Cheaper by the Dozen (1950 film)

Last updated
Cheaper by the Dozen
Cheaper by the dozen film poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Walter Lang
Screenplay by Lamar Trotti
Based on Cheaper by the Dozen
1948 novel
by Ernestine Gilbreth Carey
Frank Bunker Gilbreth Jr.
Produced byLamar Trotti
Starring Clifton Webb
Jeanne Crain
Myrna Loy
Betty Lynn
Edgar Buchanan
Barbara Bates
Mildred Natwick
Sara Allgood
Narrated byJeanne Crain
Cinematography Leon Shamroy
Edited by James Watson Webb Jr.
Music by Cyril J. Mockridge
Color process Technicolor
Production
company
20th Century Fox
Distributed by 20th Century Fox
Release date
  • March 31, 1950 (1950-03-31)
Running time
85 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$1.7 million [1]
Box office$4.3-4.425 million (U.S. and Canada rentals) [2] [3]

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.

Contents

The story of the Gilbreth family is continued in the book Belles on Their Toes , which was adapted as a film in 1952, with some of the original cast.

Plot

The film follows time and motion study and efficiency expert Frank Bunker Gilbreth Sr. and his wife, psychologist Lillian Moller Gilbreth, as they raise 12 children in 1920's Providence, Rhode Island and Montclair, New Jersey. Throughout the film, Frank employs unorthodox teaching methods on his children and the children clash with their parents.

Frank takes every opportunity to study motion and increase efficiency, including filming his children's tonsillectomies to see if there are ways to streamline the operation. He escorts his daughter to her prom as a chaperone but ends up chatting and dancing with her female friends.

Frank is sent on a lecture tour to Europe, expecting to visit Prague and London. He phones Lillian from the station but the line goes dead; he has had a heart attack. After Frank's sudden death, the family agree that Lillian will continue with her husband's work, beginning with giving his lectures in Europe; this enables the family to remain in their house, rather than move to their grandmother's in California. With a widowed working mother and one income, the children will have to assume much greater responsibilities.

Cast

Comparison to real life

The birth order in which Cheaper by the Dozen portrays some of the children is not the same order in which the real Gilbreth children were born. For example, Robert (who was born in 1920) is shown as being born in 1922, as the last child after Jane (who was born in 1922). This is reversed in the movie's sequel.

In real life, Mary, who was the second child, died in 1912, aged 5. However, in the film Cheaper by the Dozen, Mary is placed as the third child after Ernestine, and has few or no lines. [4]

Both Frank and Lillian Gilbreth were important figures in real life. The voice-over at the end of the film informs the audience that Lillian went on to become the world's leading efficiency expert and Woman of the Year in 1948, a title bestowed by the Twentieth Century Club of Buffalo. [5]

Reception

Reviews from critics were mostly positive. Bosley Crowther of The New York Times wrote that "it all adds up to entertainment of a broad, brash and innocent sort." [6] Variety called it "a lot of fun" with "a lot of humor, and just enough clutching at the heart to please any audience." [7] Harrison's Reports called it "delightfully amusing" with comedy "that keeps one chuckling throughout and at times reaches hilarious proportions." [8] "Pleasant light entertainment", reported The Monthly Film Bulletin . [9] John McCarten of The New Yorker was less enthused, writing that "since nothing much happens in the way of conflict, there just isn't any drama, and the piece boils down to one of those typical fluffy comedies about home life in America." [10]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lillian Moller Gilbreth</span> American psychologist and industrial engineer

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."

<i>Father of the Bride</i> (1950 film) 1950 film by Vincente Minnelli

Father of the Bride is a 1950 American romantic comedy film directed by Vincente Minnelli from a screenplay by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett, based on the 1949 novel of the same name by Edward Streeter. The film stars Spencer Tracy, Joan Bennett, and Elizabeth Taylor, and follows a man trying to cope with preparations for his daughter's wedding. Father of the Bride was nominated for Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Writing, Screenplay, and Best Actor in a Leading Role.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeanne Crain</span> American actress (1925–2003)

Jeanne Elizabeth Crain was an American actress. She was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress for her title role in Pinky (1949). She also starred in the films In the Meantime, Darling (1944), State Fair (1945), Leave Her to Heaven (1945), Centennial Summer (1946), Margie (1946), Apartment for Peggy (1948), A Letter to Three Wives (1949), Cheaper by the Dozen (1950), People Will Talk (1951), Man Without a Star (1955), Gentlemen Marry Brunettes (1955), The Fastest Gun Alive (1956), and The Joker Is Wild (1957).

Therbligs are elemental motions used in the study of workplace motion economy. A workplace task is analyzed by recording each of the therblig units for a process, with the results used for optimization of manual labour by eliminating unneeded movements. Eighteen therbligs have been defined.

<i>Cheaper by the Dozen</i> (2003 film) 2003 film by Shawn Levy

Cheaper by the Dozen is a 2003 American comedy film directed by Shawn Levy. It is a remake of the 1950 film of the same name. Both films were inspired by the semi-autobiographical book Cheaper by the Dozen by Frank Bunker Gilbreth Jr. and his sister Ernestine Gilbreth Carey. It stars Steve Martin, Bonnie Hunt, Hilary Duff, Tom Welling, and Piper Perabo with supporting roles by Kevin G. Schmidt, Alyson Stoner, Jacob Smith, Forrest Landis, Liliana Mumy, Morgan York, Blake Woodruff, Brent and Shane Kinsman, Paula Marshall, and Alan Ruck. Outside of a passing mention of the Gilbreth name, the film has little connection with the original source material.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frank Bunker Gilbreth</span> American industrial engineer (1868–1924)

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.

<i>Vicki</i> (film) 1953 film by Harry Horner

Vicki is a 1953 American film noir directed by Harry Horner and starring Jeanne Crain and Jean Peters. It was based on the novel I Wake Up Screaming, written by Steve Fisher.

<i>Belles on Their Toes</i>

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.

Zack Nipper is an artist from Omaha, Nebraska. He has designed several album covers by bands such as Bright Eyes, Criteria, Georgie James and Desaparecidos. Zack won "Best Recording Package" for his work on Bright Eyes' Cassadaga at the 2008 Grammy Awards, giving him, as well as Saddle Creek Records their first Grammy. In 2008, after his Grammy Award, several of Nipper's drawings for the album were displayed at the Joslyn Art Museum in "Zack Nipper: The Cassadaga Drawings" organized by then-senior curator of collections, John Wilson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ernestine Gilbreth Carey</span> American author

Ernestine Moller Gilbreth Carey was an American writer.

<i>I Love You Again</i> 1940 film by W. S. Van Dyke

I Love You Again is an MGM comedy released in 1940. It was directed by W.S. Van Dyke and starred William Powell and Myrna Loy, all three of whom were prominently involved in the Thin Man film series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frank Bunker Gilbreth Jr.</span> American journalist and author (1911–2001)

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.

<i>Belles on Their Toes</i> (film) 1952 film by Henry Levin

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.

<i>Cheaper by the Dozen</i> 1948 novel by Gilbreth and Gilbreth Carey

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.

<i>Moon Over Her Shoulder</i> 1941 film by Alfred L. Werker

Moon Over Her Shoulder is a 1941 American comedy film directed by Alfred L. Werker and starring Lynn Bari, John Sutton and Alan Mowbray. It was produced and distributed by Twentieth Century Fox.

<i>Moon Over Burma</i> 1940 American film

Moon Over Burma is a 1940 American adventure film directed by Louis King and written by Harry Clork, Wilson Collison, W.P. Lipscomb and Frank Wead. The film stars Dorothy Lamour, Robert Preston, Preston Foster, Doris Nolan, Albert Bassermann, Frederick Worlock and Addison Richards. The film was released on December 11, 1940, by Paramount Pictures.

Gilbreth, Inc. was the early management consulting and industrial engineering firm of Frank Bunker Gilbreth and his wife Lillian Moller Gilbreth. It was founded as Frank B. Gilbreth, Inc., consulting engineers, in 1911. Lillian renamed it Gilbreth, Inc. after Frank's death in 1924.

Cheaper by the Dozen is a biographical novel written by Frank Bunker Gilbreth Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey, published in 1948.

Robert Moller Gilbreth was an American educator, businessman, and politician.

<i>Cheaper by the Dozen</i> (franchise) American film franchise

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.

References

  1. ↑ Lev, Peter (15 March 2013). Twentieth Century-Fox: The Zanuck-Skouras Years, 1935–1965. University of Texas Press. ISBN   9780292744493.
  2. ↑ "All-Time Top Grossers". Variety . January 13, 1954. p. 10. Retrieved 2022-06-08– via Archive.org.
  3. ↑ Solomon, Aubrey (2002). Twentieth Century-Fox: A Corporate and Financial History. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 223. ISBN   9780810842441 . Retrieved 2022-06-08– via Google Books.
  4. ↑ "Cheaper by the Dozen". TCM.
  5. ↑ "1948 Woman of the Year". Buffalo.edu.
  6. ↑ Crowther, Bosley (April 1, 1950). "The Screen In Review". The New York Times : 22.
  7. ↑ "Cheaper By the Dozen". Variety . March 29, 1950. p. 11. Retrieved 2022-06-08– via Archive.org.
  8. ↑ "'Cheaper by the Dozen' with Clifton Webb, Jeanne Crain and Myrna Loy". Harrison's Reports : 50. April 1, 1950.
  9. ↑ "Cheaper By the Dozen". The Monthly Film Bulletin . 17 (196): 65. April–May 1950.
  10. ↑ McCarten, John (April 8, 1950). "The Current Cinema". The New Yorker . p. 112.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.