It's All Relative: Films about Family Circles
Here's a sidebar that really is PG-rated: There could have been a few parental guidance suggestions regarding some of these cinematic couplings...
Breezy (1973)
Made in the days when "Free Love" was a lifestyle, a freewheeling -- and very young -- Kay Lenz (soon to be Mrs. David Cassidy) finds a sugar daddy in divorced middle-age real estate agent William Holden. Directed by a guy who a lot of women still have frequent sugar daddy fantasies about: Clint Eastwood.
Harold and Maude (1971)
Harold (Bud Cort) continually fakes his death in order to avoid commitment, but thinks he may have met his match with the septuagenarian Maude (Ruth Gordon)... until she decides not to fake her death. Some things aren't meant to last...
The Graduate (1967)
The original cougar, Mrs. Robinson (Anne Bancroft) deflowers a young Dustin Hoffman. When he runs off with her daughter (Katharine Ross) Bancroft decides to go for laughter rather than youth and marries Mel Brooks, inspiring some great early works followed by parodies that are more silly than humorous. Oops, there I go confusing fantasy with reality again.
American Pie (1999)
Not sure if this cured his diarrhea, but Finch (Eddie Kaye Thomas) ends up canoodling with Stifler's collagen-loving Mom (Jennifer Coolidge) through all three franchise movies. "Mom's" the word.
Something's Gotta Give (2003)
Jack Nicholson has a choice to make: get between the sheets with sexy Amanda Peet or the very woman that embodies the definition of "overacting" with her recent string of annoying roles, Diane Keaton. Actually, he chooses both but we would have stuck with the former.
American Beauty (1999)
Kevin Spacey's mid-life crisis almost includes the seduction of teenage daughter Thora Birch's pal Mena Suvari, until he has a change of heart after reaching second base. Come to think of it, had he had a premonition of his film fate, he may have opted to pound the old avenger home after all.
The Reincarnation of Peter Proud (1975)
Speaking of premonitions, college professor Peter Proud (Michael Sarrazin) has flashes of his own reincarnation. When he goes to investigate his previous life with wife Marcia (Margot Kidder) he falls for daughter Ann (Jennifer O'Neill). Brings a new perspective to the old maxim, 'Going for a younger woman.'
Psycho (1960)
Pick either the Tony Perkins original or the Vince Vaughn remake, as either Master Bates offers a scary take on bad parental upbringing. Can you say "Mother Issues?"
Grandma's Boy (2006)
A 35-year-old video game tester has to move in with his grandmother but the real story here is that one of his younger geek pals makes out with Granny's roommate -- Shirley "Mrs. Partridge" Jones -- thus completing the Partridge Family circle (see Kay Lenz). Ow! My eyes! My eyes!...Julie Andrews threesome anyone?
Arrested Development (2003)
Not exactly a film, but this brilliant comedy TV series featured a man called Buster (Tony Hale) torn between two Lucilles (Jessica Walter and Liza Minnelli). In one episode, Buster leaves his domineering mother Lucille (Walter) to cross the hall and cohabitate with his sometime love interest Lucille (Minnelli). No word if Buster slipped her the ricky.
-- NK
