Cantankerous shoe store owner and widower Henry Hobson (Charles Laughton) rides herd on his three daughters in this Edwardian period piece directed by David Lean. Pompous and demanding he neither pays or allows his daughters to choose husband with the oldest Maggie (Brenda De Banzie ) looking after his needs he decides, into dotage. She has other plans however that will undermine his run of the family and the business.
A rare comedy for Lean who specialized in drama and epic directing and getting the same results here with fine performances, sharp editing and outstanding lensing by Jack Hildyard. Laughton naturally dominates with a patriarchal surliness so ingrained it is hard to find any sympathy for his well deserved just desserts. John Mills as a dimwitted shoemaker transitions nicely to proper shop owner much in part to Maggie who sees the potential in him to turn matters in her favor. The courtship between the two is both comic and shyly tender. The town setting is idyllic with hints of poverty and Hildyard captures it nicely as well as depict Hobson's dipsomania in surreal fashion. A solid, charming film.
A rare comedy for Lean who specialized in drama and epic directing and getting the same results here with fine performances, sharp editing and outstanding lensing by Jack Hildyard. Laughton naturally dominates with a patriarchal surliness so ingrained it is hard to find any sympathy for his well deserved just desserts. John Mills as a dimwitted shoemaker transitions nicely to proper shop owner much in part to Maggie who sees the potential in him to turn matters in her favor. The courtship between the two is both comic and shyly tender. The town setting is idyllic with hints of poverty and Hildyard captures it nicely as well as depict Hobson's dipsomania in surreal fashion. A solid, charming film.