YOURS, MINE AND OURS

US, 1968, 111 minutes, Colour.

Lucille Ball, Henry Fonda, Van Johnson, Louise Troy, Tom Bosley, Tim Matheson, Eric Shea.

Directed by Melville Shavelson.

Here is a family film – mother, father, and, eventually, 19 children. Even for audiences who haven’t quite got 19 children, they can still enjoy the film!

It’s the usual ingredients with slight variations, but the kids are not bad (though Laura’s of squabbles) and, while Henry Fonda fits pleasantly into the comedy, straight man style, Lucille Ball is always good for some laughs, a lot of clowning, but also having heart.

All turn out to be Catholics, though not much is made of this except the wedding ceremony – and the question about Catholic being the only ones with the large families. Interesting to note, the film was released three or four months before Pope Paul VI’s Encyclical Letter on marriage (and the issue of birth control). The eldest boy gets his draft – this was made during the Vietnam war.

Van Johnson is there in support as the buddy. There are comic situations and some funny lines.

1. The title? The two families? Widower and widow? Combination? The comic tone?
2. The film of the 1960s, big families, the ethos of families? The children growing up – and the transition from the seeming cosiness of the 1950s to the more open 1960s?
3. Star vehicle for Lucille Ball, her talents for comedy, her talents for a clowning performance? The contrast with Henry Fonda, the straight man? This balance making for effective comedy?
4. Frank, his voice-over, his navy work, friendship with Daryl, the death of his wife, the 10 children? His inability to control them? Their age range, Mike Is the oldest, Charlie as aggressive? His finishing his navy service, the relatives looking after the two babies, his setting up the house? Difficulties – the mixture of comedy in exasperation?
5. Helen, nurse, the death of her husband? Eight children? Her trying to manage? The chance encounter with Frank? Meeting him again? Supermarket?
6. Daryl, working with Frank, Hail-fellow, well-met? Friendship? With Frank and Helen? Helping in the house, the wash up? At sea? The tests?
7. Frank and Helen, at the hospital, their meeting, the buildup of the courtship, watching the French movie, the awkwardness with the number of children, busy in the club, each with a separate date, the man not believing Helen, Frank’s date travelling in the car and listening with amazement?
8. The hostility between the children, the touches of bitterness? Memories of their dead parents?
9. The plan for the wedding, the ceremony, the Catholic background? Philip and his illness, preventing the honeymoon weekend? Everybody at home? The two babies arriving? The visit of the doctor? Frank and his navy organisation of rooms and bunking down? Chaos and order?
10. Philip, school, the names of North and Beardsley, the fierce reaction of the nun, legal?
11. The continued exasperation at home, the different families and their treatment of each of the parents? Mike and his hostility, the call up, the doctor, discovering Helen was pregnant?
12. Christmas celebration, bikes and repairs, the range of prisons, the phone call, Helen pregnant, not telling Frank? Giving him the gift of the boat, the opportunity to go back to see and test his invention?
13. At sea, the range of letters, discovering the truth, coming home? The change at home, the children more collaborative?
14. The chaos with getting Helen to the hospital, the boyfriend and the clash about sex and dating, Frank and his wisdom as he took Helen to the car?
15. The issue of adoption, coming before the judge, all the families, the declarations, the children agreeing?
16. A film of its time?