a warm wonderful witty cross between The Brady Bunch (she has two boys, he has two girls) and The Parent Trap (fun at summer camp). Everyone in this film is hilarious: likable funny kids, Virginia Field as Phyllis, who assumes she's engaged to Van Heflin, Richard Denning very funny as a fitness nut, Patricia Neal poignant as the boys' mother, and especially, in a comic gem of a performance, Van Heflin - he is a marvelous comedic actor, taking pratfalls, and getting in to one scrape after another. This is a Universal film, and is surprisingly directed by melodrama specialist Douglas Sirk (one of his rare comedies). The film is great to look at, totally enjoyable, has a wonderful early 50's look and attitude - oddly, it reminds me of my own childhood in the 1970's, so I guess things hadn't changed all that much in 20-25 years! A completely enjoyable way to spend an hour and a half. Thank you, Turner Classic Movies, for showing it. Just wonderful! (:
Review of Week-End with Father
