Robert Preston's last film was OUTRAGE! (1985) which followed this film. Although a central figure in that movie, his part was not as important as several others - I keep thinking his health may have been beginning to fail, so that his role as a murder case defendant was curtailed as a result. He still gave an intelligent performance but it seemed short in comparison to what it should have been.
For his last solid, good performance look at this film made slightly earlier in 1984-85. Preston plays the newspaper columnist Michael Finnigan, who has reached the age of 65 and is still working as the advice to the lovelorn columnist for David Huddleston's newspaper. He hates that job, but it's that or retirement. He is living in a large house with his ten year older wife Sylvia Sydney, who is suffering from dementia, and very demanding in her ways. There is little real love left - he loved some other woman, not the current Sydney. But he is loyal and protective.
Then he meets Mary Tyler Moore - a woman who is close in age to him, and a widow (although currently seeing Sam Waterson). With Moore Preston finds a soul mate again, someone to talk to, and someone he can understand (and who can understand him). But he will only go so far with her - he feels he is duty bound to care for his wife Sydney.
Preston raises the film's level of interest by his charm - nicely abetted by Moore's response to him (and even Sydney's response - she may be sadly demented, but she does show gratitude occasionally to him). Waterson is funny but sleazy, as he is two-timing his wife.
Although a type of "deus ex-ma-china" conclusion assists in resolving the plot, FINNEGAN BEGIN AGAIN remains an adult film of late romance, and a worthy conclusion to a great acting career.
For his last solid, good performance look at this film made slightly earlier in 1984-85. Preston plays the newspaper columnist Michael Finnigan, who has reached the age of 65 and is still working as the advice to the lovelorn columnist for David Huddleston's newspaper. He hates that job, but it's that or retirement. He is living in a large house with his ten year older wife Sylvia Sydney, who is suffering from dementia, and very demanding in her ways. There is little real love left - he loved some other woman, not the current Sydney. But he is loyal and protective.
Then he meets Mary Tyler Moore - a woman who is close in age to him, and a widow (although currently seeing Sam Waterson). With Moore Preston finds a soul mate again, someone to talk to, and someone he can understand (and who can understand him). But he will only go so far with her - he feels he is duty bound to care for his wife Sydney.
Preston raises the film's level of interest by his charm - nicely abetted by Moore's response to him (and even Sydney's response - she may be sadly demented, but she does show gratitude occasionally to him). Waterson is funny but sleazy, as he is two-timing his wife.
Although a type of "deus ex-ma-china" conclusion assists in resolving the plot, FINNEGAN BEGIN AGAIN remains an adult film of late romance, and a worthy conclusion to a great acting career.