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Houseboat (Widescreen) (Special edition)
- Starring: Cary Grant, Sophia Loren, Martha Hyer
- Director: Melville Shavelson
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Description
Cary Grant scored still another box-office smash with his 1958 vehicle Houseboat. Grant plays a widowed father who packs himself and his spoiled kiddies off to a ramshackle houseboat. Enter Sophia Loren, who is attempting to break loose from her tyrannical father's (Eduardo Cianelli) iron grip. She hires on as Grant's housekeeper and his children's governess. Though Grant struggles valiantly to maintain a "hands off" policy, he and Loren are billing and cooing by fadeout time--but not before plenty of reversals, recriminations and sitcom-style mishaps. As a bonus, the kids end up behaving like little angels (not surprising, since Loren has threatened from time to time to turn them into genuine angels if they don't toe the line). According to most sources, the on-screen romance between Cary Grant and Sophia Loren in Houseboat spilled over into their private lives as well, though Sophia put an end to this dalliance when she married Italian movie mogul Carlo Ponti. Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Features
- Genre: Romance
- Category: Domestic Comedy, Romantic Comedy
- Theme: Mischievous Children, Single Parents
- Release Date: November 05, 2002
- Rating: NR (Not Rated)Rating Opens in New Window - Suitable for Children
- Studio: Paramount
- Lead Actors: Cary Grant, Sophia Loren, Martha Hyer, Harry Guardino, Eduardo Ciannelli
- Supporting Actors: Marc Wilder, Mary Forbes, Gilda Oliva, Helen Brown, Julian Rivero, Bill Hickman, Pat Moran, Paul Peterson, Joe McTurk, Murray Hamilton, Mimi Gibson, Charles Herbert, Madge Kennedy, John Litel, Werner Klemperer
- Director: Melville Shavelson
- Picture Format: Widescreen
- Run Time: 1 hr 49 min
- Language: English, French
- Subtitle Language: English
- Format: DVD
Additional Information
- DPCI: 246-00-3922
- ASIN: B002HXOGAI
- Catalog #: 11330243
- Item can not be gift wrapped.
Shipping & Policies
- You may return this item to any Target store.Opens in New Window
- Shipping & Delivery InformationOpens in New Window
- Estimated Ship Dimensions : 7.58 inches length x 5.44 inches width x 0.58 inches height
- Estimated Ship Weight: 0.24 pound.
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Expert Reviews
Houseboat demonstrates exactly how important star power can be to some projects. Any number of actors could have made this frothy little romantic comedy, and the results would have been pleasant but instantly forgettable. Fortunately, Cary Grant and Sophia Loren were engaged for the parts, and so the otherwise mediocre Houseboat turns out to be a charming and engaging little piece of fluff. Forget the screenplay; its Oscar nomination notwithstanding, Houseboat's script is well structured and has some good dialogue, but is basically nothing more than standard sitcom fare. Likewise, Melville Shavelson's direction is neat and efficient, but uninspired. And while the kids in the cast -- especially Paul Peterson -- are good, they're not enough to make Houseboat stand out. Ah, but Grant and Loren, whether together or separate onscreen, provide some magic. The chemistry between the two is palpable and invaluable, but each is just as powerful even when the other is absent. Grant could walk through this kind of part with his eyes closed; that he puts so much into the part (yet still makes it looks so utterly effortless) is an example of why Grant was such an irreplaceable star. Loren, looking sensational, is a sensual tornado with a wonderful flair for light comedy. The difference in age between the two stars is a bit disconcerting, but there's nothing else to criticize about them. They make Houseboat worth watching -- and watching again. Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
