A Family Upside Down

• Director: David Lowell Rich
• AMG Rating:
• Genre: Drama
• Movie Type: Family Drama
• Themes: Golden Years
• Release Year: 1978
• Country: US
• Run Time: 100 minutes

Plot

A Family Upside Down stars Fred Astaire and Helen Hayes as a retired married couple. Always proud of his independence and resilience, Astaire suffers a sudden heart attack. Though he recovers, Hayes is unable to care for Astaire herself, so she and her husband are compelled to move in with son Efrem Zimbalist Jr. and daughter-in-law Pat Crowley. Astaire's heart problems persist, and the family must face the unpleasant alternative of placing him in a nursing home. Though A Family Upside Down threatens to become an uninterrupted wallow in misery, the film takes several unexpected twists and arrives at a reasonably upbeat conclusion. Coproduced by Ross Hunter, A Family Upside Down co-stars Patty Duke Astin as Astaire and Hayes' emotionally overwrought daughter. The made-for-TV film, which won Fred Astaire the last of his many Emmy awards, originally aired April 9, 1978. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Cast

Patty Duke - Wendy; Pat Crowley - Carol Long; Kim Hamilton - Paula; David Haskell - Painter; Helen Hayes - Emma Long; Karl Held - Al; Nolan Leary - Mr. Willy; Belinda Palmer - Rhonda; Ford Rainey - Charlie Case; Brad Reardon - Scott Long; Lanna Saunders - Mrs. Lovell; Gary Swanson - Instructor; Miiko Taka - Mrs. Taka; Matthew Tobin - Dr. Chisholm; Charles Walker - Aide; Efrem Zimbalist, Jr. - Mike Long; Fred Astaire - Ted Long; Phillip Richard Allen - Dr. Russo; Norwood Smith - Wes Allen; Ernestine Barrier - Mrs. Willy; Owen Cunningham - Frank; Jim Montoya - Waiter; Gail Landry - Candy Striper; Bob Marsic - Dave; Peter Rich - Florist

Credit

Preston Ames - Art Director, Guy C. Verhille - Costume Designer, David Lowell Rich - Director, Richard Bracken - Editor, Henry Mancini - Composer (Music Score), Joseph Biroc - Cinematographer, Ross Hunter - Producer, Jacque Mapes - Producer, Gerald Di Pego - Screenwriter