Jessica Tandy & Hune Cronyn
Photo by Alan Light.
(#70) Make Way for Tomorrow (1937). A couple married 50 years loses their home, and none of their 5 adult children are willing to house them as a couple. And the ones who house them individually are a bit inhospitable. The inspiration for the Japanese film Tokyo Story.
A Man Named Pearl (2006). Born in 1939 to parents who were sharecroppers, Pearl Fryar is a retired maintenance engineer and a self-taught topiary artist. He has hundreds of plants on his property in Bishopville, SC that he lovingly shapes into works of art.
Marvin's Room (1996). Meryl Streep and Diane Keaton play estranged sisters who reconnect because of catastrophic health issues. The film explores how family dynamics complicate caregiving.Monastary: Mr. Vig and the Nun (2006). In this documentary, Mr. Vig (an 82 year old virgin) decides to donate his mansion in Denmark to the Russian Orthodox church. This results in a nun from Russia coming to his home and dictating how he should repair the place to make it fit for becoming a monastery.
Mrs. Brown (1997). Queen Victoria, played by Judi Dench, has gone into seclusion after the death of her husband. She is consoled by John Brown, to what degree there is only speculation. Is he just her good friend or her lover?(#75) Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont (2005). Joan Plowright plays the title role in a film about a mature woman who forms a friendship with a young man who becomes her adopted grandson, played by Rupert Friend. They offer each other support and friendship during difficult times in each other's lives.
Murder or Mercy (1987)
My Afternoons with Margueritte (2010). Gerard Depardieu plays a laborer who makes friends with nonagenarian Margueritte (played by Gisele Casadesus). Over the course of their afternoon chats, both are enriched and transformed by their friendship. A bit like Educating Rita.
Nanny McPhee (2005). Emma Thompson depicts a crone figure--the fairytale archetype for a mature woman. She helps a family regain equilibrium and transition into a new stage through tough love. Nanny McPhee is a bit like Mary Poppins but of grandmother age and a lot rougher around the edges--physically and emotionally.
Nebraska (2013). An older man thinks he won a million dollars when he receives a magazine subscription advertisement. His adult son drives him from his home in MN to the prize headquarters in NE. On the way they stop at the older man's hometown where he has some debts to pay--both emotional and financial.
(#80) Nobody's Fool (1994). Paul Newman stars as Sully, a man in late midlife still struggling to establish a family and a vocation. Filmed in rural NY, we see a cast of small-town characters who either help and hope or doubt and take digs. Does Sully have enough character and enough time to turn his life around?
The Notebook (2004) James Garner and Gena Rowlands play a mature couple trying to define the nature of their relationship through reminiscing.
Nothing in Common (1986) .Tom Hanks plays an adult son who reconnects with his father in the wake of his parents divorce. They have to work out a new dynamic through various difficulties, including the divorce, the dad's diabetes and the dad's new living situation. Old Goats (2010). Three older men offer each other support as they seek to hit their stride during retirement. They are looking for ways to have adventures, romance the ladies, leave a legacy and preserve their strength. On a Clear Day (2005). An older man is forced into early retirement and must forge a new sense of purpose while trying to overcome this loss that reverberates through many areas of his life: family, friends, body image, etc. On Golden Pond (1981). Henry Fonda plays a retired professor Norman Thayer, Jr. who must manage conflict with his health, his adult daughter, with his teenage step-son, and with his role in the world as he celebrates is 80th birthday at his vacation home. His wife, Ethel, played by Katherine Hepburn, does much to explain a deeply buried golden heart to other members of the family. The film uses the images of mating loons to reinforce some of the themes. (#85) Pelle the Conquerer (1987). an aging Swedish laborer and his young son immigrate to Denmark in search of work. The movie depicts the harsh realities of rural life in the 18th Century. Play the Game (2008). An older adult and his grandson face parallel challenges with romancing women, but each with their own generation's twist. Poetry (2010). This South Korean film describes the plight of an older woman. While constrained by very limited resources, she's raising her grandson who has gotten into some serious trouble. In the midst of these overwhelming problems, she gets a diagnosis of Alzheimer's. Nevertheless, she signs up for a poetry class, which helps her find a way to express the heavy burdens that she bears.
Proof (2005). This play-turned-film focuses on the relationships among an aging math professor (Anthony Hopkins), his two daughters and one of his graduate students. As the professor struggles to hold onto his genius, the three younger people make decisions about how to respond.
(#90) Quartet (2012). Many mature opera singers and orchestra musicians are cast in this film set in a retirement home for musicians. One opera soloist (played by Maggie Smith) resists performing in the annual fund raiser. The other members of her quartet must help work through conflicts--both newly formed and long-standing.
Ran (1985). Kurasawa adapts Shakespeare's King Lear within a feudal Japanese setting. Another lens from which to look at the world through the eyes of a late life man, questioning his role in the world and watching his legacy unravel. Reach for Me (2008). Seymour Cassel stars as Alvin, a mature gentlemen residing in a hospice because he's battling cancer. His approach to dying is to lash out at those around him and to struggle with regrets and bad memories. His new roommate Kevin (Johnny Witworth) provides an alternate view of the dying process, giving Alvin food for thought. Adrienne Barbeau, Alfre Woodard, Lacey Chabert, and director LeVar Burton provide supporting roles.
R.E.D. (2010). An action-comedy movie about retired spies coming back to work and bringing their wit and wisdom with them. Star-studded cast, snappy dialogue, and lots of good 'blow things up/car-chasing" fun. Robot & Frank (2012). Retired jewel thief Frank (played by Frank Langella) lives by himself and is having a few memory issues. His son brings him an electronic personal assistant--a robot. Soon Frank figures out a way to have the robot help him return to his old ways, but not without complications.
(#95) Roommates (1995). Peter Falk stars as Rocky Holeczek, a European immigrant who raises his grandson Michael. They must works to redefine their relationship once Michael becomes an adult. At times they live together as roommates, at other times they live apart. They have to constantly renegotiate boundary issues and redefine what it means to be family.The Savages (2007). Laura Linney and Philip Seymour Hoffman star as siblings who are disconnected from their father but are thrown into a crisis when their father's girlfriend can no longer care for him just when he's getting a diagnosis of Parkinson's disease. The film focuses primarily on the adult children in crisis.
Secondhand Lions (2003). Michael Caine and Robert Duvall portray eccentric uncles from rural Texas who host their urban nephew for a summer. The nephew tries to figure out if local rumors of his uncles' illegal activity and globe-trotting adventures are true. A Separation (2011). An Iranian film about the complexities that arise in a network of relationships involving a couple, their child, the man's father (who has Alzheimer's), and a woman who cares for the older man with dementia. The film shows what a delicate balance exists among people.
Shadowlands (1993) starring Anthony Hopkins as C.S. Lewis and Debra Winger as Joy Gresham. She's a widow who marries Lewis, a middle-aged bachelor. Their marriage is cut short when she gets cancer. Her son is affected by her dying, but the film actually focuses more on the marriage.(#100) Signs of Life (1989) Arthur Kennedy stars as a 66 year old Maine shipbuilder who is losing the businesshis grandfather established to new-fangled fiberglass boat builders. The day he delivers his last order, he and three younger male employees struggle to make their next move. A good film about the competing pressures of masculinity in several life stages.
Skyfall (2012). James Bond and M make a statement in the long-standing debate between the advantages of youth and the advantages of experience. But this is no fireside chat but an action-packed exploration of the question: Can you teach an old dog new tricks? Or can the old dog beat the eager puppy with hard-won wisdom? Something's Gotta Give (2003). Diane Keaton and Jack Nicholson star in this rom-com for the 50 plus crowd.
A Song for Martin (2001). A Swedish film with subtitles about a composer and violinist who marry later in life. A few years into their marriage, he is diagnosed with Alzheimer's. The film shows his progression from early stage through mid-stage to late stage dementia and the wive's struggle to keep her marriage vows as he moves further and further away from her.
Space Cowboys (2000). Clint Eastwood, Tommy Lee Jones, James Garner and Donald Sutherland star as members of an Air Force team from 1958 who reunite in the 1990s. Their mission is to launch into space to repair a faltering Russian satellite. However, they must overcome ageism, their own in-fighting and technical snags along the way.
(#105) Starting Out in the Evening (2007). Frank Langella stars as a mature novelist who hasn't produced a book in years. His life is stirred up a bit when a young graduate student makes him the focus of her master's thesis.Strangers in Good Company (2000). This unscripted film depicts a group of older women, stranded at a lake cabin and taking a trip down memory lane while they wait to be rescued. Steel Magnolias (1989). An ensemble cast from several generations shows women coping with life's challenges, some of them age based.
The Straight Story (1999). This film is based on a real-life story of Alvin Straight, a 73 year old man from Iowa who drove his tractor 240 miles to Wisconsin to visit his 80 year old brother. At top speed of only 5 mph, it took Alvin six weeks to complete the journey. The movie demonstrates the tenacity and resilience of older adults who can use their wisdom and maturity to marshal their existing resources to overcome age-related obstacles.Summer Hours (2008). A French film that starts with a 75 year old woman expressing her wishes for how here estate should be managed after her death. The majority of the film shows three adult children dealing with the practical and emotional work of managing their mother's house, furniture, artwork and other possessions. (#110) Sunset Boulevard (1950). Even though Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson) largely functions as a symbol of old Hollywood, she still serves as an icon of an aging woman. For good or for ill, she's a popular example of how aging women deal with their changing status in society.
Sunset Story (2003). This documentary introduces viewers to friends octogenarian Isja and nonagenarian Lucille who live in Sunset Hall, a retirement community for free-thinking older adults. These two friends are sharp, socially engaged and interested in current events. Nevertheless, they must manage age-related challenges. They do so with energy and positive thinking.
That Evening Sun (2009). Hal Holbrook stars as Abner Meecham, an 80 year old man who discovers that his farm and home have been rented to another family from his town while he (Abner) was recuperating from a fractured hip. Abner and Lonzo, the head of household of those renting, lock horns for the bulk of the film, excepting the scenes when Abner lock horns with his son, who has power of attorney over Abner's affairs. But the real foe is entropy--whom people of all age must combat but that older adults have to face as their arch nemesis
The Thing About My Folks (2005). Peter Falk and Paul Reiser star as father and son taking a road trip and discussing the quality of the older man's marriage. As with many fathers and sons, this is not an easy relationship, but they somehow muddle through.
Tortilla Soup (2001). A widower and his adult daughters face growing pains as they all try to take steps forward into their next life stages.
( #115) The Trip to Bountiful (1985). An older woman slips away from her son and his wife to return her to her childhood home, only to find that "you can't go home again." Nevertheless, she recaptures some vitality and reconnects with her core identity by reminiscing during her trip and touring the grounds of her childhood home.
Tokyo Story (1953). An art house film on a lot of list of film classics that is very slow paced and set in post-war Tokyo. The film shows adult children very busy establishing themselves in the new economy. The aging parents from the country are treated a bit like relics. I had to watch the film in three 45 minute segments to stay focused on the poignancy of the film delivered through understatement.
Trouble with the Curve (2012). Clint Eastwood plays a baseball scout who is accruing a number of challenges to his career. While he's trying to defeat foes at work and in his aging body, his 33 year old single daughter (played by Amy Adams) takes her first vacation from her law firm in an effort to support him, but they have a very uneasy relationship.
Tuesdays with Morrie (1999). Jack Lemmon stars as sociology professor Morrie Schwarts, whose health is failing because of the degenerative disease ALS. But Morrie still has purpose as a teacher to Mitch Albom (played by Hank Azaria). Every Tuesday Morrie shares his wisdom and joie de vivre with Mitch--and with the viewers.
Two Weeks (2006). Anita Bergman (played by Sally Fields) is dying of cancer, and her four adult children gather for the last two weeks of her life. This film doesn't gloss over the particulars of death. It shows the day-to-day chores necessary to care for the dying and the untidy emotions experienced by each of these kids and their step-dad.
(#120) Umberto D (1952). This B&W film from Italy shows a pensioner trying to scrounge up the money to pay his back rent so that he and his little dog won't be evicted.
Unfinished Song (2012) also titled Song for Marion. A mature man watches his wife enjoy life through singing even while she battles cancer. His approach is more grumpy, but eventually he makes small forays into a more positive approach to life.
Up(2009). Widower Carl Frederickson tries to "get by" following the death of his wife. His world turns upside down when a wilderness scout Russell enters his life. They have an uneasy time working out a relationship while trying to solve a set of outlandish problems, starting with how to get home from an accidental journey by hot air balloon.
The Visitor (2007). A widower discovers an illegal immigrant couple living in his Manhatten apartment, which pushed him out of a rut and into a world of both pain and joy.
The Way We Get By (2009). Three older adults volunteer to meet troops at the airport in Bangor, Maine in this documentary while working hard to keep their own issues--health, finances, loneliness--at bay.
(#125) Wit (2000). Based on the 1998 Pulitzer-prize winning play of the same name, this film stars Emma Thompson as Vivian Bearing, a woman fighting an advanced case of ovarian cancer. As a professor of literature, Bearing is used to being in control, but she finds herself a minor player in the world of medicine and science.When Did You Last See Your Father? (2007). Blake (played by Colin Firth) goes to his parents' house to hold a vigil over his dying father. During his stay, he experiences a set of flashbacks where he tried to come to terms with his father's flaws.
Wild Strawberries (1957). Ingmar Bergman's film shows a 78 year old doctor taking a full-day's journey by car with his daughter-in-law in order to receive an honorary degree. En route, he visits places from his past and takes stock of his life.
The World's Fastest Indian (2005). Anthony Hopkins plays Burt Munro, a motorcycle racer from New Zealand who competes at the Bonneville Salt Flats and sets record speeds when he is in his late 60s and his customized motorcycle is almost 50 years old.
Wrestling Earnest Hemingway (1993). Robert Duvall and Richard Harris depict two older gentlemen who have failed to stay engaged in life in a meaningful way. They form a rocky friendship. (#130) Young @ Heart (2005). A documentary about a singing group comprised of older adults and their dedication to stay vibrant and active in their later years.
Other stereotyping terms or too technical terms for these films are these: senior citizen films, films featuring retired people, movies with old men, movies with old ladies, geriatric films, movies for gerontology students, movies for aging studies classes, movies about people over 65 years old, movies with grandpas and grandmas.
Related:
Aging Films A-L Aging Films to Watch Next
Books on Aging
Silver Tsunami on the Silver Screen
