La vedova americana

If you like the "Moonstruck" kind of film - a many-layered, multi-charactered tumble of the comic and the tragic (with plenty of shouting and raging) romping to a happy ending - you'll love this. It's packed, it's fast-moving, it's funny, it's wonderfully acted - above all, it's human. The elderly, gentle Mastroianni still charms and delights, though it's a pity they challenged his English with so many difficult lines. As a counterbalance, Shirley Maclean is a Fury again (cf. "Steel Magnolias"), to be smoothed and softened only by the friction with daughter Bibby (Kathy Bates) and the dedication of her new suitor. True, the story has its creaks and groans - what better to road to a woman's heart than to save her grandson from certain death? - but exuberance carries the day, we are swept along and are happy to rejoice with the rest of the cast in the Grand Finale. Of course, if you didn't like "Moonstruck" . . .

The critics did not like this film, and it now rates only a 5.6 for IMDB votes, but have a read of the positive comments below. My wife and I enjoyed this film. There are many meaningful parts, numerous gags and funny situations amidst the painful family life portrayed a la NYC Jewish-Italiano.

The three awards include two Golden Globes, and with Shirley MacLaine, Marcello Mastroianni, Marcia Gay Harden, and Kathy Bates, there is a lot more to this film than either the critics or voting would indicate.

It may not everyone's cup of tea, but well worth a video rental if you can appreciate the messages about family life. A good flick - go ahead and try it.

An all-star cast delivers wonderful performances in this "overlooked treasure" of a comedy drama. The main story deals with a family's loss of their patriarch, who 20 years earlier was prepared to silently exit his family's life because he saw no hope for his marriage to a dominating wife. At the funeral a man enters the picture, insisting on speaking to the widow. He reveals the secret that during that fateful evening 20 years earlier, he had convinced the now deceased husband to save his marriage by "dancing with his wife". The man watched the couple from the street as they danced in their kitchen. He was hopelessly in love with the image of this woman who had just fallen in love again with her husband. Better late than never, he now percistantly builds a relationship and eventually marries the woman.

There are many subplots to the story. One tells of the boy who feels the "presence" of his dead grandfather, and is certain that he is now invincible. This leads to several incidents where the boy tempts fate by putting his life in danger. His mother, herself dealing with the recent death of a younger child, escapes into a fantasy world by dressing up as Marilyn Monroe or "Mrs. Robinson". There is also a sub-plot discussing how elderly view their prospects of growing more dependent on others and eventually dying.

The film's main setting is NYC 1969. There are several beautiful references to the time, i. e. the Moon landing and the Mets winning the World Series. -- You gotta watch this movie carefully in order not to miss a beat, but you will enjoy it. The final scene drives it home. 5 stars for this one!

What a wonderful little movie! Simple story of thwarted lives and new-found love boasts one of the best casts in movie history.

Shirley MacLaine stars as a Jewish widow in 1969 New York who is pursued by a strange Italian, Marcello Mastroianni. He's waited for 23 years for her to be available. She has 2 troubled daughters, Kathy Bates and Marcia Gay Harden. Bates is fat and unhappy; Harden is nuts. Her mother, Jessica Tandy, is afraid of anything new. Also along for the ride are Sylvia Sidney, Joe Pantoliano, Louis Guss, Charles Cioffi, Bob Dishy, Doris Roberts, Helen Hanft, and cute Matthew Branton.

With 1969 New York as a backdrop, anything is possible. The Mets win the World Series.... We land on the moon..... And Mastroianni lands MacLaine! Simple, sweet, and beautifully acted.

The accents waver a tad, but on the whole this film is well written and acted. Tandy and Sidney are splendid as the old women looking for once last thrill--they move to Florida.... Bates and Harden are heartbreaking as the bickering sisters.... MacLaine and Mastroianni are perfection.

A rare chance to see 4 Oscar winners in one film!

I can't think of a film that had a better cast, story and acting.

I absolutely loved this film and its performances. It is about a Jewish family in 1969 Queens but as we know, human stories can be about any religion or ethnicity.