think I would of loved it.

A few things struck me while I was watching "On Golden Pond". The obvious thing was the co-starring of two generations of Fondas. I understand that Henry Fonda and Jane Fonda hadn't been on the best terms due to her political activism in the '60s, and so this movie was a sort of reconciliation for both of them.As for the plot, the movie comes across as a "nice movie" that you can take the kids to see. Katharine Hepburn's "knight in shining armor" quote pretty much sums up the movie's feeling. I'm not saying that it's a bad movie, just a little too fluffy. It's a surprise seeing Jane Fonda and Dabney Coleman play wife and husband, since they had just played enemies in "9 to 5".Basically, it's a watchable movie, but not any sort of masterpiece. Probably worth seeing once. So strange to think that Henry Fonda won an Academy Award for the role and died a few months later.

Although it won a whole swag of awards, this is actually a rather conventionally constructed stage play in which a delightfully testy old codger in Act One turns out to have a heart of gold in Act Three. Henry Fonda handles this role with both acumen and style – quite overwhelming the rest of the cast with the exception of young Doug McKeon who stands up to him most convincingly. Henry's more celebrated sister, Jane Fonda, uses the film mainly so show off her somewhat aged figure. Poor taste, I call it! Fortunately, Hepburn is always reliable Hepburn. On the other hand, Dabney Coleman is boorish, but fortunately he is not in the film all that much! Rexford Metz's helicopter photography and the 2nd unit work are excellent. On the other hand, Mark Rydell's direction is as dull as usual. I'm hoping that one of these days I'll get a nice surprise. Unlikely! He won the world's top Best Director award for this one, so he's unlikely to change his style. As one of his contemporaries said to me: "What does it matter how clumsy and lead-footed it looks in a cinema? If what you're doing looks good on TV, go for it!"

There is little dispute about the greatness of this movie, so I wanted to comment on the DVD extras from the 2003 "special edition" which, as far as I know, is the most recent release.You'll find audio commentaries by the director and the writer, both thorough and enjoyable, although the director is a little too proud of his work.There is a short doc on Katherine Hepburn, made for this edition and not long after she passed away, which contains a lot of great images and appreciation of her, but it's nothing too special.What is special is the short doc "Reflections on Golden Pond", which features the cinematographer and much of the crew, and really delves into the beautiful natural lighting of the picture. Better yet, the crew talks in specific detail about how they achieved certain effects for this entirely on-location film, long before digital made the beauty of movies so damn fake. You may look at 'Golden Pond' and think it's rather sweet and simple, but they when you watch this doc you realize just how much thought and work went into making it look so right. I teach film studies, so I'm always recommending material like this for students to learn more about the filmmaking process. It's so nice to watch a classic film and enjoy it on its own, and then learn more about how it was made.