moonspinner55 Review of O'Hara's Wife

O'Hara's Wife (1982)

Beleaguered comedy-drama, completely built around a gimmick, is pretty old hat...

[4/10 · 3 December 2005]

How did all these talented people get rooked into doing such a slight, nondescript piece of fluff? Loving couple Ed Asner and Mariette Hartley are tragically separated by her death--but not for long! She comes back as a ghost, whom only Asner can see, yet she has no particular purpose or plan. The opening moments with Asner and family (including Jodie Foster, during her college years) grieving Hartley's loss are painfully elongated. Does the film want to be fanciful or realistic? Don't worry, this is just a sitcom-wannabe in low-budget dress, and soon Asner is talking to the ghost and everybody thinks he's gone off the deep end. The cast collectively jumped into the deep end after boarding this sinking vessel. Incidentally, the myriad of movie-review books are indecisive as to whether this was a cable-TV movie, a straight-to-video loser, or a failed theatrical production. I saw it on video, but I assume with all the talent involved it was meant for theaters. Either way, you can't get a refund. *1/2 from ****