Mrs. Delafield Wants to Marry 1986

Margaret Delafield, Katharine Hepburn, is a wealthy elderly widow of Spaulding ‘Spud’ Delafield (an unseen character) who is rushed to hospital and not expected to survive. At her bedside, her two sons Horton Delafield, David Ogden Stiers, and Chipper Delafield, Charles Frank, along with her daughter Doreen Delafield, Bibi Besch, are more concerned with the size of their inheritance than with her health. Her doctor, Dr Marvin Elias, Harold Gould, encourages her to fight. Margaret makes a full recovery and returns home to a welcome party for family and friends.

Their relief is shadowed by suspicion: the siblings fear that Margaret and Marvin seem to be spending more time together than a typical doctor/patient relationship would justify, and they are devastated when Margaret and Marvin announce their impending wedding, realizing their inheritance could slip away. Marvin’s children are equally doubtful, adding to a tense, emotional struggle within the family.

Margaret’s favorite church refuses to perform a mixed marriage (Marvin is Jewish), and Marvin’s rabbi, Charles Siegel, is equally unwilling. They decide on a small country church and invite all family and friends. The decision marks a turning point, blending expectations, faith, and family loyalties as everyone weighs tradition against love.

The wedding becomes a rich tapestry of symbolism, weaving Jewish and Christian elements with a monastic chorus, harp music, and medieval minstrels. Amid the celebration, old wounds begin to heal as the families reconcile, and the newlyweds prepare for a honeymoon in Hawaii, stepping into a new chapter together.

Observing all the goings-on is George, Margaret’s neighbor and best friend, Denholm Elliott, who frequently breaks the fourth wall to comment on the proceedings, adding a wry, meta-awareness that gives the story its distinctive, lightly humorous rhythm.