Her Twelve Men

GREER GARSON's long career at MGM came to an end in a sentimental tale about a new teacher at an all boys school who triumphs over inexperience and falls in love too. A slim tale for Garson with Robert Ryan and Barry Sullivan hovering in the background as possible suitors, it is strictly formula stuff and worth watching only if you're an ardent fan of Greer Garson. It strives to be no more than a modest programmer.

It's almost quaint to see how "rambunctious" the boys are by today's standards, so mild is their behavior. Richard Haydn as the school's headmaster is effective and the boys are competent enough child actors, but it all has the feeling of having been done before.

As I say in my article on Greer Garson due to appear in FILMS OF THE GOLDEN AGE: "At a time when she could have used a different kind of role to broaden her appeal, Garson let herself be cast in the sort of vehicle that had an all too familiar ring to it."

Of interest to fans of James Arness, he has a brief role as a physical ed coach at a time when he had not yet emerged as a TV western star.

The way they kept calling her "sir" irked me, and the kids' behavior- as well as that of some adults- was annoying. But, I must admit both Greer and some of the kids managed to tug at my heartstrings several times throughout! Yes, I ugly-cried real tears, and that means that while not super good, it's still a good film. But, if you're anything like me, you'll be saying to yourself all along "Oh, if only life were really that simple!" And even though it's not at all, it's lovely that the 1950s respected such simplicity instead of looking down their noses at it.

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.

This is a rather easy film to predict and it was pretty schmaltzy--having a very liberal helping of sentimentality thrown into the mix. However, despite this, the acting and script were so much fun that I still encourage you to give the film a look--especially since it's a lovely film that can be enjoyed by the entire family.

Greer Garson (in one of the later roles of her career) plays a new teacher at a boys boarding school. Since all the faculty had been men, people at the school are taken a bit back by her arrival. However, since it is sweet old Greer, it's not surprising that the kids all come to love her and need her. She is like a slightly sterner version of the movie Maria Von Trapp, but without all the singing! About the only story element I disliked was when Greer wrote letters to one lonely boy in which she pretended to be the kid's uncaring mother and father. Lying to the boy seemed cruel and stupid--as one day he's bound to realize his parents were too self-absorbed to even bother writing. Why she didn't just send him letters in her name or arrange for mail to come for him I just didn't understand.

Still, the film is enjoyable and sweet, so I suggest you give it a try. Not among Garson's best, but still a likable little film.

I found it to be quite an affecting, warm-hearted film. Surely nobody could have played the new teacher as well as Miss Garson, and it is always a pleasure to see Robert Ryan playing a "good guy" instead of a pyscho-killer! Many excellent small parts for worthwhile players such as Barbara Lawrence, Ian Wolfe, Ivan Triesault, Frances Bergen, etc. Maybe it is just a big hunk of middle-brow sentimentality but I loved it!