After Maureen O'Hara died last month, I suddenly got the urge to order this-her last theatrical movie-from Netflix for me and my mom to watch when she came back from visiting my sister in Seattle. I was wonderfully surprised to find out my mom hadn't previously seen this as that meant she would watch this with fresh eyes as I had seen this on VHS tape back in the day and remember enjoying this at the time. We both very much loved this just now. I mean, Ms. O'Hara is her lovable self-provided her character is a tad bigoted though she's simply "telling it like it is". Her son, John Candy-another performer who's been missed since he passed away only a few years after this movie-is a cop who lives with her and has been quite lonely as a result. Then one day, he meets Ally Sheedy as someone who does makeup on deceased bodies when they're both at a wake and he bravely asks her out which she accepts. I'll stop there and just mention that some complications ensue but things seem to work out at the end. Fine support from Jim Belushi as Candy's cop partner and Anthony Quinn as a neighbor who is crushing on Ms. O'Hara. Written and directed by Chris Columbus, he does a nice mixing of drama and comedy when the sequences call for it and also makes good use of the Chicago locations (a city I was born in and lived as a child for about 6 years as well as one I visited quite a bit during the '80s). Anyway, Only the Lonely is a fine tribute to the careers of both Candy and O'Hara before their untimely deaths. Oh, and Quinn as well before he passed several years later.

Roy Orbison's classic hit song Only The Lonely serves as opening theme and title for this film. The lyrics themselves spell out the characters of John Candy and Ally Sheedy two people looking like they're not fated to find mates.

In Sheedy's case she's a cosmetologist who works in a funeral home, a profession that for some reason weirds people out. Candy is a cop and I'm not sure anyone his size and weight would make the force. Maybe they have looser requirements for the Chicago PD.

I know that in some cultures it is a common practice to keep one daughter at home to take care of the parents in old age. In this case Candy's Irish momma Maureen O'Hara kept her son home. She's a widow with another son Kevin Dunn married with children, but Candy she keeps tied to her apron strings.

O'Hara has a nasty comment for everybody. Some of the dialog has Candy talking about past indiscretions she's committed. She also has widower Greek neighbor Anthony Quinn playing a senior citizen version of Zorba interested in here. But there isn't another race, ethnic group or religion good enough for her and her family.

Candy and O'Hara play well against each other in scenes that call for a love and resentment to be demonstrated at the same time. O'Hara was back after an over 20 year hiatus from films. If you read her memoirs it was a combination of some personal crises, the death of her husband and she was not happy with the way films had become too loose morally.

She also spoke highly of her co-star John Candy whom she thought of as a big old giant teddy bear. His early death deeply affected her.

Only The Lonely a good film for romantics of all ages.

Danny Muldoon (John Candy) is a good natured Chicago cop living with his racist mother Rose (Maureen O'Hara). He's always worried about his mom. She keeps rejecting the flirty Greek Nick Acropolis (Anthony Quinn). He and his partner Salvatore Buonarte (James Belushi) drive the prisoner wagon. His brother Patrick is happy to have Danny take care of mom and moving them to Florida. Danny falls for Theresa Luna (Ally Sheedy) who works at her father's funeral parlor. She's also lonely and extremely shy.

It's a light rom-com with lovable John Candy. Ally Sheedy is pretty quiet. I really love both actors and they project simple nice people. O'Hara has the funniest jokes. Surprisingly she is hilarious and provides the majority of the laughs. It's a shame that she disappeared from the movies for such a long time. She's the true breakout star of this movie.