LOUISA

US, 1950, 90 minutes, Black and white.
Ronald Reagan, Charles Coburn, Ruth Hussey, Edmund Gwen, Spring Byington, Piper Laurie, Scotty Beckett, Jimmy Hunt, Connie Gilchrist, Martin Milner.
Directed by Alexander Hall.

Somebody suggested that Louisa is a wrong-, for the over 60s. There had been some precedents with elderly actors like Mari Dressler and Wallace Beery.

This time, we are at Universal Studios in 1950, Ronald Reagan a reliable screen presence for the father of the family, Charles Coburn appearing as a business tycoon with an eye for Louisa, Piper Laurie and her first film as a typical teenager, Ruth Hussey as the mother. However, the focus is on Spring Byington as Ronald Reagan’s mother, widow for 10 years, lonely, coming to live with the family, critically intervening and making everyone miserable. However, the action quickly changes when she goes out, encounters the entrepreneurial local grocer, the always-benign Edmund Gwen, and there is an attraction between the two, quiet dating at the movies, courtship and a pending proposal.

Enter Charles Coburn visiting the family to get work done on the weekend, encountering Luisa and becoming fixated on her, certainly jealous of Edmund Gwen. This leads to some comic situations, a picnic, fast driving, winning a dance competition, arm wrestling between the two elderly men.

Everything turns out nicely at the end for the elderly couple – and this is an opportunity to see the future president and how he manages a household and some emotional crises.

1. The comedy for the over 60s? Freedom for the elderly, and the censorious criticism by the younger is?

2. A 1950s comedy, domestic scene, work place, families on the one home, socials and community spirit? The musical score in turn?

3. The title, the focus on the grandmother, widow for 10 years, lonely, coming to live with her son’s family, interfering with everyone, censorious? Everybody’s reaction?

4. The household: Hal, architect (and the Ronald Reagan personality on screen), working with his boss, prospector vice president, the family upset, make, patient, sociable, Carol, 17, flirtatious then censorious, Chris, his age, school, being left out of family matters? And Gladys, working in the house, critical of the grandmother?

5. Louisa, the change of heart, the encounter with Mr Hammond, the romance, going to the movies, seen by Carol? The dating and the outings? Mr Hammond coming to dinner? His proposal?

6. The complication with Abel Burnside? His age, wealth, business, development, working with Howell? Concern about how’s family problems? Coming to the home, the instant
attraction to Louisa, his manoeuvres? The conflict with Mr Hammond?

7. Mr Hammond, genial, the vegetables, successful business, military service? The document and for wives – at the genial explanation? His being upset with Burnside? Phoning, outside the social with Jimmy? Encouraging Jimmy with his editor ship of the paper? They going in, the dancing, the wrestling? Burnside winning?

8. Carol, dating Jimmy, his being an intellectual and their discussions? At the movies? Carol upset, the dance, Bob Stewart, ditching him?

9. Louisa, the outing with Mr Burnside, his driving, the picnic, the water lilies his advances? At the dance, they’re winning the competition under the bar, her attitude towards Mr Hammond?


10. Her disappearance, the phone call, her being with Mr Hammond, everybody driving to his shop? The confrontation, the truth?

11. The happy ending, the wedding? Mr Burnside in the background? Everything nice, 1950s style?