Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation (1962)

Directed by Henry Koster. Starring James Stewart, Maureen O’Hara, Lauri Peters, John McGiver, Valerie Varda, Lili Gentle, Michael Burns, John Saxon, Natalie Trundy, Marie Wilson, Fabian, Minerva Urecal, Reginald Gardner, John Peine, Barbara Mansell.

Shellacked but lackluster comedy of banker Stewart taking the wife (O’Hara) and the rest of the family on an extended vacation to a crummy beach house. It’s based on a book by Edward Streeter, the same author who wrote the novel that became Father of the Bride, so it’s that kind of mild and dippy humor, observed of a very specific sort of upper-middle class-type. Episodic and overlong; Stewart is well-suited for the role, but he’s too flat in his stubbornness, and his role (along with most others) lacks realistic dimension without embracing some manner of zany stereotype. An uneven stream of chuckles can’t carry the weight of so many banal situations. Henry Mancini’s score rates as a highlight; Fabian takes a supporting role and sings, so take that for what it’s worth. Has a nice in-joke for fans of The Ghost and Mrs. Muir.

49/100