Belles on Their Toes | |
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Directed by | Henry Levin |
Screenplay by | Henry Ephron Phoebe Ephron |
Based on | Belles on Their Toes 1950 novel by Ernestine Gilbreth Carey Frank Bunker Gilbreth Jr. |
Produced by | Samuel G. Engel |
Starring | Myrna Loy Jeanne Crain Debra Paget Jeffrey Hunter Edward Arnold |
Cinematography | Arthur E. Arling |
Edited by | Robert Fritch |
Music by | Cyril Mockridge |
Distributed by | 20th Century-Fox |
Release date |
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Running time | 89 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Budget | $1.13 million [1] |
Box office | $2 million [2] [3] |
Belles on Their Toes is a 1952 American family comedy film based on the autobiographical book Belles on Their Toes (1950) by siblings Frank Bunker Gilbreth Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey. The film, which debuted in New York City on May 2, 1952, was directed by Henry Levin, and Henry Ephron and Phoebe Ephron wrote the screenplay. It is a sequel to the film Cheaper by the Dozen (1950), based on Gilbreth and Carey's eponymous 1948 book.
After the death of efficiency expert Frank Gilbreth Sr., his widow Dr. Lillian Gilbreth has to raise their eleven children on her own with very little money. Declining cousin Leora's proposal to disperse the children among various family members, Dr. Gilbreth sends her offspring to Nantucket, accompanied by longtime family cook and handyman Tom Bracken, while she sets out to complete her late husband's lecture tour. Ernestine gets engaged to strapping frat boy Al Lynch. (Later, when Al comes for a visit, the rest of the kids, who do not like him, make it appear the entire family is nutty, so he breaks up with Ernestine. Ernestine is only briefly heartbroken.)
Dr. Gilbreth returns from an unsuccessful tour, and the family returns to Montclair. Anne Gilbreth, the eldest, meets handsome medical doctor Bob Grayson, whom she initially mistakes for a barber. The family works hard to make ends meet.
Sam Harper, of Harper Electric, comes looking for a couple of men trained by Dr. Gilbreth's late husband. Dr. Gilbreth offers to train some specifically for his company, as she and her husband worked as a team, but the chauvenistic Harper is uninterested. However, he changes his mind. Dr. Gilbreth talks him into sending her six students, instead of two. Harper provides four men and persuades two other companies to send a pair each. The school, located in her home, is a success.
Dr. Gilbreth is invited to give a dinner speech at the Engineers' Club of America in New York City, but when she gets there, she is informed there has been a mistake. They did not know L. M. Gilbreth was a woman; women are not allowed inside the club. She leaves a copy of her speech anyway, suggesting they have it delivered by a man. Driving home, she is so furious she accidentally runs into a parked truck and is hospitalized. Anne finds her mother under the care of Dr. Grayson. Initially mortified, she and the doctor eventually get engaged.
When Dr. Gilbreth tells Harper about the Engineers' Club fiasco, he decides to publicize her achievements, but the family are horrified when he makes them the subjects of a funny newsreel. Harper tells them it is all good publicity. Dr. Gilbreth is made a professor at Purdue University.
Meanwhile, Grayson becomes annoyed when Anne is reluctant to leave the family (or even tell her mother about their engagement), as she feels she is needed there. Dr. Gilbreth figures this out and talks Anne out of this odd notion. Anne leaves with Grayson for a position in Detroit.
That same night, Sam Harper tries repeatedly to talk to Dr. Gilbreth about something, presumably his feelings for her, but they are constantly interrupted. Eventually, she lets him know there is no room for anything more in her busy life, and he accepts it. The film ends with the university graduation of her youngest child.
This film is more true to the story than is the first film, Cheaper by the Dozen (1950). Only the 11 living children are featured, and Jane is accurately portrayed as the youngest after Robert. However, the real surname of Anne's future husband was Robert Barney, which is changed to Grayson in the film.[ citation needed ]
Lillian Evelyn Gilbreth was an American psychologist, industrial engineer, consultant, and educator who was an early pioneer in applying psychology to time-and-motion studies. She was described in the 1940s as "a genius in the art of living."
Nora Ephron was an American journalist, writer, and filmmaker. She is best known for writing and directing romantic comedy films and received numerous accolades including a British Academy Film Award as well as nominations for three Academy Awards, a Golden Globe Award, a Tony Award and three Writers Guild of America Awards.
Frank Bunker Gilbreth was an American engineer, consultant, and author known as an early advocate of scientific management and a pioneer of time and motion study, and is perhaps best known as the father and central figure of Cheaper by the Dozen.
Gail Davis was an American actress and singer, best known for her starring role as Annie Oakley in the 1950s television series Annie Oakley.
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Cheaper by the Dozen is a 1950 American comedy film based upon the autobiographical book Cheaper by the Dozen (1948) by Frank Bunker Gilbreth Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey. The film and book describe growing up in a family with twelve children, in Montclair, New Jersey. The title comes from one of Gilbreth's favorite jokes, which played out in the film, that when he and his family were out driving and stopped at a red light, a pedestrian would ask: "Hey, mister! How come you got so many kids?" Gilbreth would pretend to ponder the question carefully, and then, just as the light turned green, would say: "Well, they come cheaper by the dozen, you know", and drive off.
Belles on Their Toes is a 1950 autobiographical book written by the siblings Frank Bunker Gilbreth, Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey. It is the follow-up to their book Cheaper by the Dozen (1948), and covers the period after Frank Gilbreth, Sr. died. It was adapted as a film in 1952.
Ernestine Moller Gilbreth Carey was an American writer.
John Archer was an American actor.
Phoebe Ephron was an American playwright and screenwriter, who often worked with Henry Ephron, her husband, whom she wed in 1934.
Frank Bunker Gilbreth Jr. was an American journalist and author. He co-authored, with his sister Ernestine, the autobiographical bestsellers Cheaper by the Dozen and Belles on Their Toes. Under his own name, he wrote multiple additional books, such as Time Out for Happiness and Ancestors of the Dozen, and a long-running newspaper column.
Cheaper by the Dozen is a semi-autobiographical novel written by Frank Bunker Gilbreth Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey, published in 1948. The novel recounts the authors' childhood lives growing up in a household of 12 children. The bestselling book was later adapted into a feature film by Twentieth Century Fox in 1950 and followed up by the sequel, Belles on Their Toes (1950), which was adapted as a 1952 film.
The areas of a kitchen work triangle is a concept used to determine efficient kitchen layouts that are both aesthetically pleasing and functional. The primary tasks in a home kitchen are carried out between the cook top, the sink and the refrigerator. These three points and the imaginary lines between them make up what kitchen experts call the work triangle. The idea is that when these three elements are close to one another, the kitchen will be easy and efficient to use, cutting down on wasted steps.
Look for the Silver Lining is a 1949 American biographical musical film directed by David Butler and written by Phoebe Ephron, Henry Ephron and Marian Spitzer. A biography of Broadway singer-dancer Marilyn Miller, it stars June Haver and Ray Bolger. It was nominated for an Academy Award for best scoring for a musical picture in 1950.
So This Is Love is a 1953 American musical drama film directed by Gordon Douglas, based on the life of singer Grace Moore. The film stars Kathryn Grayson as Moore, and Merv Griffin. The story chronicles Moore's rise to stardom from 1918 to February 7, 1928 when she made her debut at the Metropolitan Opera.
Anne of Windy Poplars is a 1940 film based on the novel of the same name by Lucy Maud Montgomery. A sequel to the 1934 film Anne of Green Gables, it features Anne Shirley returning from the first film in the title role.
The Gilbreth Medal is named after Frank Bunker Gilbreth Sr. and Lillian Gilbreth and is presented in recognition of excellence in the field of motion, skill, and fatigue study. Originally awarded in 1931 by the Society of Industrial Engineers, the award continues to be presented following the organization's merger in 1936 with The Taylor Society under the new organization, The Society for Advancement of Management.
Sam Flint was an American actor.
The Cheaper by the Dozen franchise consists of a series of films and stage adaptations, based on the real-life events of the Gilbreth family. Based on novels co-written by Frank B. Gilbreth, Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey, the film series includes two biographical films and three loosely-remade family comedy films inspired by their story. The general plot centers around the lives of parents with a large number of children. Each depicts familial relationships, and working through the challenges that arise with an over-sized household.