My First Love

Maude! Or Bea Arthur, at least. She never really got over losing her husband when he died, but Jean (Arthur) contacts Sam, an old boyfriend (Richard Kiley), and actually goes to visit him. That goes okay; they both have fun, but Jean returns home. When Sam shows up on her doorstep, they go out again. And fight. And make up. And fight some more. Will they ever iron things out? The script is pretty weak. Silly lines, jokes that don't really work. It means well... the basic story is solid, but the script needed juicing up. We even have Jean's angry, grown daughter, who is so rude to Sam for no reason. And of course the big mis-understanding. Can THAT over-done, hack scene at the hotel ever be smoothed over? If it weren't Bea, I would have bailed out. Co-stars Joan van Ark. I'll give it a just-okay. Directed by Gilbert Cates. He directed mostly tv movies. Looks like he produced many of the oscars, even won an emmy for it. Written by Ed Kaplan.

A feelgood Valentine for the over-40 (50?) set, this romantic tale offers nothing that hasn't been done before, but is offered here with such a deft touch and with such command of nuance that it will win your heart - provided that you are in the proper age bracket. The emotions ring true, even if some of the plot is a bit contrived. Bea Arthur masterfully conveys the needs, fears, uncertainties and tentativeness of a widow just marking time until she decides that the best part of her life does not necessarily belong to the past. The overt sentimentality that might spoil such a story is carefully avoided here. A strong supporting cast contributes notably.

I've always had a crush on Bea Arthur! Seeing her be romantic really turns me on. THAT VOICE really turns me on! Why wasn't she a lesbian?!

Good to see Knots Landing star Joan Van Ark (as the other woman) here looking so good. Anytime there's a Joan in anything I watch, that's a good sign to me!

This movie will make you nostalgic for the 1980s, whether you were there for it or not, AND you will want old TVs with wooden casing to make a comeback.

This movie shows that cozy, sexy, and sweet have no expiration date, and that age only adds depth to love, if anything. Recommended for fans of Bea, and for anyone who likes non-traditional romance, as well as fans of cozy 1980s films.

Bea Arthur is wonderful (as always) playing a widow who becomes reacquainted with her high school squeeze; trouble is, he's got a relationship going with a young sexy thing, but may just dump the nubile girl for this older, more sensuous woman. One of the best lines has Arthur dressing herself up for a date in frilly clothes, looking in the mirror and dead-panning, "I look like Dolls From Around the World." She's a stitch, and works well with sturdy Richard Kiley as the old-flame. Arthur didn't get many opportunities to shine in feature films; on television, her exasperation and earthy, what-the-hell disposition feels very intimate and real. Too bad this hearty TV-movie hasn't been released on DVD, we could use more of Bea Arthur's dry-martini magic. A highly enjoyable show.

Well worth a look for Bea Arthur fans, it's unlikely to win her any new ones. However I found Miss Arthur's overall performance to give the plot a depth that would have been lost otherwise. Filmed specifically for TV, it does come across as hurried and poorly developed and this is where it spoils. Also Joan Van Ark's "Claire" is little more than irritating.

Nicely dealing with a late-in-life love affair, the two main characters (Jean and Sam) rekindle their feelings with one another yet they both have obstacle's of their own to deal with first. Jean must put to rest her widowhood and Sam must set himself free from his fear of ageing and/or death. There are some comical moments that keep this alive and some of the supporting actors offer some interesting banter.

However it's saving grace is a rare appearance on film of Miss Bea Arthur, something to keep and cherish, offering us a subtle and restrained performance that gives this the depth that it needs. Miss Arthur is always going to be an American "First Love" and I recommend that this will keep you entertained.