On Golden Pond

On Golden Pond is a 1981 family drama film directed by Mark Rydell from a screenplay written by Ernest Thompson, adapted from his 1979 play of the same name. It stars Katharine Hepburn, Henry Fonda (in his final theatrical film), Jane Fonda, Doug McKeon, Dabney Coleman and William Lanteau. In the film, Norman (Henry Fonda), a crusty, retired professor grappling with many effects of aging, is estranged from his daughter, Chelsea (Jane Fonda). At their summer home on Golden Pond, Norman and his wife Ethel (Katharine Hepburn) agree to care for Billy, the son of Chelsea's new boyfriend, and an unexpected relationship blooms. On Golden Pond was released theatrically on December 4, 1981, to critical and commercial success. Reviewers praised Rydell's direction, Thompson's screenplay and the performances of the cast. The film grossed $119.3 million domestically, becoming the second highest-grossing film of 1981 in North America. It received ten nominations at the 54th Academy Awards, including for Best Picture, and won three: Best Actor (for Henry Fonda), Best Actress (for Hepburn) and Best Adapted Screenplay. Plot An aging couple, Ethel and Norman Thayer, continue a tradition of spending each summer at their cottage on a lake called Golden Pond, in the far reaches of northern New England. When they first arrive, Ethel notices the loons calling on the lake "welcoming them home"; Norman, however, claims he does not hear anything.