This was the final film appearance of Diana Douglas before her retirement from acting and subsequent death on July 3, 2015 at the age of 92 years.

The youngest son is 11 year old Eli, who is extremely intelligent, while being socially awkward and is entering a difficult pre-adolescent time.

Alex indulges in a thoughtless and careless brief romantic fling with Suzie at the soup kitchen where they volunteer.

Back at home Alex is forced to sleep on the living room couch but Rebecca agrees to reconciliation terms.

"[6] Critic Steven Holden wrote in The New York Times that the film is a "surprisingly complex and subtle portrait", and "Besides its laudable reluctance to tie up loose ends, the most courageous thing about It Runs in the Family is its refusal to try to make you love its aggressive, strong-willed characters.

It is heavy on episode and light on insight, and although it takes courage to bring up touchy topics it would have taken more to treat them frankly.