Not much action and even less of a plot, but The Portrait is a good character study of two elderly parents and their relationship with their daughter brought by two Hollywood icons and the daughter of one of them. And no this is not On Golden Pond redux.Gregory Peck and Lauren Bacall who teamed in 1957 for Designing Women co-star again in a very good made for television film in which the comparisons between it and On Golden Pond are startling. Both the leading men have backgrounds in academia, the daughter of the male lead plays the daughter in the film. Both concern the daughter's relationship with her parents. Both deal with the problems of old age, especially the husband who seems to be getting much more frail than the wife and developing Alzheimer's Disease.Cecilia Peck plays their daughter who seems to have been an odd child out when she was growing up. Gregory Peck was a noted literary figure, a professor of English and Poet Laureate. Bacall was his student teaching assistant back in the day as we find out when two of the old hens who knew them when are gossiping at a faculty lunch. Cecilia seems to have finally made it as an artist and she's anxious to have Mom and Dad at her first big gallery showing. But they're wrapped up in a big move they've not told her about. The old family homestead is being sold because it's too much to manage for the elderly parents. But also there are the health issues. When Greg goes out and doesn't return of course Cecilia and Lauren go into panic mode. They do find him unconscious, no heart attack or stroke, but extremely dehydrated which can sneak up on you on a hot summer day.The film is a bit slow, but the character studies run deep. And of course you can't go wrong with Gregory Peck and Lauren Bacall at the top of the billing. Other than Cecilia's character, there are no secondary characters developed. But seeing the two icons is more than enough reason to view this well crafted story of old age.

I didn't know what to expect when I chose this film, but figured how could I go wrong with TWO screen legends in the twilight of their careers.I wasn't disappointed. As always, Gregory Peck plays the perfect picture of a true gentleman, and Lauren Bacall a true lady. Together, they are a great couple.The film begins with him alone on the lake and her calling out to him, keeping an eye on his every step. We wonder why she is so on top of him, but as the picture progresses we see why she is so concerned.Their daughter, played by his real daughter, is an artist who's career is hedging on her finishing "the portrait" of her parents who can't sit still for more than 10 minutes. She comes home to find that they sold the house to move to their smaller summer home and the movie centers around the changes that have and will take place.There are some sad moments, Gregory Peck in the hospital, but these moments are not all dark. Humor is dispersed throughout and Lauren Bacall is great as a bossy, take charge woman. Watch her telling the moving men what to do and haggling with the thrift store owner.While, I don't think the film received a lot of recognition, it is worth watching. You have humor, sadness and truth all rolled into one. Everyone can relate to their parents getting older.

The actors, directors, and camera people did a nice job making this movie, the story was very loose. I was an extra in this movie and can attest that Gregory Peck was a great person in addition to his incredible acting talent. Director Penn got a lot out of the story and worked very hard. True story, shooting on Duke campus had to be suspended for thirty minutes for the bells in Duke Chapel. It was an exasperating day of shooting and Penn's facial expressions and comments when told it was an unavoidable break were priceless. It is well acted and a good Sunday afternoon over a cold glass of sweetened ice tea kind of movie.

There are a lot of great names in this film; Gregory Peck, Lauren Bacall and director Arthur Penn. Gregory Peck & Lauren Bacall had appeard in the film 'Designing Woman' in 1957. It was a wonderful movie and they became friends whilst filming the movie. Now they appear again in this tv-movie 'The Portrait'. It is a very weak story. The film goes about the life of two retired people how going to move away from there house. But there daughter (played by the real daughter of g. peck) came along and want to made a portrait of them. Nothing really new and very amusing, but I watched this movie because it was with lauren / betty Bacall how I still love watching on the screen, sadly she didn't appear in movie since The Diamonds with Kirk Douglas in 1999. I really hope she will appear soon again in a movie and maybe win her first oscar. I think everyone tried to made a good movie and there are also very good moments in it. But I saw the film with French voices and that wasn't good, I prefer the real voices.7/10