Family Reunion

During Bette Davis' later years, it's surprising that most of her best work occurred on films she made for television. I just finished watching "Strangers: The Story of a Mother and Daughter", a film I scored a 10, and not with "Family Reunion", I score it a 9.

When the story begins, Elizabeth Winfield (Bette Davis) is retiring from teaching. She's a bit of an institution at the school, having taught there for five decades...and she's not retiring by choice. The school board offers her a present that isn't as wonderful as it sounds...a ticket for unlimited bus travel. She reluctantly decides to travel to visit extended family...not realizing they gave her the ticket to get her out of town. It seems that developers want to put in a mall...and don't want Winfield to raise any objections since they would be using land owned by the Winfield family! It seems that Senator Chester Winfield (David Huddleston) is leading a secret family plan to sell the land...and he is using all the power at his disposal to ram this land grab past everyone.

When Elizabeth learns what is happening, she decides to fight. Part involves suing and part involves throwing a big family reunion and trying to get folks to see the value in saving the family homestead. What's next? See this enjoyable and sentimental picture.

The acting in this one is excellent. Davis is great, as you'd expect, but David Huddleston and the rest seem to be at the top of their game as well. I was also impressed by Davis' real life grandson, as J. Ashley Hyman seemed very natural. Overall, a lovely story, filled with sentiment and charm.

Family Reunion is a film about a family named Winfield returning back to a town named for said family. Over the years the family has spread out over the country with one exception. Spinster Aunt Bette Davis stayed in the town and taught elementary school and molded the young minds of the town.

One of the relatives is a US Senator played by David Huddleston. The Winfield family own cooperatively a nice chunk of land and Huddleston has persuaded them to sell to a corporation to build a shopping mall. Even his aunt's piece where her house sits is in danger because who would want to live next to a mall?

It's David versus Huddleston in a battle for the soul of the Winfield family. Family Reunion has a nice Frank Capra like ring to it and we know how it goes with Capra films.

Among the supporting cast look for good performances from Kathryn Walker who is disillusioned with the whole family gig. John Shea as the attorney Davis gets to fight her nephew Huddleston and David Rounds as a brain damaged cousin who speaks a lot of truth as it turns out.

This is one fine made for TV film with the incomparable Bette Davis.

A great movie that was made back in 1980/81. American treasure Bette Davis plays the main character. Of course, she's amazing. It is definitely a feel-good movie as the family comes together to save the old homestead.