MRS DELAFIELD WANTS TO MARRY
US, 1986, 95 minutes, Colour.
Katharine Hepburn, Denholm Elliot, Bibi Besch, Harold Gould, David Ogden Stiers.
Directed by George Schaeffer.
Mrs Delafield Wants To Marry is a Katharine Hepburn film. In a tour de force in her mid-70s, she portrays a widow who almost dies but then falls in love with her doctor. The outline of the plot might seem trite, however Katharine Hepburn gives great force to the emotional life of a 70-year-old.
There is a very interesting supporting cast including Denholm Elliott as a concerned but prejudiced neighbour, Harold Gould sympathetic as the doctor, David Ogden Stiers as the selfish son and Kathryn Walker as the alcoholic daughter.
1. An interesting and entertaining telemovie? The audience for such films? World-wide? Focusing on characters and social and emotional questions?
2. The American background, class distinctions and wealth, the life of the city, hospital? The luxurious Ashmore homes? The pleasing score?
3. Katharine Hepburn and the stars and their contribution? Making the film credible?
4. The comic style, its satiric tones, sometimes spoofing of the characters and their behaviour? The serious side of the film? Romantic?
5. Katharine Hepburn and her speeches about human nature, tolerance, truth, love, commitment, prejudice, reconciliation? Her final question: Isn't life delicious?
6. The voice-over by George and his perspective, love for Margaret, critical of her behaviour? George being mocked by the action, by the perspective of the director? His wife? Being won over in the end?
7. The opening and Margaret and her dying, George and Gladys watching, the hospital sequence, the variety of family reactions and their selfishness, Dr Elias and his sympathy, forcing Margaret to be alive?
8. Margaret's coming home, the family to meet her, the reactions? George and Gladys? Suspicions about the presence of Dr Elias?
9. Katharine Hepburn as Margaret: her age, experience? her memories of her happy marriage to Spud? Widow for ten years and the effect on her? Her children and her realistic attitude towards them? Gratitude towards the doctor, attracted to him, sympathetic, falling in love? The initial kiss and the effect on her? Inviting George and getting his advice, his attack? The further visits, in the car - and the ambiguous scene for George's binoculars? Her visit to his children and their reaction? Her mocking herself and worried about it? The reaction of her children and her being flattened? The force of their attacks? Asking advice of George and Gladys? Her resolution, the final support from Chipper? The build-up to the wedding, the plans and the church, the visit to the minister, and his rejection? Her hesitation and cold feet? Talking things over with Marvin, the question about the ring? The eccentricity and delight of the ceremony? The reconciliation with her family? The party and the friends? The honeymoon and the postcard sent to George?
10. Marvin as a successful doctor, helping Margaret, attracted towards her, the background of his marriage and divorce, his wife's career and publishing? His going to the party, the kissing of Margaret, the continued visits? The criticism of his children? Jewish and anti-Jewish prejudice? The discussion about the marriage, his being flattened, cold feet? Talking things over with Margaret, the wedding?
11. George and his exclusivism, 'our kind', the questions about being anti-Semitic? His relationship with Gladys, her prejudice but live and let live the binoculars at all hours of the day and night, the visit to Margaret and the long talk? The greater bigotry? His presence at the family discussions? His going to the wedding, his declared love for Gladys? Change of heart? Gladys more tolerant than he? The final postcard - 'Glad you're not here'?
12. Hotton and Doreen, their marriage, their fat son always eating and whistling, their hopes for the money, their reaction to their mother's illness, Doreen's hardness? Their warnings to their mother, her reassurance about her will, their comeuppance?
13. Sarah and Harrison: Sarah’s various marriages, her disapproval of her mother's marriage and her mother's answers? Her drinking? At the parties, Harrison as a bore? The twins? Her protest about the money? How persuasive was her change of heart and wanting to give up drinking?
14. Chipper and his sympathy towards his mother, wariness about the wedding? Her talking to him about Orville and the living arrangement? His mother's tolerance towards his gay lifestyle? His giving his mother away at the wedding?
15. David and Shirley and their reaction to Margaret, the dinner, David's rudeness, the other members of the family?
16. The socialites and Margaret's place in society, charities and appeals? Their being at the wedding?
17. Both the minister and the rabbi refusing to have the wedding?
18. The wedding itself, Margaret's dress, the music, 'When the Saints Go Marching In'? The speech for reconciliation? The sign of peace and reconciliation amongst all the guests? Margaret and her statement about belief in God and its transcending churches?
19. A humane film? Portrait of characters? Credible behaviour? Optimism?
