belles on their toes

the year: 1952

the genre: comedy


the cast: Myrna Loy (Lillian Gilbreth); Jeanne Crain (Ann Gilbreth); Debra Paget (Martha Gilbreth); Jeffrey Hunter (Dr. Bob Grayson); Hoagy Carmichael (Tom Bracken); Edward Arnold (Sam Harper)


the plot: After Frank's death, Lillian is struggling to make ends meet without her husband's income, while Anne, Martha, and even Ernestine find romance.



count: how many cans of beans the family eats over the summer.



watch for: Martha's risque swimsuit.




don't miss: how the brothers deal with Ernestine's "sheik".



listen for: "What on earth was that?" "The childern have a chemistry set in the cellar." "Smells like alcohol." "Mr. Harper, alcohol is a chemical."




also don't miss: the kids' clandestine visits to the hospital.

cheaper by the dozen

the year: 1950

the genre: comedy


the cast: Clifton Webb (Frank Bunker Gilbreth); Myrna Loy (Lillian Gilbreth); Jeanne Crain (Ann Gilbreth); Edgar Buchanan (Dr. Burton)


the plot: Based on the real-life story of the Gilbreth family, the film follows them from Providence, Rhode Island, to Montclair, New Jersey, and details the amusing anecdotes found in large families. Frank Gilbreth, Sr., was a pioneer in the field of motion study, and often used his family as guinea pigs (with amusing and sometimes embarrassing results).



don't miss: how the kids get a dog.



listen for: "Hey Noah, what are you doing with that Ark?" "Collecting animals like the good Lord told me brother. All we need now is a jackass. Hop in!"




did you know: On the shelf in the living room is a picture of the real life Frank Gilbreth in uniform as an Army Major during WWI - the picture is visible outside the makeshift operating room during the mass tonsillectomies.



extra bonus points: if you can identify the galaxy drawn in the beach house.

Cheaper by the Dozen and it's follow up, Belles on Their Toes are a great breezy read - I give them two thumbs, way up!

state fair

the year: 1945

the genre: musical


the cast: Jeanne Crain (Margy Frake); Dana Andrews (Pat Gilbert); Dick Haymes (Wayne Frake); Vivian Blaine (Emily Edwards); Charles Winniger (Abel Frake); Fay Bainter (Melissa Frake)



the plot: a glimpse into the life of the farming Frake family and their three-day adventure at the Iowa State Fair. While parents Abel and Melissa are hoping to win a few blue ribbons, siblings Margy and Wayne are more interested in finding romance on the midway.



count: how many blue ribbons the Frakes bring home.


don't miss: the mincemeat judge (hic!) or Harry Morgan as the dishonest carnival barker.



watch for: another of my favorite meet-cutes. Hmmmm...maybe I should try riding another roller coaster.



listen for: "One shoe off and the other shoe off. Diddle diddle dumpling my son John. Hey, that don't rhyme like it used to."


did you know: Dana Andrews was a trained opera singer but his voice was dubbed because the studio was unaware of that fact. He later explained that he didn't correct their mistake because he felt the singer dubbing him probably needed the money and he didn't want to put anyone out of work.


extra bonus points: if you can name the movie Vivian Blaine would star in ten years later. (Hint: it also starred Frank Sinatra.)


also listen for: "Biggest boar in the world, I bet." "All depends on how you spell it."

people will talk

the year: 1951

the genre: drama


the cast: Cary Grant (Dr. Noah Praetorius); Jeanne Crain (Deborah Higgins); Finlay Currie (Shunderson); Hume Cronyn (Professor Rodney Elwell)


the plot: Dr. Noah Praetorius is a university professor and practicing gynecologist, with his own medical clinic. He is a bit of a Renaissance man, conducting the university's student and faculty orchestra. He is also a controversial figure in the world of medicine because of his belief that medicine is not merely a technical science, but also an emotional one - where the well being of patient is in large part dependent upon their mental state. One of his newest patients is Deborah Higgins, who is suffering under some personal issues. But Dr. Praetorius may not be able to help Deborah or any other patients if Rodney Elwell, one of Dr. Praetorius' fellow university professors, has his way. Elwell plans on mounting a case against Dr. Praetorius to a university disciplinary board and part of his case is trying to find information about Mr. Shunderson, Praetorius' constant and mysterious elderly companion.


count: how many “beeps” signal Professor Barker’s turn on the train tracks.


don’t miss: the interaction between Mr. Shunderson and Professor Elwell.


listen for: “Professor Elwell, you are the only man I know who can say 'malignant' the way other people say 'Bingo!'.”


extra bonus points: If you can name the character Hume Cronyn played in The Pelican Brief (1993).