Enjoy movie moments of 6 great seniors for Grandparents Day
Sep 10, 2017, 4:20 AM
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There is a day to celebrate practically everything these days, but one that is overlooked is Grandparents Day.
The day to celebrate the moms and dads of … moms and dads and aunts and uncles and friends was established in 1978 and set for the Sunday after Labor Day. This year it falls on Sept. 10.
Older people are the butt of a lot of jokes in the entertainment world. Lots of stereotypes abound, but there is nothing mockable about these six movie grandparents:
‘Little Miss Sunshine’ (2006)
Alan Arkin’s Grandpa Edwin is a belligerent swearing machine, and a loose cannon, but he loves his granddaughter Olive, played by Abigail Breslin. The man could not be more supportive of her pageant dreams if his life depended on it. His love for her is so good and strong it will make you cry. When you aren’t cringing from his cursing. Edwin is magnificent.
‘Princess Bride’ (1987)
Good ol’ grandpa (Peter Falk) reads his sick, bored grandson (Fred Savage) a fairy tale about a princess, a farmboy/pirate, a giant, a weasel (of the human variety), revenge and true love. Yes, most of the movie is about the fairy tale, but it is “inconceivable!” if the old guy doesn’t start reading to kick off the movie. Besides, he gets points for putting up with the ungrateful, whiny kid.
‘Whale Rider’ (2002)
When 12-year-old Pai (played by Keisha Castle-Hughes) decides to blow apart her New Zealand tribe’s tradition of male chiefs, she gets encouragement from her grandmother, Flowers, and complete obstinance from Koro, her grandfather. Pai does not give up. After much heartache, Grandpa sees the error of his ways and happily joins the “Pai is amazing” party.
‘The Princess Diaries’ (2001)
It takes a lot of work to turn a klutzy, nerdy, wild-haired teenage girl into royalty. Julie Andrews’ Queen Clarisse Renaldi of Genovia did so with steely regalness and eventually, a lot of love for her estranged granddaughter, Mia (Anne Hathaway). Gramma even loosened up and became immensely likable. Well, come on, it’s Julie Andrews, who’s going to hate her for long? The movie launched Hathaway’s career, Andrews sang and was romanced in the sequel (yesssss!) and there are rumors of a third film.
‘On Golden Pond’ (1981)
Norman (Henry Fonda) is one crusty customer and it’s difficult for him to express affection. Ethel, his wife (Katharine Hepburn) is used to it and clearly loves him, anyway. His daughter Chelsea (Jane Fonda), on the other hand, has never been able to bond with him.
That starts to change when she returns to the family summer house with a fiance and his typically obnoxious teenage son, Billy.
Chelsea finally makes peace with her dad when they each open up a little, and Norman and Billy form a solid friendship. Norman’s pseudo-grandfathering of Billy helps the boy deal his parents’ divorce and all the other things that get teens all tied up in knots.
‘The Proposal’ (2009)
This romcom may have centered on a green-card engagement between Margaret (Sandra Bullock) and Andrew (Ryan Reynolds), but Betty White stole every scene she was in as Andrew’s Gammy Annie. This woman was a little unconventional.
She chants and dances to the spirits in the woods. And she feels up Margaret during a dress fitting.