Example of the Buddy Alder regime at Fox: contract stars, contract support, contract talent, glossy photography and CinemaScope, underwhelming box office, popular source material (hit play). It was produced by Charles Brackett, directed by Henry Levin and written by Walter Reisch - all of whom teamed far more successfully on Journey to the Centre of the Earth.
The star was Clifton Webb He'd played a family man a few times, including Cheaper by the Dozen which I think they aped here and also Holiday for Lovers which was also directed by Levin and had Jill St John (that may have been shot afterwards I'm not sure). Dorothy McGuire is Webb's wife. Neither seem that engaged by the material. I didn't buy Webb fathering all those kids. Burgess Meredith played the part on Broadway - maybe that worked.
Jill St John and Ron Ely are ingenues. Webb's kids include David Nelson, Ray Stricklyn and Joan Freeman.
It's all so nice. McGuire is a bit shocked that Webb had another family but gets over it. So do the kids. So do everyone. There's no second wife alive (she's dead) which would have given the piece some kick. I couldn't tell any of the kids apart - Jill St John wanted to get married, David Nelson hung around. There was some squabbling.
It didn't work. Looks great. Beautiful photography and sets. It's in the 1890s - for me a period that never comes alive. Too much art department or something.
Henry Levin once wrote this interesting account of working with Clifton Webb - it's here.
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