Joan Micklin Silver's "Crossing Delancey" (1988) offers a positive
portrayal of an elderly woman.  Amy Irving is the star of the movie but
Reizl Bozyk has a major role as Irving's matchmaker grandmother.  By the
way, I recommend this unpretentiously enjoyable movie to anyone who hasn't
seen it (it's probably not worth seeing twice, but certainly once).  John
Schlesinger's "Madame Sousatzka" (1988) offers a mostly positive portrayal
of a sort of elderly woman played by Shirley Maclaine.  This is another
enjoyable if not brilliant film.
 
Mary Kalfatovic,
Washington, D.C.