Cette sacrée famille

I loved this film. It is the story of a family (Cary Grant and Betsy Drake starring as "Poppy" and Anna Rose) who take in a couple of orphaned children, and the various mi-adventures and calamities that result.

I enjoyed the way the film dealt with some real-life issues, like how the financially-strapped couple would deal with the added costs of taking in another child, how "natural" children deal with adopted children, and how "normal" children deal with disabled children. Some of the scenes aren't pretty; in the current era of political-correctness, we sometimes forget how mean children could be to one another back in those days.

There are several scenes in the movie that involve the Boy Scouts. As a Scouter myself, these were my favorite parts. I especially liked the Eagle ceremony, and I really noticed how the Pledge of Allegiance, as said in 1952, omits "under God", which wasn't added until 1954! Another thing I noticed: George Winslow, who played "Teenie" in this movie, later played a Cub Scout in "Mister Scoutmaster" (1953) starring Clifton Webb and Frances Dee.

Scouting played a prominent role in both films, which evidenced the place of Scouting in American society of the 1950s. For those of us currently involved in Scouting, we can only look with nostalgia at how Scouting was viewed at that time: as a wholesome activity for boys, unburdened with all the baggage of the political-correctness of our times.

Whether you're a Scouter or not, I think (unless you're totally jaded) that you and your children will really enjoy this heartwarming story of Scouting in an extended family.

I have been a grouchy, childless, curmudgeon for the last 30 years. OK, 40. I especially get cranky with movies of easy sentimentality and clumsy "messages", eg., about patriotism or religion or love or whatever.

So, I have no idea why I bothered to tune into this movie, (other than it featuring Cary Grant), since the listing told me everything I needed to not watch it: children, family, adoption, disabilities, etc. Once into it, however, I just had to keep watching. It surely has all sorts of sentimentality, and blatant messages about adoption and the Boy Scouts; however the writing is so wonderfully deft, and the performances (including those of the children) so perfectly understated that I was fully engaged and easily able to forgive the more obvious "message moments" such as Jane being the belle of the ball, and Jimmy-John's predictable physical and emotional transformation into an Eagle Scout.

Perhaps being a boy scout, and perhaps remembering a sister's first big dance helps to suck you in, but there are eye-stinging moments enough for anyone, such as Jane refusing her (foster)mother's kiss, and the kids in the orphanage playground stopping their noisy play to watch anxiously the visitors looking at them from the balcony.

Next Sunday I'm going to watch the golf, dammit.

Heartwarming tale which proves that environment is a great factor than heredity with regard to placement of children.

Cary Grant and Betsy Drake are absolutely fabulous as the couple with 3 children and limited finances; despite this, they take in two difficult foster children.

With patience and a firm hand, they are able to succeed beyond the expectation of what many would feel.

They did a wonderful job raising their own three children as well. The three knew when to help out.

The film excellently pointed out the problems of coping with a foster children; one who comes into your home with an array of problems looking for love and understanding.

This is definitely a film that will tug at your heart. It is so nostalgic yet it represents the best of human kindness and dignity. You'll have a tear in your eye, but you will certainly come away with that good feeling of accomplishment.

Bless those who take in foster children and are able to work with them.

Lesser known Grant comedy is a sweet-natured look at the challenges of adopting older children and blending them into an already existing family.

Cary Grant could have played his part as an exasperated father in his sleep but he does his usual charming job of it and at 48 displays a body that people half his age would be proud of.

Betsy Drake, Grant's wife at the time of filming, is all warm understanding perhaps a shade too calm for all the situations she finds herself in but very right for the part.

The focus is on them and the two challenging children they take in, whose problems honestly are resolved a bit too quickly but this being a 50's movie that such a situation is being addressed at all is rather remarkable.

Grant, Drake and the two young actors playing the adoptees are fine but a shortcoming of the picture is that it wastes two very good performers, Lurene Tuttle and George "Foghorn" Winslow, in throwaway parts.

A nice film rather than a laugh out loud comedy.

If you're family enjoyed "Yours, Mine & Ours", "Father Goose", "With six You Get Eggroll", "Cheaper by the Dozen" and "The Trouble With Angels", seek this movie out on late-late night TV. It is sometimes listed under its original title "The Easy Way".