This is one of my favorite movies; it is beautifully done on all levels. Not too heavy on the romance and the humor is adult without being R rated. I can't really add anything to what other reviewers have said, but I do take issue with the person who said Sally Field looked like she was cracking up in the sneezing scene...Not at all so. I didn't see anyone else mention something that gives a funny touch of reality - it's easy to miss - in that same (sneezing) scene, just as she's passing Bobby Jack and sneezing (yes, obviously a tactic to discourage his advances), she lets out a little fart. I have seen this movie many times and never tire of it - give it a try, you won't regret it.

This little unobtrusive film made 27 years old is about a romantic love story between a divorced woman and an elderly widower, its western scenery might has already lost its vigor as time goes by and pretty much old-fashioned from our current maxim of aesthetics to define a must- see classic, it certainly has its appeal for a joyful evening viewing even just for some light entertainment with two beautifully all-over-the-place leading performances.An older-man-with-younger-woman romantic is nothing new and still now it has been considered a preferential relationship mode for our society to endure the time erosion (MODERN FAMILY is the role model here), but its morally self-consciousness could endanger the audience's acceptance and fortunately MURPHY'S ROMANCE has made itself a paradigmatic model against the 27-years age difference. Two Hollywood old timers take on the leading roles, Sally Field, a two-times Oscar winner (for NORMA RAE 1979 and PLACES IN THE HEART 1985) in her heyday (who might not suffer from the same magnitude of deprecating panning like the limitedly-talented Hilary Swank), gives another passionate performance on which she tags a shade of sincere comedic flavor. James Garner, who has earned his first and only Oscar nomination so far, levels off as a constant warmth and charm generator, contrast to Brian Kerwin's viciously good looking ex-husband, which occasions a feasible option for Field's character and also minifies the happy-endings' corny predictability. Also the gone-too-soon Carey Haim is a gem in the film, in a world copious of repellent children, he is so adorable and rare to be seen on the screen nowadays.

I saw this film on a whim. I had no real knowledge of what the film was about. All I knew was that Garner and Field were in it, and they were known to put their names to some fine work. So, when it aired on HBO I took a chance on it, and I was very delighted with what I saw.This is old fashioned film making with lots of heart and a decent cast and crew. You can tell. The shots are professional, and not over done. There are few overstated moments, and the story moves along at a nice pace.This film comes from a time when Hollywood didn't have to placate to the aging boys of America by throwing in lots of foul language, nudity, obvious and strong sexual references and body function jokes. All the adult humor is there, but it's placed in a more respectable and grown up perspective.The acting is solid. The location perfect, and the characters are right on the mark. In other words, it's a fine little film. A small film with some big names to tell a very endearing tale of tried and true feelings that everyone feels. A reminder to all about what life is all about.I guess the best clue I can give is this; it's like my cousin says, after a while age is just a number.

"I show some wear. I don't deny it " says Murphy Jones, well into his fifties and widowed, to Emma Moriarty, well into her thirties and divorced with a young son. "If the fruit hangs on the tree long enough, it gets ripe. I'm durable, I'm steady and I'm faithful. And I'm in love for the last time in my life." "I'm in love for the first time in my life," Emma says. "So?" "So...stay for supper, Murphy?" "I won't do that," Murphy says, "unless I'm still here for breakfast." Emma looks at him. "How do you like your eggs," she asks. What better Valentine Day's card than Murphy's Romance, a mature, funny and wise valentine of a movie for people fortunate enough to have found long-lasting love the first time or have been given an opportunity for a second chance. Emma (Sally Field), divorced and wanting to start a new life for herself and her son, has rented a broken-down horse ranch in Arizona where she hopes to make a living boarding and training horses. She has little money, can't get a loan and knows no one in the small, nearby town. Murphy Jones (James Garner) is the town's pharmacist. He owns the drug store on Main Street. It still has an old-fashioned soda fountain. When Emma walks in and orders a lemon Coke, he makes it the old fashioned way...Coke syrup, seltzer water and juice from a squeezed lemon. He's a friendly enough sort, realistic about things, thinks he knows people and is a little stubborn...like his Twenties Studebaker he keeps polished to perfection and parked right in front of the store...and he'll pay the parking fines if he has to 'cause he's not moving the car. Little by little the two of them come across each other in the small town. When Emma asks what kind of place it is, Murphy says, "Oh, small, friendly, nosy. You can carry a gun, but you can't get an abortion." "I don't want to do either," says Emma. With time, Emma's horse boarding business begins to look better. Then Emma's ex shows up, a friendly, charming ne'er-do-well. He's as reliable as next week's weather forecast. He charms his son and tries to charm Emma again. But he's broke, she feels sorry for him, so she let's him stay. Then Murphy starts regularly showing up at the ranch. He has a horse being boarded by Emma. It's not long before Murphy is invited by Emma to dinner many an evening. Things happen that send her ex back out of her life. And Murphy and Emma bring things to a happy close with that question about eggs. Murphy's Romance has no mysteries about it. We know Murphy and Emma will wind up together the moment Emma walks into the drug store and orders the lemon Coke. What the movie does so effectively and with so much charm and affection is show us two adults, with personalities and quirks we come to like, slowly, warily finding ways to demonstrate how they feel about each other. Its depiction of a mature romance is low-key, almost matter-of- fact, and is driven by the laid-back style of James Garner and the cautious, hard-working vulnerability of Sally Field. What keeps the movie interesting is that wary, developing interest the two of them find in each other. Watching it grow slowly over corned beef hash and bingo, over an ice cream cone and a birthday cake, over Emma's concern about her son and Murphy's refusal to own up to his age (he does, finally)...is amusing and satisfying. It helps that the depiction of this small town is just as low-key and friendly as the story-line. There's no small-town condescension. The movie house open only Thursdays through Sundays, the bingo parlor, the one cafe, the barbecue at Emma's ranch, Murphy's birthday party, all are presented straight up with affection, with nothing dramatic added. Murphy's Romance is simply a very nice movie with a warm, literate screenplay and two appealing lead actors.