History of Cinematography

One woman he forces her to kill a couple and their young son after heurinates on the woman, he forces the now catatonic woman to shrink wraptheboy then stab the woman to death. Yep this is nasty stuff with AnthonyWongwho usually plays notourious villians turns up as one of the good guys.Allthose who like Lucio Fulci films will reconise some of the music from CityOf The Living Dead.

2) This is a thriller that builds slowly. It works from a rather nasty premiseand doesn’t flinch. The viewer is presented with the difficult task ofwatching a serial killer slide deeper and deeper into a world of horror anddespair. The situations are gut wrenching and intense. Blood and gore areminimal.

Possibly taking its name from the American film "Silence Of The Lambs",thisfilm from Hong Kong goes places that the American film didn’t dare.

2)
Glenn Holland is a professional musician who would like to spend more time composing so in 1965 he takes up teaching at a local high school. Little does he realize how little free time there will be as a teacher. Initially, he is frustrated at his inability to get through to his students but over time, he becomes quite competent at his profession and in fact has a number of successes. At home, he is devastated to learn that his infant son is deaf and struggles over the years to develop a relationship with him. When, after 30 years of teaching, the music program at his school is canceled he wonders what, if anything, he has really accomplished in his life. Friends and students, past and present, show him just what he has meant to them.

• The song young Gertrude Lang learns on the clarinet is “Stranger on the Shore” by Acker Bilk.
• An old cold storage building that was part of an abandoned fruit cannery in Gresham, Oregon was used for the construction of props (John F. Kennedy High School road sign) The interior and exterior of the apartment they lived in as well as the house seen later in the film. The apartment exterior was recreated after an actual building located in Portland, Or.
• Every person in the film that portrayed a deaf person is deaf in real life.
• As a child, Katee Sackhoff was a child extra in this film. She has stated that she hated the experience, but vowed to Richard Dreyfuss that she would work with him again. She ended up playing his daughter in the series "The Education of Max Bickford" (2001) six years later.
• Composer Michael Kamen was so inspired by the story told in this film that he started a non-profit organization dedicated to providing musical instruments to underprivileged students.
• Richard Dreyfuss plays a husband and teacher whose first name is “Glenn.” It is interesting to note that the actual first name of the actress who plays his wife is “Glenne.”

Trivia items below here contain information that may give away important plot points. You may not want to read any further if you’ve not already seen this title.

• SPOILER: The sign that Cole gives to Mr. Holland (his father) just before he conducts the symphony at the end of the film means “I love you”.

• Continuity: The Driver’s Ed car loses a hubcap on the way to the hospital. In subsequent scenes, it has all four hubcaps.
• Anachronisms: Portland did not have traffic diverters until the early 1990s.
• Audio/visual unsynchronized: The trumpet players’ fingering doesn’t match the notes they’re playing.

• Audio/visual unsynchronized: The school band’s marching is alternately on and off the beat when the parade begins.
• Anachronisms: Mr. Holland assembles a 1990s crib in the 1970s.
• Continuity: After learning the Hollands will move to a house, Iris hugs Glenn with a sheet of music in her hand, and the sheet ends up behind his head. In the next shot, the sheet is in the middle of his back.
• Factual errors: Ray Charles’ “I’ve Got A Woman” was released by Atlantic Records.
• Anachronisms: During the 1964-1965 school year, Mr. Holland helps his class appreciate Bach by showing the connection between a Bach composition and “A Lover’s Concerto” by the Toys. The record came out in fall 1965, during the next school year.
• Crew or equipment visible: After Mr. Holland discusses Beethoven with his students, the camera pans over to the record player. The camera is reflected in the shiny surface of the record.
• Anachronisms: If Mr. Holland is 60 in 1995, he would be 30 in 1965, when he tells Iris how he fell in love with John Coltrane’s music in 1950, when he was 15. Coltrane’s first session as a leader was on 31 May 1957, so he couldn’t have had a John Coltrane record then.
• Continuity: As Iris prepares to speak to the crowd before the final performance, a sign-language interpreter behind her moves into position twice.
• Continuity: During the final performance, a close-up of Iris shows her preparing to take a snapshot. In the next wide shot of the crowd, Iris is seen with her hands down.
• Audio/visual unsynchronized: Mr. Holland’s piano-playing does not matching the audio track in several places.
• Continuity: The writing of Mr. Holland’s name on the blackboard
• Anachronisms: In the beginning, which is supposedly 1964, Vice Principal Wolters mentions Ralph Nader’s book on cars, which wasn’t released until 1965, a year later.
• Anachronisms: The type of school lockers shown in 1964 were not available until at least the late-1960s.
• Anachronisms: The skateboard used during the scene displaying the 1980 banner was a “new school” model, which was not produced until the late ’80s or early ’90s.
• Factual errors: After finding out his son is deaf, Mr. Holland teaches his class about Beethoven’s deafness while writing his seventh symphony. Beethoven lost his hearing gradually. He wasn’t completely deaf until he wrote his ninth symphony.
• Continuity: Shortly after Mr. Holland’s son opens a window, causing papers to fly all over the room, a medium shot shows a young man sitting in a chair. He stands up. When the camera cuts to a long shot, he’s back in the chair, and stands up again.
• Continuity: As Iris takes a picture of Mr. Holland at the end of the film, the next shot (cutting to Mr. Holland conducting his symphony) shows her sitting quietly in her seat, without her camera even visible.

• Factual errors: SPOILER: In several scenes, Mr. Holland conducts with his baton in his left hand. Traditional conductors always conduct with their batons in their right hand, even if they’re left-handed, due to centuries of tradition. It’s the same reason left-handed violinists don’t hold the bow in their left hand.

1) "Playing the sunset" was Holland’s way of getting Gertrude to relax soshe could play the notes fluidly. They both knew that she didn’t soundprofessional, and wasn’t going to. The idea was to get her just above thelevel of making a fool of herself as she did the first time he called onherin class. Then she could, and did, perform in the band without draggingdownthe whole ensemble.

2) Her goal was not to be a professional musician. Did no one else hear herspeech about "I just wanted to be good at *something*"? She listed all thefabulous achievements of her parents and siblings, and concluded, "I’m theonly one who’s…" The missing word would have been "useless" or"worthless". Or "a failure". Thirty years later she’s the governor (not themayor!), because in 1966, Holland helped her gain confidence for the firsttime.

3) She wasn’t "wasting" Holland’s efforts by going into politics. Art,musicand theater education don’t exist solely to create professional artists,musicians and actors. They also exist to give young people an opportunityfor change and growth, even if they never use a paintbrushagain.

I liked that plot twist. Almost every high school has an alumnus who hasachieved something in art or entertainment, but a lot of people sell onepainting or appear in one film and become a hero to their home town. Butthere are only fifty states, and it takes an extraordinary amount of driveto become governor of one of them. It’s unlikely that she would have takenthat first step towards empowerment without Holland.

2) The first time I saw this film was in the movie theater with one of mybestfriends–both of us musicians. By the time we left, both of us werebawlingour eyes out. This film is very touching and well done. Granted, there areaccuracy errors (every film has those) and I’ve noticed several complaintsabout the music in the final scene (why are people so nitpicky?). I had aband director much like Mr. Holland when I was in middle school, a man whostruggled at first as a teacher but soon became a beloved and inspiringdirector. Every time I watch this film I think of that man, and how hechanged my life for the better. It’s a movie I can truly relateto.

Okay, enough reminiscing. If you want a film that will tug yourheartstrings, this is it. Rating 9 out of 10.

3) Richard Dreyfuss is outstanding (as is the whole cast) in this thoroughlyenjoyable film. I really liked it the first time, but with repeatedviewings, I’d say that this film got even better. It’s a littlepredictable, but so what? For me, it was impossible not to care aboutthesecharacters, and the ending was the perfect heartwarming note to go out on.It was rather funny as well, but my favourite thing about this movie wasthemusic. It seems only fitting, considering the importance of music to thisfilm, that it would have a great number of songs, but I was astonished byhow much I LOVED the music in this movie. All-in-all, this was acompletelysatisfying film, and I would call it a must-see.

4) It’s a MOVIE! I’m reading comments so vastly polarized to one extreme oranother so as not to be believed.

Okay, I am a musician. I’ve been one on a professional level for over tenyears, both as a writer and performer. And I LOVED this movie (apologiestoall those pretentious ‘serious’ musicians out there). I enjoyed mytheatrical viewing and I have watched my DVD several times.

Is MR. HOLLAND’S OPUS musically accurate? No, of course not, no more sothan STAR TREK paying attention to factual science and the laws ofphysics.But for the most part, nobody other than most of us ego-driven, high horsebound musician types will ever know it.

Designed to have a broad appeal outside the aforementioned musicallyinclined crowd? Yes, but then so is nearly every movie to come out ofHollywood. It has to be palatable to a certain degree, and I believe thatthe much maligned "Play the sunset" scene is far more entertaining thanhaving Mr. Holland give us lengthy exposition on the proper articulationandtechnique that goes into playing a given instrument.

And if I hear one more poster scream about Mr. Holland’s ‘opus’ only beingten minutes long (the "It took him a lifetime to write THIS?" mantra) Ithink I’ll scream. Did it ever occur to anybody that what we heard wasonlya small part of a much larger work? Most classical and semi-classicalpieces occur in (get ready) MOVEMENTS! It’s entirely possible that weonlyheard the prologue to a much larger piece. Think outside the box,people.

As for the quality of the piece itself, I found it to be acceptable, ifnotthe most dynamic piece of work I’ve ever heard. But seeing as how we hadbeen hearing snippets of this piece THROUGHOUT THE MOVIE, I can’t say thatIwas so overwhelmingly let down as some of our more ‘educated and refined’musician types that have posted here.

Sure, there were some flaws. Ms. Headly is not the greatest actress intheworld, and beside Dreyfuss she’s downright embarrassing. William Macy’scharacter is so cliched that it warrants no further discussion. The wholesubplot with Rowena and her romantic interest in Mr. Holland ran about tenminutes too long. And the ending bit where the arts funding gets cutseemeda little too political.

But overall, a great film, surely one of Dreyfuss’ best, and one of myfavorite films.

I’m a musician. And I liked it. So sue me….

5) The writing of this movie by Patrick Sheane Duncan (Nick of Time),nominated for an Oscar and Golden Globe Awards, is one of the best storiesthat Hollywood ever put on the screen. The sensitivity and perception of theDirector Stephen Herek (101 Dalmatians) adds a special touch to the story.

Richard Dreyfuss (The Goodbye Girl, The Competition, The AmericanPresident) was nominated for an Oscar and Golden Globe for this role, whichis my view one of his best performances. He is good in all stages of thedifferent seasons of the life of Mr. Holland. I seldom cry while watching amovie, but when Mr. Holland enters the school auditorium with grey hair andthe entire school is applauding when he retires, it makes me cry. I cryevery time I watch it, and I can also cry every time I bring it to mind. IfI ever get a part where I have to cry all I have to do is to bring backthat memory back! That moment is a combination of my mother a music teacherand my dad aging. There is no greater love than to lay your life foranother… When I graduated from college I wrote a letter thanking myparents for the rainy days they had to go to work, and for all thesacrifices they made for me and left it on top of the dining room table sothey could find when I was not around. Needless to say that the entirefamily cried. That is what that scene means to me. I do not see Mr. Hollandas a frustrated composer, he was just frustrated because he had othercommitments that did not give him the time to compose. Glenne Headly did agreat job playing Iris Holland. She has appeared in ER recently. OlympiaDukakis (Steel Magnolias) plays Principal Jacobs. It is beautiful whenclose to her retirement she gives Mr. Holland a gift. Jean Louisa Kell (TheDay Lincoln Was Shot) is Rowena Morgan who steals the show because she singsbeautifully. William H. Macy, (Fargo) plays Vice Principal Wolters who goesinsane when he listens popular music coming from Mr. Holland’s classroom.Poor Gertrude Lang, Alicia Witt ("Cybill") is trying so hard to get thetechnique that she forgets about her feelings. I love when she finally getsto feel the piece and lets herself go.Then when she comes back as grown upis very touching.A music teacher having a deaf child is ironic. Mr. Holland teaching thekids about Beethoven is marvelous! I love when Cole (Anthony Natale (II)),comes back as an adult and participates in the celebration of his dad’sretirement, and also because he himself is going to teach at the school forthe deaf in Washington DC. This movie struck a cord with me because of themusic and because of all the elements that were brought into movie andstory. I would give it a10 + if I could. It is one of my favorite dramas! Iam not much of a drama person, I prefer comedy, but this is a very specialdrama.

6) I remember seeing "Mr. Holland’s Opus" for the first time in high school. Iliked it then, and still do. Films about teaching often involve tough kidsand less than ideal teachers, among other things. I have to say this filmis an exception. Mr. Holland is an inspiration in so many ways that he doesnot realize or even want to acknowledge. It is also a story that could havetaken place and that some people can relate to. This is why I enjoyed it somuch.

Mr. Holland has a dream of composing a very memorable and moving symphony,and to ultimately be "rich and famous." But working odd jobs in pursuit ofhis dream doesn’t appeal to him. Reluctantly, he takes a day job as a highschool music teacher to support the family and at first hates it. Hisstudents are not motivated to learn through readings and tests, and do notrespond well to the music of Bach. When he finds they love rock and roll, heintegrates this into the curriculum, much of the disapproval of theadministration, who believe "rock and roll by its very nature leads to abreakdown in discipline." He teaches and mentors many students over theyears, from a clarinet student who doubts her talent and feels inferior toher musically talented family, to a wrestler who becomes a drummer, and atalented singer with her eye on him who wants to go to Broadway despite anybarriers. Whether or not he knows it, Mr. Holland inspires them to dosomething worthwhile.

Despite his love and talent for teaching, Mr. Holland cannot develop thissame level of rapport and love with his wife Iris and son Cole, who is deaf.His desire for Cole to appreciate music is outweighed by Cole’s inability tohear and his father’s reluctance to help him. Cole learns sign language fromhis teachers and mother predominantly. Mr. Holland appears to be the kind ofperson who detests imperfection of any kind, and this strains his familialrelationships. Gradually, though, he learns to accept and deal with thesechallenges, and becomes more loving and appreciative.

I recommend "Mr. Holland’s Opus" for musicians, singers, music teachers, andreally everyone. Enjoy the show!

7) What a wonderful movie. I just watched it and am in awe of RichardDreyfuss’ amazing acting. Only being 15 but an avid music lover myself,I sat there wishing I had a teacher like Mr. Holland that inspired melike so many of the students in the movie, that made learning fun byconnecting with the students, by doing everything Mr. Holland did. Thestories of the students were real and believable. I connected with thegirl that played the clarinet, Gertrude Lang, because sometimes I evenfeel that I’m never good at anything.

Every person of every age can appreciate and love this movie. At theend, when Mr. Holland’s goodbye party was discovered in the gym and hetook the stage, I was crying.

What a wonderful movie. History-wise, music-wise, and story-wise.

I love this movie because I had a fantastic, inspirational teacher in highschool that all the students admired and looked up to. Even though I was inhigh school when this movie came out, I still carry the memories. NicolasCage deserved to win his Oscar for Leaving Las Vegas, but I still would haveloved to see Richard Dreyfuss win. The whole cast was wonderful, and youactually felt like you were in the 60s and 70s, unlike other films set inthat time period.

How often does a film come out that generations relate to; and a film sotouching about a teacher who cares about his students, and vice versa? Willalways be one of my favorite films.

9) Glenn Holland is a young composer. In the fifties he stops touring with hisband to teach music in a school which he hopes will free him from touring toallow him to work on his main love of composing his own music. Despiteinitially hating his job, Holland soon learns to enjoy it and how best tocommunicate the love of music to his pupils. We trace his life over30-40years as he has a son with his wife and goes through great emotionaltimes while putting his personal dreams to one side.

Although this had `sentimental life lesson film’ written all over it, Istill wanted to give it a go and strangely still enjoyed it. The film isvery much a bit of praise for all those who are unsung heroes in there livesand it had the potential to be really sickly sentimental. Happily a goodscript manages to avoid this for the majority of the time.

The weakness of the film is the fact it that it does try to cover a lifetimeand occasionally there isn’t enough plot to do that well. I know it wouldhave been difficult but I do feel that the film could have been either alittle tighter or filled to overflowing with plot to make it feel shorter. As it is it is still enjoyable but it does feel a little wandering at times– but I guess that’s like life in a way. When the climax comes though it ishard not to be a little moved by the lesson that the film is teachingus.

However, the reason for the success of the film is also the reason for it’sOscar nomination – Richard Dreyfuss on good form. He kept me watching evenwhen the material was stretched. He is totally believable in the role – fora microcosm of his performance watch his face when the announcement is madeabout the surprise they have prepared for him – his emotion got me rightaway! He deserved his nomination for this as he is captivating over thewhole film. He even ages very convincingly and make up should becongratulated. However while makeup were concentrating on Dreyfuss theytotally forgot about Headly who doesn’t age a bit until the final timeperiod (apart from looking a bit tired). She is badly miscast and shedoesn’t fit the role at all. Thomas, Macy, Dukakis and Anderson (as theteenage Cole) all do well in support – but this is Dreyfuss’movie.

Overall I enjoyed this. I usually struggle with things like this becausethey pile the sentiment on thick like a daytime TVM. Happily this scriptavoids that are the majority of the flaws are compensated for by a strongperformance from Dreyfuss.

10) After wanting to see this film since it came out, I finally was lucky enoughto see it tonight. As a music lover, this film blessed my soul. The scorewas gorgeous, and the struggles and victories of Mr. Holland made melaugh..made me cry and warmed my heart. Richard Dreyfuss was glorious in hisperformance as the troubled Music Teacher. He showed that anyone, be they ayoung girl who struggles to be good at something, or a teen in the 60′s whowants to play the drums but can’t find the beat..can be changed by music.Bravo, Mr. Holland!

2) This program aired on PBS on October 21, 1994 at 8:00 P.M.There was a part where Alan Thicke was wearing a wardrobe, putting make-upon, in a dressing room.I wish this show would air again.Watching this show was like being on an inclined train or "roller coaster"as most know it as, where you never knew what would happennext.

Nunnally Johnson (screenplay

2)
Mr Hobbs longs for a vacation alone with his wife, away from his long commute into work and his disfunctional family. His wife longs for a family get-together. Of course the wife wins and off to the beach with the family they go.

• Cameo: [Herb Alpert] trumpet player at the yacht club.
• The station wagon used in the film is a 1960 Dodge Seneca.
• The portrait hanging along the staircase of the beach cottage is of Captain Daniel Gregg, played by Rex Harrison, from The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (1947).
• This is the first of two movies Maureen O’Hara made with Jimmy Stewart; in 1966 she also made The Rare Breed with Stewart.

• Continuity: When the car approaches Hobbes and Turner during their bird watching expedition, they are walking in the middle of the road, effectively blocking traffic. In the next shot, the car has room to go around them.

2) I think this highly entertaining film is a bit better than Maltin gives itcredit for being. More than just a light comedy about the travails of asummer vacation gone wrong, the movie has some hard edges that give it somebite. Among these are the frayed relationships between Hobbs and his elderdaughters, the marital difficulties of one of them (bordering almost onbeing painful to watch), and the mutually hostile relationship of Hobbs withhis grandson. Hobbs is no kindly buffoon; a well-meaning but irasciblefellow, he has plenty of cutting and sarcastic comments for the familymembers that cause him so much grief, yet who he obviously cares for. Thereare some genuinely touching moments throughout the film, especially as Hobbsreconnects with his teen son. The script is excellent, with many sharp edgesand plenty of crackling repartee. Stewart, in a fine performance, makes themovie; his expressive face completely reflects the frustrations, disasters,and surprises he encounters, as well as the warmth and pride he feels forhis family. The brief narrative voiceovers he supplies (continuations of theletter he dictates at the beginning of the whole flashback movie) arewell-placed and witty. Maureen O’Hara is perfect as the well-meaning Mrs.Hobbs. This is a thoroughly enjoyable 60′s movie that stands up well to thepassing years.

3) All-round pleasant family fare for those who enjoy the ups and downs offamily happenings. This easygoing story appeals to both young and old. RogerHobbs (Jimmy Stewart) is the harried father who longs for a quiet holidaywith his wife (Maureen O’Hara) but in the end goes along with her wish tohave a family reunion, which turns out to be far from ideal. Quite thecontrary, there’s plenty of room for a good dose of realism — personalclashes between his married daughter Susan and husband Stan, while theyoungsters get out of control. Scarcely a dull moment throughout. Fabian, asJoe, is a nice addition to the scene and he’s more mature here than in hisearlier movie, which I happen to like best, "North to Alaska." An oldfamiliar face is Reginald Gardiner, as Reggie, who has been a part ofcountless film comedies dating back to the 1930s. Settle down with somepopcorn and have a good time!

4) This is an old-fashioned movie about a married couple’s attempt to bringtheir distant family back together. It’s not raunchy, violent or nasty,andits depiction of a mum, dad and children living in a "nuclear" family mayseem quaintly out-dated, but Stewart and O’Hara provide warmth and depth.Based on a book by Edward (‘Father of the Bride’) Streeter, Mr Hobbs isoneof this American author’s typical small-town, upper-middle class heroeswhothe whole world and his wife (and Mr Hobbs’s own wife)are out to get.Simplemechanical devices, plumbers and visiting luminaries’ wives all spelltrouble, but somehow Mr Hobbs comes through to win the day. Not thegreatestfilm ever, but for anyone who grew up in the early 60s and wants areminderof how simple life seemed back then, this is a good film towatch.

5) Mr. Hobbs Takes A Vacation is delightful from beginning to end. It’s avacation none of us would mind taking. Mr. and Mrs. Hobbs are somewhat"with it" parents, with a child in each generation, young and old, eachwiththeir own problems. They grow up so quickly. Mrs. Hobbs uses the excuseofa summer vacation, in a shack of a shore house, to bring them all closertogether before their individual roads (which they are already traveling)lead them further away from "home".

The rental home is a shambles and the "family" doesn’t cooperate with "theplan". Leave it to the "deadpan" Stewart, problem solver and loving dad,toclose the gap with each child (and their own broods), and re-unite themallback into one big, happy family.

Stewart plays the most unimportant member of the family, DAD, for all it’sworth. Nicknamed "Boom-pa" ("Boom-pa, couldn’t you do better for your oldman?" jokingly(?) insulted) by one of his grandchildren, birdwatching with John McGiver ("What kind of bird is that?"..always a"Barn Swallow"), and playing with his temperamental Rube Goldberg waterpump, Stewart is the centerpiece to this amusing and warm film. (Maureenplays a really sexy grandma too…)

PS— FABIAN, as the teenaged love interest of Mr.Hobb’s daughter (the onewith the "new" braces on her teeth), gets to sing too. The "little summerromance" is a plus for his many female fans.

6) This is a very nice movie, but it could have been more. The scenes betweenStewart and O’Hara are some of the best (and funniest) scenes I’ve ever seenportraying and affectionate, mature married couple. One of my favoritemoments is when Mrs. Hobbs asks her husband, "What did you tell him I had,dementia praecox?" You don’t get dialogue and delivery like thatanymore…

The thing that mars the movie is that either the people making the moviedidn’t realize how wonderful the scenes between O’Hara and Stewart were, orthey worried about some stupid demographic junk and silted the movie up with"youth appeal". Most of the scenes with the teenage daughter could have beencut, especially the awful scene where Fabian sings, and the sequence wherehe goes sailing with his son should have been tightened.

But the scenes with the two parents (especially the ones in the bedroomwhere they discuss their sons-in-law and the house), and Stewart’soccasional morbid fantasies make this movie a winner. I think with a littlemore care it could have been a classic, but it’s well worth seeing, and youcan fast-forward over the scene at the pizza shop where Fabiansings.

7) This has been one of my favorite movies, ever since seeing it at thedrive-in when I was eleven. I started holding my mouth just like Katey(pretending I had braces), and dreaming that I, too, would meet Fabianon our family vacation. I still find myself humming "Cream puff,shortcake, sweet stuff, jelly rolls….". And Henry Mancini’ssoundtrack still is great beach music.

All grown up now, my business is renting beach houses, a vocationpartially stimulated by my favorite summer movie. I can’t help butcompare the old beach shack full of cobwebs and broken plumbing totoday’s sand castles. This video belongs in every modern beach house,to bring back memories of vacations long ago, or to show the kids howwe roughed it in the olden days.

Good family comedy film that covers all the bases except editing.Slightlybetter screenplay to compliment the excellent writing would have turnedthismovie into a bonafide EXCELLENT CLASSIC.But despite it’s small flaws,thismovie will definitely delivers on it’s genre’s promise.Not for people whodonot like any TEEN LOVE stories at all……

9) I saw Mr. Hobbs Takes A Vacation after reading a book about Dwight D.Eisenhower in which the author points out that the last time the sixEisenhower brothers got together with their parents in the same spotwas 1926 and has a picture in the book that commemorates the event.When I saw my VHS of this film it did give me an appreciation of whatJames Stewart was trying to do here.

This film is a pleasant innocuous family comedy from a more innocenttime, one of three that James Stewart did with Director Henry Koster inthe Sixties. The other two were Take Her She's Mine and Dear Brigitte.Previously Stewart had done Harvey and No Highway with Koster whichmakes Koster the director he did the second amount of films with, firstbeing Anthony Mann.

Maureen O'Hara liked the film and said so in her memoirs. However shegot off to a rocky start in this film because Stewart at first treatedher very coldly. When she questioned him why it turned out that JohnFord had bad mouthed her to Stewart. A lot of her memoirs are devotedto her up and down relationship with Ford. When the air got cleared,Mr. Hobbs was an enjoyable experience for her.

Basically what the film is that Stewart and O'Hara rent an old barn ofa house located on a California beach and there's room enough for them,the two kids still at home and two married daughters with spouses andfamilies. So the entire Hobbs extended family moves in for the summerand it's one situation after another with problems with appliances andrelationships and a pair of officious guests, Marie Wilson and JohnMcGiver who are the best in the supporting cast.

20th Century Fox secured the teen box office by getting the services ofFabian to appear in this film. Fabian was very big back in the day as acreated teen age idol of admittedly limited singing ability who verywisely transitioned into straight acting. They still gave him a songhere though one of Henry Mancini and Johnny Mercer's lesser creationsto sing with Cindy Carol. Fabian would within two years be eclipsed byThe Beatles and the British invasion. Nevertheless he sold a fewtickets for this film although adults would have to wait for the filmto be out for several weeks before seeing it in order to hear thedialog.

Nothing Shakespearean in that, but it's still a pleasant enough filmand nothing anyone had to be ashamed of.

10) "Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation" is the best of the 60's Jimmy Stewarwtfamily father doesn't know best films, much more palatable than thecreepy and antiquated "Take Her, She's Mine", where Jimmy worries morethan is healthy about Sandra Dee's virginity and where insipid folksongs are considered raunchy and subversive. "Hobbs" will appeal toeveryone, from Baby Boomers nostalgic about their childhood, to thegreatest generation, who will enjoy Stewart and O'Hara as famousactors, and Gen X's and Y's, if they're hip enough, will appreciate how"cool" Jimmy is. For some inexplicable and annoying reason O'Hara callsher husband "Rog" in that Madison Avenue shorthand way, as though shewere a W.A.S.P. executive telling him he's just been fired. MarieWilson and John McGiver as the eccentric couple are priceless; theirscenes with Stewart are hilarious. And for an unexpected poignantmoment, the scene in the boat with Stewart and his son is lovely. Afterwatching an eclipse, the son says they should watch the next onetogether in about 30 years. The expression on Stewart's face, with it'sintimations of mortality, is just beautiful. Fabian of course is thrownin for the demographic, but can be tolerated, though I couldn't standthe actress who played the daughter Katey. I recommend "Hobbs" forinclusion in a Jimmy Stewart collection, if only for that boat scene.