Libramedi Intense, gripping, stylish and poignant

Platicsco Good story, Not enough for a whole film

ScoobyMint Disappointment for a huge fan!

InformationRap This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

lawler_j Are you kidding me? How about the scene in the bowling alley when Dina Merrill tells Glen Ford "You know the old saying that behind every man is a woman? Well that's not for me. I want to be right next to him. Is that too much to ask?" To which Ford replies "You'd better be happy with the vote, because that's never going to happen." If that isn't sexist I don't know what is. Merrill's character is painted as a heartless "career woman" and Elizabeth, played by Shirley Jones, is using her nursing career to run away from her problems.This is a wonderful movie with great acting, beautiful costumes and sets, and a heartwarming plot. But that doesn't make it any less sexist.

Kenn Love My wife and I watched this film last night on TCM (all hail) and we both enjoyed it. I get so tired of hearing comments about this and other films being "dated". What do you expect? I consider what other people call "dated" as direct links into what society was like at the time the film(s) was(were) written, kind of a celluloid sociology course. Lighten up! A movie that is forty-three years old isn't going to be a modern example of people, places, and things. Sheesh! Anyway, what I'll take from this film is that Ronny Howard WAS the finest child actor in films and television. Consider that, in 1963, at 9 years old, he was already doing the Opie-thing for 3 years. In this film, he acts nothing like Opie, he turns into a whole different child: Eddie Corbitt. The under-used Shirley Jones (big crush) was marvelous again, and Glenn Ford was supremely good at his self-styled "non-acting". Stella Stevens's drum solo scene is an excellent highlight. Also, did anyone recognize Clint Howard as a toddler at Eddie's birthday party scene? Or Rance Howard as a camp counselor?

moonspinner55 Very smooth, plushly produced nonsense about widower father dating different women, unaware that the divorcée next-door might just be the perfect gal for Pop and his precocious young son. Some surprisingly cynical bits amid the sentiment, despite a strange penchant for big events to happen off-screen. Vincente Minnelli's direction isn't as detailed or full-bodied as one might hope (and the picture doesn't flourish as a result), but the lead performances by Glenn Ford, Shirley Jones and young Ronny Howard are first-rate. Stella Stevens is colorful in stop-and-start supporting role that is never allowed to really take-off. Later the basis for a rather melancholy TV series. *** from ****

wikkedladi I disagree that this movie is sexist at all. In fact, I believe that the character of Tom Corbett is quite different (in a good way) from the fathers of that time. I continue to find this movie extremely entertaining (while ertainly more "fluff" than depth) and nostalgic, due in most part to Ron Howard's superb and engaging performance. The parts where Eddie tells his dad at summer camp that he is in love, and the end of the movie, where Eddie is "practicing" with this dad on what to say to the neighbor to ask her out on a date, are absolutely priceless. Watching Ron Howard in this movie makes you realize why he was sought after as a child actor.