Young at Heart (1987)

Filmmakers Sue Marx and Pamela Conn document the romance between Sue's father Louis Gothelf and Reva Shwayder, each in their mid-80s. Both artists and residents of the Detroit suburbs, they... See full summary »

Stars:

Louis Gothelf, Reva Shwayder-Gothelf

Won 1 Oscar.

Cast

Cast overview:
Louis Gothelf	...	Himself
Reva Shwayder-Gothelf	...	Herself (as Reva Shwayder)

Storyline

Filmmakers Sue Marx and Pamela Conn document the romance between Sue's father Louis Gothelf and Reva Shwayder, each in their mid-80s. Both artists and residents of the Detroit suburbs, they met on a group tour of England after being widowed, and quickly formed a strong connection over shared interests. The two discuss concerns over living together without being married; Louis also talks about his caring for his first wife during her ten-year struggle with Alzheimer's disease, while Reva talks about the deaths of two sons several years after her husband's death.

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Plot Keywords:

artist | aging | jewish | russian american | wedding | 

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Genres:

Documentary | Short | Romance

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Filming Locations:

Michigan, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Sue Marx Films Inc.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

29 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Soundtracks

"Young at Heart"
Performed by George Burns
Written by Johnny Richards (uncredited) and Carolyn Leigh (uncredited)

User Reviews

Fairy tales can come true

I saw this short film, by Detroiter Marx about 15 years ago and was blown away...as was the Academy of Motion Picture Arts, who awarded her an Oscar for best short documentary that year. If memory serves me correctly, the story follow Marx's octogenarian mother as she finds true love late in life. We follow her and her new courtesan as they enjoy romantic afternoons in beautiful gardens and as they stroll through the Detroit Institute of Arts.

Smart, sensitive and ultimately and genuinely touching film- making.