All-round pleasant family fare for those who enjoy the ups and downs of family happenings. This easygoing story appeals to both young and old. Roger Hobbs (Jimmy Stewart) is the harried father who longs for a quiet holiday with his wife (Maureen O'Hara) but in the end goes along with her wish to have a family reunion, which turns out to be far from ideal. Quite the contrary, there's plenty of room for a good dose of realism -- personal clashes between his married daughter Susan and husband Stan, while the youngsters get out of control. Scarcely a dull moment throughout. Fabian, as Joe, is a nice addition to the scene and he's more mature here than in his earlier movie, which I happen to like best, "North to Alaska." An old familiar face is Reginald Gardiner, as Reggie, who has been a part of countless film comedies dating back to the 1930s. Settle down with some popcorn and have a good time!
Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation
1962
Comedy / Family
Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation
1962
Comedy / Family
Plot summary
St. Louis-based banker Roger Hobbs is writing a letter to his wife Peggy about his true feelings concerning their just-returned-from-month-long vacation, the letter to be opened only after his death, whenever that may be. Mr. Hobbs wanted the vacation to be a romantic getaway for two, but Peggy insisted that it be a family vacation to a central California beachside house, given to them for the month by friends. The vacation included all their offspring, and their offsprings' respective families where applicable. Hobbs hated the idea as he felt he didn't know his offspring--much less their spouses--and that they no longer needed him. Daughter Susan and her husband Stan Carver have a permissive parenting style as advised by the latest child-psychology books; daughter Janie's college-professor husband Byron Grant has an academic view of everything in life; 14-year-old daughter is self-conscious around boys because of her brand-new braces, but the boys see it as standoffishness; and preteen son Danny's sole focus in life is watching TV. The house ended up being a rat trap which exasperated their cook Brenda enough that she left. But beyond that, Mr. Hobbs ended up learning the true nature of his relationship to his offspring and to Peggy. In the process, he had to endure the extended visit by an odd couple, the Turners, and learned that some problems can be solved purely by yelling "Hey, Joe!" into an unknown group of boys.
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Living through the highs and lows of family reunion
fun with Jimmy
Banker Roger Hobbs (James Stewart) has had it with family vacations. He dictates to his secretary the latest debacle. His daughter wanted to go to Paris with her friends. His son would rather watch TV westerns. His wife (Maureen O'Hara) had rearranged their two-some vacation into a family gathering by the seashore. His adult daughter arrives with her family but there is trouble. The house is a mess and nobody is happy.
It's light family dysfunction until there is a more serious marriage difficulty. The daughter's marital problem does threaten to push too far into serious territory. Jimmy Stewart plays a great father-knows-best character. He's great at both serious and comical. His charms and the movie's easy fun help keep this on the tracks. It's an enjoyable fun family film.
a bit of a let-down
In the 1960s, Jimmy Stewart did several family films that were just rather bland and, in my opinion, wasted his amazing talents. I am not saying they are BAD films, just imminently forgettable and are best described as "fluff". In other words, while time-passers, they have very little lasting value. The movie does have a few mildly funny moments but that's really about all. In fact, the only reason the film even gets a score of 6 is because Stewart is in the film and he tries his best with the mediocre material. My recommendation is do NOT run out and rent it or buy it but wait until it comes out on cable. This is a far cry from THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALANCE or MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON. It's more like an episode of GIDGET combined with PLEASE DON'T EAT THE DAISIES.