I Never Sang for My Father (1970)

“I hate him. And I hate to hate him. ” – Gene Garrison

Number of Times Seen – 1 (27 Apr 2015)

Brief Synopsis – A 40 year old man who wants to get married and move across the country has difficulties because he feels pressure to stay and take care of his ailing parents.

My Take on it – I heard about this movie over twenty years ago when I was in high school and never really got around to watching it.

I am so glad though that I finally did.

This is such a great movie to watch because it shows the family dynamics from a different angle than is usually seen in movies.

Gene Hackman and Melvyn Douglas are both excellent here and eventhough this was one of Hackman’s earlier roles, he shines as a son caught between doing what in his own personal interest or what is right within his familial obligations.

The dialogue is written superbly and it deals with very complex familial questions and issues very well.

This movie was originally a play, but I feel that this is more effective as a movie than if I had seen it on the stage instead.

Bottom Line – Great movie about child-parent relationships and how much work can be involved on both sides in order to perfect them even after many years.  Hackman and Douglas are both great here.  Dialogue is superbly written and I think that this is more effective as a movie than it would be as a stage play. Highly Recommended!

MovieRob’s Favorite Trivia – Richard Widmark was playwright Robert Anderson’s first choice for the son role in both the theatrical and film versions of the play. One proposal had Fredric March as the father, another had it as a TV special with Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn as the parents. (From IMDB)

Rating – Oscar Worthy

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