Deine, meine, unsere

YOURS, MINE, AND OURS reunites Lucille Ball and Henry Fonda, who had worked together in the 1942 B-film THE BIG STREET, the former a heavy-handed drama making a contrast to this lightweight comedy. Reminiscent of CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN, the premise -- a man and woman, both with a huge family, meet, fall in love, and marry -- would be unbelievable if it weren't true.

Based on the autobiographical novel by Helen Eileen Beardsley, YOURS, MINES, AND OURS is a blueprint of sorts of future television shows "The Brady Bunch" and "Eight is Enough" but amps it up to eleven. While on those shows we never got to see just how a real household was handled (being situation programs, their stories were resolved in minimal time), here we get glimpses of what happens at dinnertime, or how groceries get done, and it's those trivial things that keep the charming story in check instead of throwing it into la-la land. Both Fonda and Ball are well-matched and have funny scenes together despite that both actors were a little too old for their characters, but it's not even a minor contrivance. Very enjoyable, witty, sunny: just what this kind of movie should be.

"Yours Mine And Ours" is one of the best "family films" of the 1960s. (Very) loosely based on the real-life story of Helen North, a Navy widow with eight children, who married Navy career man Frank Beardsley, a widower with ten children of his own. Lucille Ball bought the rights to Mrs. Beardsley's book "Who Gets The Drumstick?", co- produced it, and took the starring role of Helen North. For those who know her chiefly as a comedienne, this film will be a pleasant surprise. For not only does she have the opportunity to indulge in some of the slapstick she is famous for, she proves conclusively that she was an excellent dramatic actress as well. Moreover, she can switch abruptly (and seemingly effortlessly) from comedy to pathos, sometimes in the same scene! Henry Fonda takes the part of Frank Beardsley and gives it both dimension and strength. As his bachelor friend, Van Johnson is a welcome presence, as is Tom Bosley as a sardonic doctor. There is also a hilarious performance from Louise Troy, as Frank's date early in the story. The kids are well cast and include future notables Tim Matheson, Suzanne Cupito (who grew up to be Morgan Brittany), Mitch Vogel and Tracy Nelson. A good deal of the plot involves the mutual dislike most of the kids have for their step-siblings, but a great deal of charm is present as well. Aiding the production is a nice score by Fred Karlin, a lovely song "It's A Sometimes World", and handsome San Francisco location photography. A remake has just been completed and will be released around the holiday season, but it's not likely to top this one. Incidentally, if you read the original book by Helen Beardsley, you will most likely come away with a far different picture of the Beardsley family, one which may not have transferred as well to the screen. This may also explain why there is no mention of the book as the story source in the movie's opening credits.

I have to admit that I had trouble with Henry Fonda and Lucille Ball in the leads largely because they both were really too old to play their respective characters (Ball was about 57 at the time and Fonda about 63). In the end the film is so well done that I forgot about that. Aside from the film "Please Don't Eat the Daisies", this is probably the best family movie of the 60's. The best thing about the film is the realistic way in which the family blends together. The usual problems are all there and the way in which Fonda and Ball deal with it is about what one would expect, a certain amount of good intentions, a bit of mistake making, sacrifice, and providing a good deal of love and support. The writing may not be politically correct in this day and age (the scene where Fonda's kids get Ball drunk, Ball spanks one of the boys, and there is also a certain amount of gender stereotyping), but it is this that gives the film its appeal and relatability. As Leonard Maltin points out, look for a some well known faces in the supporting cast. Tom Bosley as the doctor, Tim Matheson as Mike, a four or five year old Tracey Nelson, Morgan Brittany of Dallas fame, 70's TV staple Ben Murphy as the oldest daughter's boyfriend, and well known child actor Eric Shea who gives an endearing performance as young Philip, the kid that seems the most lost in the big family. All in all Dad Fonda sums the whole thing up when he describes for the oldest daughter (who's being pressured by the boyfriend to have sex) what love is really about and how this family is staying together, "It isn't going to bed with a man that proves that you love him it's getting up in the morning and facing the drab, miserable, wonderful everyday world that counts. I suppose having 19 kids is carrying it a bit too far, but if we had it to do all over again who would we skip, you?" And that is exactly what Helen and Frank are doing together, and the kids admire and respect them all the more for it.

I have always just loved this movie! I saw it as a teenager in the 60's, getting ready to go off to college and thought it was great fun at that time. Since I was a teenager, I remember really enjoying the character of Mike, played by Tim Matheson. I always thought he would go on to be a real big movie star instead of TV movies, since he had lots of charisma and maturity at that young age. However, he has done very well in the roles on television he has played and is always a real treat to watch. I don't think I thought Lucille Ball was too old the first time I saw it, because anyone over 25 seemed old to me at the time! I recently caught this movie on TV and enjoyed it again from an adult perspective. It was a little corny but still a good film. Life in the sixties even with Vietnam and all was a much more innocent time especially with what kids face today. I would give it a 100 just because it is so uplifting.

OK, the movie is really quite dated. Perhaps this is why the movie sells for less than $9.99 on DVD. But in spite of its being dated, the movie is still very funny. Maybe it's funny because it is outdated. The movie was made a long, long time ago, in a day when "comedy" took priority over "politically correct". With Madelyn Davis and Bob Carroll, Jr writing the script, it couldn't be anything but a sure fire winner. The two also provided their talents on I LOVE LUCY. (Madelyn Davis was known as Madelyn PUGH during the I LOVE LUCY era).

Lucille Ball, in this movie, has really taken a big risk in stepping out of her domain where she truly reigned as the queen of comedy. Her brilliance as a comedian has always been in her ability to act like the perfect scatterbrain, driving a totally frustrated straight man well past his breaking point with her totally insane schemes. On TV, this straight man was played by Desi Arnaz and later, by Gale Gordon.

In this movie, Lucille Ball shone brighter than ever, showing an ability to go from "scatterbrain" to "serious to the point of tears" and back, so effortlessly. And there was no "straight man" to bounce her brand of comedy off of.

Tom Bosely was hilarious as the family doctor, with his deadpan approach. Seeing him later as Howard Cunningham in HAPPY DAYS, I wonder if he was really acting or was he simply being himself? He certainly has that dry wit down to an art.

Oh, and then, there is that issue of age. Lucille Ball was 57 and Henry Fonda was around 61 when the movie was made. This issue is obviously irrelevant. The movie was a hit when it was released in 1968. And it obviously beats that remake in 2005, hands down, in spite of the age of leading roles in the remake.

Lucille Ball and Henry Fonda rule!