Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation is a 1962 American comedy film directed by Henry Koster and starring James Stewart and Maureen O'Hara. The film is based on a novel by Edward Streeter and features a popular singer of the time, Fabian.
Plot
Mr. Hobbs is an overworked businessman who seeks a quiet seaside vacation with his wife Peggy and family, including his grown daughters, sons-in-law and grandchildren.
What he finds upon reaching their vacation destination is a dilapidated beach house with nosy neighbors.
Complications mount up. His teenage son Danny only wants to watch television. His youngest daughter Katey, embarrassed by a new set of braces, refuses to leave the beach house. And his grandkids don't want anything to do with him.
Furthermore, one of his sons-in-law, Stan, is unemployed and Mr. Hobbs must escort Stan's potential employer on a boring bird-watching jaunt. And oldest daughter is married to the aloof professor Byron, who has unorthodox ideas about disciplining children and the family dynamic.
One by one, Mr. Hobbs tries to solve each problem. He finds time to take Danny on a boating trip, where they get lost in the fog but bond as father and son. He also manages to take Katey to a dance, where he bribes a handsome young man named Joe to pay attention to her.
The bird-watcher and his prim wife don't turn out to be what they seem to be and chaos reigns for a while. But in time Mr. Hobbs and his wife sort out everybody's personal crisis, Joe turns out to be a suitable suitor for Katey and the family is almost sad to leave the beach and return home.
Production
Nunnally Johnson wrote the screenplay to Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation based on Edward Streeter's novel of the same name. Streeter had previously penned the novel Father of the Bride, which was filmed in 1950 and remade in 1991.[1] Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation was filmed in California on Laguna Beach and at Dana Point.[2] The film was shot using both Cinemascope wide screen movie formatting and color by DeLuxe. It marked the first time James Stewart and Maureen O'Hara starred together in a film. They would co-star again in the 1966 western The Rare Breed.[3] During the scene where Mr. Hobbs escorts his daughter Katey to a dance at the yacht club, Herb Alpert is the trumpet player in the band.[4]
Reception
The film was relatively successful in America upon its release on June 15, 1962, earning $4 million with an estimated budget of $2 million, but found even greater success when released overseas.[5][6] James Stewart garnered the Berlin International Film Festival Award for Best Actor for his hilarious performance, and director Henry Koster was nominated for Best Director. Stewart was nominated for a Golden Globe as Best Actor in a Musical/Comedy. The screenplay by Nunnally Johnson was nominated for Best Written Comedy by the Writers Guild of America. Stewart and Maureen O'Hara were also nominated for their performances by the Laurel Awards.[7] Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation's success inspired a series of light-hearted comedies starring James Stewart including Take Her, She's Mine (1963) and Dear Brigitte (1965), taking him away from the western movies he had become a staple of.[8] The film is still aired on cable channels, and has developed a cult following that helped the film be released on DVD.
Cast
James Stewart as Roger Hobbs
Maureen O'Hara as Peggy Hobbs
Fabian as Joe
John Saxon as Byron
Marie Wilson as Mrs. Turner
Reginald Gardiner as Reggie McHugh
Lauri Peters as Katey
Valerie Varda as Marika
Lili Gentle as Janie
John McGiver as Mr. Turner
Natalie Trundy as Susan
Josh Peine as Stan
Minerva Urecal as Brenda, Hobbs' Maid
Michael Burns as Danny Hobbs
Richard Collier as Mr. Kagle
References
- ^ "Internet Movie Database, Edward Streeter". imdb.com. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0834117/. Retrieved 2007-08-27.
- ^ "Internet Movie Database, Filming locations for Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation". imdb.com. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056255/locations. Retrieved 2007-08-26.
- ^ "Internet Movie Database, James Stewart". imdb.com. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000071/. Retrieved 2007-08-26.
- ^ "Internet Movie Database, Trivia for Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation". imdb.com. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056255/trivia. Retrieved 2007-08-26.
- ^ "Internet Movie Database, Box office/business for Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation". imdb.com. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056255/business. Retrieved 2007-08-26.
- ^ "Internet Movie Database, Release dates for Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation". imdb.com. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056255/releaseinfo. Retrieved 2007-08-26.
- ^ "Internet Movie Database, Awards for Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation". imdb.com. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056255/awards. Retrieved 2007-08-26.
- ^ "Internet Movie Database, James Stewart". imdb.com. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000071/. Retrieved 2007-08-26.
External links
