REVIEW: Cheaper By The Dozen (1950)
Title: Cheaper By The Dozen
Release Year: 1950
Genre: Family Drama
Cast: Clifton Webb, Myrna Loy & Jeanne Crain
Plot: Based on a true story about the life of the very large Gilbreth family, consisting of a dozen children.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️__ __
Review: I like this film. I think there are so many good things about it, mostly because of the principle of the story. If you are really disappointed about the harsh changes in society and people's desperation for popularity, then this is a good film to watch.
Rasha and I had bought this film many many moons ago because we were mostly looking for family films at the time and were completely satisfied with our purchase!
The film was mostly about the father but I also loved how indirectly it showed how the mother - for the most part - helped shape his thinking in terms of their children. For instance, when the family was travelling to their new home by car, one of the children played a joke on his father. The father wasn't happy about it, so the mother - instead of telling her husband not to punish their son - joked about it, so that the father thinks it's not such a big deal and laugh it off. This also helped the children see their father in a better light.
I've seen this sort of thing happen before, but most women these days just try to stop it and men hate that because they feel that by agreeing to them, their children will undermine their authority. If more women were as smart as this woman, there would be less marital problems.
I loved the family council meeting idea. It is a great way to make children feel they have rights and thus learn that even if sometimes parents might disagree, they will be fair about it.
I will probably do this sort of thing when I have children. It's not just a healthy way for discussions, it's also very fun hehehe.
I feel people loved their children more back then and even 30 years ago, parents' lives were always about their children and everything revolved around their upbringing. But now, everyone's selfish.
Even though the Gilbreths had a dozen children - and that must require a lot of work- when the mother had her last one she said "Quiet nights will be a luxury but I'll hate it" (something along those lines) I think that's what mothers ought to feel.
Clifton Webb and Myrna Loy were perfect for the roles because Webb always played the hyper conceded type while Loy was always the sophisticated cosmopolitan who acts half asleep all the time. Still I could imagine other people playing their roles but they did a great job nonetheless.
Jeanne Crain was perfect as the eldest sister who wanted to get out of her norm. She really acted like a teenager who would do anything to be popular while "clearing" the way for her siblings and supposedly making their lives easier.
I really hated her character because I never understood that kind of behaviour. I always tried my best to do what I was told. Maybe complained while doing it, but I did it. Never did I ever even think of opposing my parents.
Funny Scenes:
There were many scenes I liked. The funniest was when that feminist woman came to their house to ask the mother to join their cause - promoting birth control pills.
One funny but short scene was when the family were in the car stopping at the traffic lights and a man standing on the pavement said: "Hey Noah, what are you doing with that Ark?", Mr Gilbreth replied " Collecting animals like the good lord told me brother. All we need now is a jackass. Hop in!"
Worst Scenes:
Some of the children thought that their mother was having a baby when they saw a doctor's car outside their house. I didn't like the mother's reaction to that. I think if this is a family film, it should've stayed that way. There was no need for awkwardness. There was definitely a need for censorship on this part.
There was another bad scene that made the father seem out of character and somewhat of a hypocrit. It was when he took his daughter to the dance and started mingling. He looked like a pedophile. I don't know if it was the real life father's personality or that Webb did an awful job in that dance. Either way the whole scene felt wrong. It was as though he made rules for his family to follow but anything goes for him. Like he suddenly lost his virtue.
Favourite Scenes:
A great and very moving scene was when the eldest son said to his mother "Anyway, that's one man's opinion". His father used to say it to his mother, which is why it was such a sad thing to hear after the father's death.
Favourite Quotes:
I loved that the father was never embarrassed. Infact he said "No person with inner dignity is ever embarrassed". I think I'll use that when I do embarrass myself hehe
This is a great film filled with family values and though you'll have lots of laughs through the entire film, keep a box of tissues or a handkerchief by your side, just in case.
P.S In 1951 Clifton Webb reprised his role for a radio version of Cheaper By The Dozen. I have yet to watch a single radio version of a film! I really need to find time one of these days.
Oh and in 1952, a sequel to the film was made called Belles on Their Toes. I haven't watched it but it seemed like something I wouldn't want to watch from the trailer.
Release Year: 1950
Genre: Family Drama
Cast: Clifton Webb, Myrna Loy & Jeanne Crain
Plot: Based on a true story about the life of the very large Gilbreth family, consisting of a dozen children.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️__ __
Review: I like this film. I think there are so many good things about it, mostly because of the principle of the story. If you are really disappointed about the harsh changes in society and people's desperation for popularity, then this is a good film to watch.
Rasha and I had bought this film many many moons ago because we were mostly looking for family films at the time and were completely satisfied with our purchase! I've seen this sort of thing happen before, but most women these days just try to stop it and men hate that because they feel that by agreeing to them, their children will undermine their authority. If more women were as smart as this woman, there would be less marital problems.
I loved the family council meeting idea. It is a great way to make children feel they have rights and thus learn that even if sometimes parents might disagree, they will be fair about it.
I will probably do this sort of thing when I have children. It's not just a healthy way for discussions, it's also very fun hehehe.
I feel people loved their children more back then and even 30 years ago, parents' lives were always about their children and everything revolved around their upbringing. But now, everyone's selfish.
Even though the Gilbreths had a dozen children - and that must require a lot of work- when the mother had her last one she said "Quiet nights will be a luxury but I'll hate it" (something along those lines) I think that's what mothers ought to feel.
Clifton Webb and Myrna Loy were perfect for the roles because Webb always played the hyper conceded type while Loy was always the sophisticated cosmopolitan who acts half asleep all the time. Still I could imagine other people playing their roles but they did a great job nonetheless.
Jeanne Crain was perfect as the eldest sister who wanted to get out of her norm. She really acted like a teenager who would do anything to be popular while "clearing" the way for her siblings and supposedly making their lives easier.
I really hated her character because I never understood that kind of behaviour. I always tried my best to do what I was told. Maybe complained while doing it, but I did it. Never did I ever even think of opposing my parents.
Funny Scenes:
There were many scenes I liked. The funniest was when that feminist woman came to their house to ask the mother to join their cause - promoting birth control pills.
One funny but short scene was when the family were in the car stopping at the traffic lights and a man standing on the pavement said: "Hey Noah, what are you doing with that Ark?", Mr Gilbreth replied " Collecting animals like the good lord told me brother. All we need now is a jackass. Hop in!"
Worst Scenes:
Some of the children thought that their mother was having a baby when they saw a doctor's car outside their house. I didn't like the mother's reaction to that. I think if this is a family film, it should've stayed that way. There was no need for awkwardness. There was definitely a need for censorship on this part.
There was another bad scene that made the father seem out of character and somewhat of a hypocrit. It was when he took his daughter to the dance and started mingling. He looked like a pedophile. I don't know if it was the real life father's personality or that Webb did an awful job in that dance. Either way the whole scene felt wrong. It was as though he made rules for his family to follow but anything goes for him. Like he suddenly lost his virtue.
Favourite Scenes:
A great and very moving scene was when the eldest son said to his mother "Anyway, that's one man's opinion". His father used to say it to his mother, which is why it was such a sad thing to hear after the father's death.
Favourite Quotes:
I loved that the father was never embarrassed. Infact he said "No person with inner dignity is ever embarrassed". I think I'll use that when I do embarrass myself hehe
__________________
P.S In 1951 Clifton Webb reprised his role for a radio version of Cheaper By The Dozen. I have yet to watch a single radio version of a film! I really need to find time one of these days.
Oh and in 1952, a sequel to the film was made called Belles on Their Toes. I haven't watched it but it seemed like something I wouldn't want to watch from the trailer.
I really like this film, but don’t love it.
ReplyDeleteI think partly because of prom scene with the father and when the children saw the doctor’s car and thought the mother was having a baby.
The thing I liked most about this film is probably all the things they said...especially when the mother said “quiet nights will be a luxury but she’ll hate it”.