Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:
- Clifton Webb Films
- Historical Drama
- Jeanne Crain Films
- Myrna Loy Films
- Raising Kids
Review:
This Technicolor adaptation of Frank Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth’s bestselling 1948 memoir-novel remains a sincere but lackluster cinematic rendering. The film, like the book it’s based on, is episodic, telling a number of faithfully rendered tales from the Gilbreths’ nostalgic recollections of their upbringing in a house of 14 (plus help). In stark contrast to the emotional devastation chronicled by Stephen Zanichkowsky in his memoir Fourteen: Growing Up Alone in a Crowd (2003), Frank and Ernestine appear to have genuinely appreciated their experience as part of an enormous family run by efficiency-driven yet loving parents. They fondly recall incidences such as collective tonsil-removal taking place in their house; Mrs. Gilbreth (Loy, looking appropriately tired yet plucky) responding to a visit by a naive birth-control advocate; various Gilbreth family “council” meetings; and Crain’s bold decision to bob her long hair.
![](http://filmfanatic.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Cheaper-By-the-Dozen-Hair-1024x768.png)
The primary problem with the film is the unfortunate casting of Clifton Webb as the Gilbreth patriarch. Webb — who previously starred to great effect in directer Walter Lang’s Sitting Pretty (1948) (and whose character, Belvedere, endorses this film in the poster above!) — might appear to be a logical choice as an efficiency expert, but (sadly) he lacks the charisma of the real-life Frank Gilbreth Sr., who is described in the book as “like a breath of fresh air when he walked into a room”, and someone who people “couldn’t be around without liking”. Webb is many things — i.e., droll and bright — but an intrinsically likeable breath of fresh air he is not (at least not here). Viewing short (silent) clips of the real Gilbreth family reveals a ruddy, larger-than-life patriarch who was a rare breed of kid-loving, extroverted control freak. Webb tries hard to convey a loving paternal presence on screen, but there’s no denying that one can’t realistically imagine him as the happily married father of twelve.
![](http://filmfanatic.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Cheaper-By-the-Dozen-Webb-1024x761.png)
With that said, the film moves along pleasantly enough, and will appeal to those who prefer their historical dramas heavily dripping in nostalgia; as noted by Bosley Crowther in his original review for the New York Times: “…this is far from a picture of real and believable family life. This is a picture of illusions — happy, sentimental, even absurd.”
![](http://filmfanatic.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Cheaper-By-the-Dozen-Driving-1024x751.png)
Most enjoyable are the occasional zingy lines in the screenplay — i.e., Webb noting that Crain’s short-statured, Mickey-Rooney-esque date (Benny Bartlett) “looks like what might happen if a pygmy married a bobtail penguin.” However, this turns out to be taken almost directly from the book, which contains infinitely more enjoyable one-liners:
Dad told mother that the only church he’d even consider joining was the Catholic church. ‘That’s the only outfit that would give me special credit for having such a large family,’ he said.
Ultimately, I only recommend this film for diehard fans of the book who are curious to see how it was adapted.
Note: For the record, I have not seen the Steve Martin remake (2003), and don’t plan to unless I’m convinced it’s significantly better than this version…
Redeeming Qualities and Moments:
- Fun opening credits
![](http://filmfanatic.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Cheaper-By-the-Dozen-Opening-Credits-1024x766.png)
Must See?
No; read the book instead!
Links:
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