Les fils de Mademoiselle

I saw the film last year and I was very impressed with the subtle yet warm portrayal given by Greer Garson.Perhaps it was the empathy she displayed, that is all too lacking these days among the Educational elite.Or,it may have been the foreboding sense of tragedy(seen too often among todays youth) that could only been avoided by the devotion and tenderness of an educator such as was played by Ms. Garson in this underrated film.Its thesis is one that should never be considered"dated" or "outmoded":There is a priceless reward waiting for the professional who can achieve exploits in classroom erudition by forging an emotional bond with a neglected child.

Greer Garson is my favorite actress of all times, bar none. So many stars have looks and/or charisma, which exceed their talent. They achieve box office draw with these charms, but not so much on critical review. To me, Ms. Garson has it all -- and, as a matter of record, she has scored in both categories. She has such a dimensional, charming presentation, making her fascinating to watch. Along with that, she is quite skillful in portrayal.

Perhaps the reviewer who mentioned Ms. Garson's color films forgot "That Forsyte Woman" from 1949. She did a Disney film much later, "The Happiest Millionaire" with Fred MacMurray, which was of course in color.

This film - Her Twelve Men - is perhaps one of the few weak links in her chain of memorable films. The problem of diminishing offerings became a rueful experience for every Hollywood actress during those decades of studio contracts. As has been stated here, she likely did it to fulfill her contract and to keep working.

Also, as the decade wore on, films became more daring, and Ms. Garson shunned the nudity and coarseness that was being introduced. She is credited with saying that motion pictures should reflect up to the sky, not down to the ground. I appreciate that sentiment. It was shared by others at that time as well.

I think you have to appreciate Ms. Garson to go this film. It's just so boring. And, I just can't like Robert Ryan. A smile seems to be a rarity for his face. He has a critical sort of look while in repose, and appears downright nasty in his negative scenes. He seems very unattractive to me in general, mainly because of this.

If you have any competition for viewing at the time this one comes up, I'd recommend going with the other one. It's not that it is so badly done particularly; it's just such a weak theme in general.

The opening credits give you a cheerful, jazzy rendition of Mozart's "Minuet" from Don Giovanni, so you know you're in for a cutesy, good time in Her Twelve Men, one of Greer Garson's last movies. She plays a new teacher in an all boys' school, the first lady teacher they've ever had. Headmaster Richard Haydn thinks she's just what the school, and the young boys need, but her colleague Robert Ryan thinks she has a lot to learn. He's critical at every turn, but will their antagonism make way for respect and camaraderie? You'll have to watch this charming movie to find out.

Greer is such a pro, and she adds class and grace to all her roles. If this were a June Allyson movie, it would have turned into an annoying screwball comedy. Even Deborah Kerr (who, it can be argued, replaced Greer) probably would have added more drama than was necessary. Greer is just right, and it's a pleasure to see her grow, learn, and care for the boys in her charge.

It's also a great treat to see Robert Ryan in a role he doesn't usually take on. When's the last time he played someone highly educated but too shy to act on his romantic feelings? Never. Greer is a strong woman, and she needs a strong man who can equal her stature and presence. Robert is a great match for her, but will he speak up in time, or will she get swept up off her feet by another strong man, Barry Sullivan (a wealthy, respectful father of one of her students)?

Robert is a seasoned teacher who isn't afraid to tell Greer when she's handling the boys badly. In one scene, a child comes to Greer with a tummy ache, and she tries to fix it with castor oil. Robert tells her it was just a case of homesickness, and the next time it happens, she treats the problem with a hot chocolate instead. There are several lessons to learn, and not just for the boys. If you liked this heartwarming movie, try watching The Emperor's Club, a modern movie about a beloved teacher in an all-boys' school.

Her Twelve Men marked Greer Garson's farewell to MGM, the studio that had brought her over from the United Kingdom in 1939 and for whom three years later brought home an Oscar for Mrs. Miniver which also was The Best Picture of that year.

This film is hardly in the category of Mrs. Miniver, but it's a pleasant enough family film about a woman who takes a first time teaching job at a private boy's school called The Oaks. In fact it's also the first time this venerable institution ever hired a woman and that fact proves unsettling to a lot of people, kids and faculty.

But Greer turns out to be a natural for the job and some of these kids in the boarding school turn out to need a woman's touch. Her scenes with young Donald MacDonald who plays a kid who was essentially dumped at the school while his jet setting parents are gadding about the globe are especially touching.

Greer has three male admirers as well, faculty members Robert Ryan and James Arness and Barry Sullivan multi-millionaire widower father of another troubled youth Tim Considine. Guess who she ends up with.

Richard Haydn plays the school headmaster who is opposed to her at first, but who gradually sees having a woman on the staff ain't the worst thing possible. Haydn who is normally pulling out all the stops playing fussbudgets is rather restrained in his performance and the usual shtick is under wraps.

Her Twelve Men holds up well since those Eisenhower days and is still a good family film.

Greer Garson portrays a teacher at an all boys school in this familiar vehicle from MGM studios. She must be a teacher to her students and a mother simultaneously. In the process, she attracts three suitors.

I love Garson and I'm a huge fan, however,I will also agree this is not her best film. Its only for those who are big fans of the actress. Also, for those who are die-hard fans of Garson, if you need another reason to see it? She's in color! It was filmed in color and is not one of Turner's colorized films. Garson fans like myself know the majority of her films were done in black and white.

While I agree with the previous post stating this film is a familiar vehicle for Garson, I disagree with him on the statement that Garson could have chosen a better film to appear in. I'm sure the previous poster has not forgotten that when this film was made, Garson was still under contract to MGM and the company had been dealing with a shift in power during this period. The powers that be at the studio would not give the actress parts that were fitting of her abilities and range. As a result, she took films like this to avoid being shunned by the film community and to continue working. She also was trying to avoid being sued by the studio for breach of contract. Eventually, she did grow tired of being stuck in films like this so she did what any graceful woman like herself would do...she waited for her contract to expire by taking films like this. When her contract was up, she left.

For more inside information of Garson, the poster above should read her book, "A Rose for Mrs. Miniver" to get an in depth understanding of this great actress.

Also, on a sad note, this is one of Garson's films that has never gone to video. :(