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Cary Grant / Sophia Loren - WOW!

Houseboat has very clearly survived the test of time and is today a pleasure to watch.Everything that could go wrong in this movie, fortunately goes right and the result is a funny, family comedy. A gem.Cary Grant plays a lawyer, who's about to finalize his divorce when his wife dies in an automobile accident. To prevent his three children, to whom he's had very few contact in the last years, to be separated, by their aunt and grandfather, he decides to take them to his small house in Washington, but by a series of circumstances ends up living in a houseboat in the country, that will change him forever. Sophia Loren is Cinzia a spoiled rebel girl, who lives in the shadow of her father, a famous maestro. To escape her dull live she poses as a poor italian girl, abandoned by her fiancée in order to go to work as a house keeper for Cary. What comes next, everybody knows. Love.The story is not completely original, but it works. The script is very funny, the dialogue interesting and well written. Even if it might follow a formula, it still accomplishes what the audience asks, and maybe more. Behind all the comedy and laughs, there is undoubtedly the purpose to give a better image of what being a father is, the problems that occur when raising children, and how to solve them without violence. We all know what violence can do, the traumas it causes and how it haunts a person all through her live. If all the parents followed Cinzia´s advice and tried to understand their children instead of beating them, maybe the world would be a better place.The direction is not perfect, but Melville Shavelson delivers a nice solid performance, with some bright moments.
The best part of `Houseboat' is the cast. Cary Grant… well what can be said? Its not his talent, but more his personality that captivates us. Who wouldn't like to be Cary Grant? In here he follows other great performances, bringing us a true gentleman, polite, smart and funny. He puts his heart in his work, and is as always a pleasure to watch.Sophia Loren. The diva, the symbol, the woman. Her beauty, in a wild, sexy way, lights up the screen. Every frame is a masterpiece. The movie is worth for her alone. All the rest is bonus. Its also interesting to see Cary and Sophia act together knowing they were involved romantically in real life and how it ended. Priceless.The children are sweet, and work hard to do their job the best they can.Houseboat is sweet, light, and recommended to anyone who needs to focus on the beautiful things of life. It's sure to make you feel good.

Nice 50s movie

The editorial reviews pass this off as a minor film with only the two stars - Cary Grant and Sophia Loren - making it worth your time. They are both great but this film has a little more going for it. Cary Grant is beyond the years when he would stand in the background and steal scenes with facial gestures, here he is well into his Hitchcock years. The 50s was a time of sophistication and pure charm for Cary and Sophia Loren was every thirteen year old boys fantasy.

The story is okay in that you know it will end with Cary and Sophia in each other's arms and everybody happy. But that's what a romantic comedy is and if you enjoy romantic comedies you will not be disappointed. Cary is taking on the responsibility of raising his three children alone on a houseboat and Sophia, running away from her famous orchestra conductor father, is the maid. The Maid! Can imagine Sophia as your maid? Or anybody's maid? Through kid problems, arguments, boyfriends, ups and downs, and country club dances it all ends well. It is the two stars that are the attraction here certainly, but wait; there's more. The film would remain a 3 star middle of the road film if it were not for the nice comedic bit by Harry Guardino and a great score. The score is not on a par with Doctor Zhivago by any means but it fits the film nicely and the lead song by Sam Cooke - Almost In Your Arms - is terrific. I bumped the film up a star for Harry Guardino and Sam Cooke's song.

Houseboat

I loved it, the movie arrived so quickly it was awesome. It has brought back a lot of memories from my past. Thank you

not the best for either of them

I love Cary Grant films and who wouldn't love Sophia Loren? So I bought this film sight unseen and was I disappointed.


The problem is, the film is trying too hard to be "relevant" (or whatever the term was at the time). The writers are making a point (Father Doesn't Always Know Best), but they go so far overboard, turning Grant's children into spoiled brats who treat their father with disrespect he doesn't deserve. You wonder why Grant doesn't just leave them with the sister-in-law who wants to raise them.

I'm sure Grant and Loren did the best they could with the material, but unfortunately this was another case of Message Overpowering Movie.

Very well done!

My family really liked the movie! I recomend it

Unwatchable

This is one of those films that are made to capitalize on star power, get quick results at the box office, and then disappear into the land of forgotten films.

About a half hour into this debacle, which featured whiny children, predictable plotting, and overall lack of likable (or believable) characters, I was forced to just turn it off.

One Look Can Write a Book

Aside from his Hitchcock movies and "Charade," this is virtually the only watchable movie Cary Grant made after 1944. It's really just one more of the bland family-friendly sitcoms that blight his later career, but more interesting than most for a couple of reasons. One is the passel of motherless kids, who for a change are convincingly sullen, bitter and unreachable until a brief last-minute conversion. The other is the presence of Sophia Loren -- raw-boned, gauche, gorgeous, and in real life determined not to become the fourth Mrs. Grant. The movie is contrived and totally unconvincing, but the two stars' tortured feelings for each other keep seeping through, giving many scenes an edgy tension you can't shake off. Loren's artless singing of the fine ballad "Almost in Your Arms" is haunting; their subsequent dance has an emotional fierceness that practically burns a hole in the screen.

Houseboat

This is a wonderful family movie. I love oldies, and this is one that is added to my old movie collection.

Boatload of fun! (recommended)

What more could you ask for in a movie? Are you delighted by Cary Grant's charm or Sophia Loren's beauty? Do you want to laugh, see gorgeous outfits, hear Loren sing, or root for the under[over]dog? Would you like a romantic comedy that teaches lessons in responsibility for children and parents? Move right in to HOUSEBOAT.

I am always amazed when I see a film with a plot that casts Sophia Loren as the overlooked lover vying for a man's affection. (IT STARTED IN NAPLES; THE MILLIONAIRESS). But the notion of seeing what isn't in the eye of the beholder draws you to each film as you impatiently await the leading man to "discover" her.

Cinzia Zaccardi (Loren) is the wealthy daughter of orchestra conductor Arturo Zaccardi (Eduard Ciannelli). As such, she is lavished in opulent dwellings and dinners with international nobles. What's missing from this overprotected woman's life is a MAN.


Tom Winters (Grant) is a diplomat who neglected his parental responsibilities for the sake of his career. After his wife dies he gets the urge to do the right thing. The problem is, he is evidently clueless about what that is. He quickly learns that raising children is a joint responsibility. Though he hires an unlikely nanny, he feels the logical matrimonial choice is a woman who helped care for his three children before he came on the scene. His current nanny, who neither cooks nor cleans well, is good at eventually obtaining whatever she wants. After all, she's the spoiled runaway daughter of Arturo, the orchestra conductor.

Despite the too-often sung bing-bang-bong song, HOUSEBOAT is a repeat-watch movie. My only problem is that I've seen it so many times on VHS that I would only purchase it used on DVD at a heavily discounted price just to complete my collection. (Update 9/29/06: I bought the DVD.) The movie may have a corny moment or two but it includes far more hearty laughs and great actors so I recommend it to others.

Cary Grant and the kids

Cary Grant plays Tom Winters, a widower and a father to three kids, David (Paul Petersen), Elizabeth (Mimi Gibson) and Robert (Charles Herbert).Tom gets unexpected help from the Italian Cinzia (Sophia Loren).Soon they find themselves from a lousy Houseboat.Melville Shavelson's Houseboat (1958) was nominated for two Oscars.It is a very nice romantic comedy for the whole family.Cary Grant and Sophia Loren make a great team in it.All the child actors are wonderful.Martha Hyer plays Carolyn Gibson.Harry Guardino is Angelo Donatello.Werner Klemperer is Harold Messner.Kathleen Freeman is seen there as Laundromat gossip.The movie is funny in many places, like when Robert plays the harmonica at the concert.And the song with a bing, bang, bong is very amusing.

a family classic

HOUSEBOAT is one of my favorite movies. I remember my family taping it when I was about 7, and I loved watching it. Needless to say, when the new DVD version was released I instantly snapped it up!

The story is about a widowed Government official (Cary Grant) and his three unruly children. A chance meeting throws the beautiful Cinzia Zaccardi (lovely Sophia Loren) into their lives. Cinzia is the daughter of a prominent classical conductor, and is looking for a change of scene. When she decides to become the children's nanny, no-one is prepared for the hilarity and heartache that is to follow...

This is indeed a lovely family film, with a few shades of "The Sound of Music". The new DVD version offers an average-looking transfer of the film, with a photo gallery and two trailers as the extras.

Also starring Martha Hyer, Harry Guardino, Paul Petersen and Eduardo Cinanelli. (Single-sided, dual-layer disc).

A charming family film made overwhelmingly so by the irresistible presence of Cary and Sophia.

A sitcom done right, a rarity, and there's no denying the appeal of Sophia Loren and Cary Grant, both obviously in love with each other offscreen, as well as on. Good work by all, with music by George Duning and vocals by Sophia to add to your pleasure.

Amusing!

Ok so maybe this isn't Cary Grant's funniest comedy but I still enjoyed it and found things to laugh at, it is a sweet movie about a handsome widow with mischievous children who meets a beautiful Italian woman who agrees to be nanny to his children and kind of a housekeeper though she at first is not very good at cleaning and cooking and he doesn't agree with her views about taking care of children and vise versa. Cary Grant and Sophia Loren are both very good but so are the kids especially Paul Petersen from The Donna Reed Show (I used to watch reruns of that show on Nick at Nite). I highly recommend this charming movie! I used to have this movie on video but the tape was old and worn out so I will have to think about getting the the widescreen DVD.

"I hired her for my children"...."Adopt me?!"

"With that fine Italian hand that can't cook, or sew, or even do the laundry - you've managed to put a family back together again..."

I just recently purchased HOUSEBOAT (1958) and watched it for the first time and Cary Grant was never better than when he stars with Sophia Loren. They look made for each other! And the gorgeous clothing...you can definitely tell an Edith Head design! Stunning!

Cary Grant plays Tom Winters, a government agent, who is widowed and left to raise his three unruly kids on his own. During a concert one night, Robert (the youngest child) runs away and is found by the beautiful Cinzia Zaccardi (Sophia Loren), who is also running away from her over-bearing, over-protective Italian father. The children immediately fall in love with her and Tom hires her as the maid, but we all know she won't remain the maid for long. Not with a certain handsome man around...

I am sure that during the wedding scene Cary Grant was wishing he was really marrying Sophia Loren. Being that he had asked her numerous times since he fell for her during "The Pride and the Passion", their first movie together. (She was 30 years his junior. During the filming of HOUSEBOAT he was 54 and she was 24).

Loren and Grant

This is a very cute movie!

Sophia Loren is just fantastic!!
Cary Grant is great in a subtle way. He progresses throughout the movie in a nuanced manner.

They both have great chemistry!

Mimi Gibson, Paul Petersen (of Mouseketeer and Donna Reed fame) and

Charles Herbert all put in great performances as the children.


There is even a minor supporting roles by Murray Hamilton as Grant's cheeky friend and Loren's father's manager, played by the very comic Werner Klemperer (Col. Klink). And, Harry Guardino who plays the ethnic Italian almost suiter, Angelo Donatello, was nominated for Golden Globe. The picture was nominated for two Academy's - Best Original Song ("Almost in Your Arms") and Best Writing, Story and Screenplay. The movie and Grant did win two Golden Laurel Awards for Top Comedy and Top Male Comedy Performance.


Mel Shavelson, who did a lot of romantic pictures like "April in Paris" and "Yours, Mine and Ours", did a great job pooling the acting team together in an innocent comedy that works the way they should - and that is not easy.


Loren get's Americanized while she teaches Grant to grow up. It has what is missing in contemporary chick flicks.

See this - you won't be disappointed!

for Sophia Loren fans only

Ordinarily, I kind of enjoy these tame old Sixties comedies, but watching Cary Grant in a role written for a B- or C-lister is always painful. As a romantic male lead, there's never been anybody better, but comic dad parts are best left to the Paul Dooleys of the world.The kids are remarkably charm-free, the novelty of the houseboat is tiresome, and the plot is entirely predictable.However, if Sophia Loren is your cup of tea, then by all means feast your eyes. She's at her luscious prime here. A better idea for all concerned might have been to dispense with the family angle, and have it be a romantic drama with Grant and Harry Guardino -- who does a lot with a little here -- vying for her charms.

An Excellent Romantic Comedy

Director Melville Shavelson is known for directing some successful romantic comedies involving families; two divorced adults and their offspring's. He takes credit for not only Houseboat, but also for "Yours, Mine and Ours," casting some successful stars of the day. This family drama casts Cary Grant as Tom Winters, a widower trying to raise three children alone away from his work at Washington D.C. to country side closer to relatives of his former wife. His young children love the younger sister of their mother but Tom is not too thrilled about dating her. Instead he meets a young Italian named Cinzia (Sophia Loren) who is a socialite trying to get away from her overprotective father. Initially there is no romance between the two, and in addition, his kids are less than thrilled when she is hired to work as nanny. Things get rocky but soon all ends well when they feel that they need each other. Parts of this movie were filmed on the Potomac River and Piscataway Creek at Fort Washington marina. This is an excellent family movie, which I recommend very highly.

Charming, Family-Friendly Comedy!

'Houseboat' is a throwback to the kind of sweet, happy comedies Cary Grant did in the late '40s-early '50s, and it foreshadows the domestic comedies James Stewart and Henry Fonda would do in the sixties. Granted, there is more romance (and with Sophia Loren as the objection of affection, Cary has it all OVER Jimmy and Hank!) but ultimately, it scores as a terrific family movie, as Loren, playing an inept but adorable housekeeper/nanny, wins the affection of widower Grant's kids, and awakens in him a more complete love than he was experiencing with his society girlfriend (played effectively by the beautiful Martha Hyer).

Living in a rundown houseboat to save on expenses, Grant and family lives had become a boring routine, until the arrival of Hurricane Loren, with her Italian philosophy, her singing, and her unmistakable femininity and sex appeal (which introduces oldest son Paul Peterson to the joys of puberty, and to daughter Mimi Gibson and younger son Charles Herbert a mother-figure they both needed). Grant is at first oblivious to her charms, but she is hard to ignore for long! The question then becomes, when will Cary 'wake up', and realize everything he needs is right on the houseboat?

Filmed after Grant and Loren's whirlwind affair during the filming of 'The Pride and the Passion', the film was a bittersweet experience for both stars, particularly shooting the wedding scene, as Grant still desperately wanted to marry Loren, but she had already decided to remain with longtime love Carlo Ponti. Viewers aware of the 'behind-the-scenes' story will appreciate the performances of the two leads even more!

After you watch 'Houseboat', catch the flipside of this story in Grant's later 'Father Goose', as a drunken reprobate with a boat who must deal with governess Leslie Caron and her charges! The two films make a fascinating double-feature, and showcases Cary Grant's amazing versatility!

Seen either way, 'Houseboat' is a delight!

Real life sexual tension on screen...

Grant and Loren are terrific together. It was during the making of this film that Cary Grant fell hopelessly with Sofia Loren. Grant is his usual charming self and he pours on the charm for her...and us. This is a must-have for Cary Grant film collectors. This is a fun memorable romantic comedy.

"The sound of music" in miniature.

Almost a decade before Robert Wise's blockbuster,this fairly entertaining little comedy had almost everything that was brought to epic proportions in the sixties:a widower(Grant)with three "charming" children -"sound of music is an improvement on it for that with seven brats-,a chic lady(Hyers) who is the equivalent of the baroness and an Italian Cinderella(Loren)-complete with magnificent dress and ball- who's hired by Grant to take care of his offspring.And Sophia Loren does sing,and her voice is so nice that the children do backing vocals.Like Julie Andrews.Will Grant marry his strait-laced sister-in-law?Will he fall for Sophia's mediterranean charms?You will have to see this movie for that. Most of the story happens on a revamped "houseboat" .Hence the title.