User Reviews

There is an unfair urban legend about the late 40th President of the United States that all his films were awful except for "Knute Rockne, All American" and "King's Row". Actually Ronald Reagan did more good films than most people realize - he was in supporting roles in "Boy Meets Girl" and "Dark Victory", he did nicely in "Brother Rat", "The Voice Of The Turtle" and (surprise!) "Bedtime For Bonzo", and he again gave good support to the trio of old troopers who star in this film.

"Louisa" is that rarity - a romantic comedy about the loves of elderly people. Spring Byington is the mother of Ronald Reagan, and she meets his new employer, Charles Coburn. Byington is perky and intelligent and graceful, and she captivates Coburn. So far so good. Unfortunately she already has met Edmund Gwenn, a poorer man than Coburn but just as smitten. Both men proceed to pursue her, and to try to derail each other's campaign for her. Coburn, being richer (and Reagan's employer) is in a better position - especially after he finds a secret regarding Gwenn's past that can blast his chances. Or will it boomerang and make Gwenn more sympathetic?

The three old pros carry this film - one of the two best films for elderly performers (with Monty Wooley's "As Young As You Feel") made in the 1950s. Both reaffirm that there is plenty of life in the older set than we usually think. And Reagan does well, upset to see his mother Byington not acting...well as a mother should. He is also jittery about his business future every time Coburn sees Gwenn visiting. A nice little comedy. Ronnie was in some good ones you know.

This film about falling in love after 60 could have easily descended into sentimental sappiness, but its intelligently funny script and fine comedic acting by its principals keeps it light and heartwarming. Spring Byington is charmingly vivacious without losing her dignity; Edmund Gwenn is cherubic and wise as the grocer suitor, and Charles Coburn as his tycoon rival reveals once again why he was one of the best character actors in the business. Stars Ronald Reagan and Ruth Hussey do well with what is essentially strong supporting roles as Byington's put-upon son and daughter-in-law. All in all, an entertaining hour and a half.

This seems to be the only place where this film is acknowledged, and it seems that elsewhere it has dropped out of existence. A pity because it is a charming film mainly about people over sixty falling in love with each other. This is not a usual focus, even now, and the acting is excellent. Ronald Reagan is given top billing where the great Spring Byington is not. Supported by Charles Coburn and Edmund Gwenn as her suitors the three make a wonderful trio. Which one will she marry ? This causes disruption in the very conservative household of Ronald Reagan and the sadly unused Ruth Hussey who was so good in ' The Philadelphia Story ' Piper Laurie is their daughter and Scotty Beckett her ' intellectual ' boyfriend. But it is Spring Byington who steals the film, and very good in other films she glows with charm and intelligence in this. The dance sequence where Charles Coburn and Edmund Gwenn wrestle literally for her attention is a gem of a scene, and for that alone this elusive film is worth tracking down. Is it dated ? Yes, in many ways but there is a remaining freshness about its approach to the elderly in love which brings humanity and understanding to a subject not treated enough in the cinema. I would give it more points but Reagan's weakness as a lead actor prevents me.

Though future president Ronald Reagan is top billed in Louisa the accent is Hollywood's senior citizens as we are treated to golden age romantic triangle involving Edmund Gwenn, Charles Coburn, and Spring Byington. Love is lovelier the second time around as the song goes at least for two of them.

Reagan is a successful executive who has landed a big promotion from his boss Charles Coburn and he's married to Ruth Hussey with kids Piper Laurie and Jimmy Hunt. Spring is his mother and she lives with them. I know how that is because I had a paternal grandmother living with me and believe me she wasn't as nice as Spring Byington.

Still Spring is made to feel like a fifth wheel in the household and so she starts looking for some companionship and she finds it with Edmund Gwenn who owns a grocery store and has an interesting background. One night Coburn comes over in the middle of family dinner and he shows an interest in Spring.

That has to be exciting for one of Spring's age and now my age to be the love object in a romantic triangle. She's got a new lease on life and the girl just struts her stuff.

Louisa got some Oscar consideration when it received a nomination for Best Sound recording. It's a pleasant enough family comedy and it holds up well because it has some forever themes about it.

It's a pity this one isn't available on video or otherwise, I'd acquire it at the drop of a hat!

Thoroughly delightful comedy about romantic seniors (Ch. Coburn and Edmund Gwenn) competing for the love of a sweet granny, Louisa (Spring Byington) who still has much to offer in charm, grace and joy of living.

There's heated rivalry between the two older men, and there's frustrated annoyance from the younger teen set (Piper Laurie and her beau, Scotty Beckett), and the middle-aged family members (Ronald Reagan and patient wife Meg, played by Ruth Hussey). Inevitably there are clashes, tempers flare and varied misunderstandings arise, but all comes right in the end, of course. This is a scintillating comedy with never a dull moment.

I love that delightful scene of Ch. Coburn as Abel Burnside, wading into the pond, trousers soaked, and gallantly picking flowers to offer his lady love, "Louisa", which is also the title of this movie.

Top grades for this one.

Spring Byington is Ronald Reagan's mother. She is carrying on a romance with Edmund Gwenn, but when Reagan's boss, Charles Coburn, gets a look at her, he falls for the minx too.

It's one of those brittle post-war comedies during the long afternoon of the Production Code, with the dread implications of s-e-x: not only between old geezers, but Reagan's daughter, played by Piper Laurie in her screen debut, who sees her grandma in the necking section of the local movie house and is shocked, d'ye hear, shocked.

This being a comedy, Regan is in stuffed-shirt mode; Ruth Roman as his wife is the perfectly efficient suburban housewife -- probably a Seven Sisters baccalaureate in the humanities. It's a gormless affair affably directed by Alexander Hall that is of some interest because of the trio of older players.

... and I don't mean the 1960s. Spring Byington is in the title role living with son Ronald Reagan and his family. Louisa is urged to get some interests outside the family, but be careful what you ask for.

Louisa ends up getting fought over romantically by charming grocer Henry Hammond (Edmund Gwenn) and Type-A tycoon (and Ronnie's boss) Abel Burnside (Charles Coburn). This puts Ronnie in a delicate dilemma. The guys are wonderful as immature cut-ups and Louisa's teen-aged granddaughter, Cathy (Piper Laurie, in her screen debut) and her brilliant geek boyfriend Jimmy,(Scotty Beckett) are a great contrast in young love. It all takes place in a town ironically called Pleasantville. Watch for the charming bit of Americana with the Community Square Dance and the 'dancing under the bar' competition. It's a hoot!

When Louisa finally picks one of the guys, the other one investigates and finds out that the winner has been married four times! And never divorced! Is this feel good film about to turn into a film noir? Watch and find out.

Recommended as a great film that proves some good things happened at Universal after the Laemmles lost the studio in 1936, and before Rock Hudson and Douglas Sirk showed up, besides just Abbott and Costello.

Despite the name at the top of the billing, this film belongs fairly and squarely to the elderly folks - Spring Byington ("Louisa"), Edmund Gwenn ("Hammond") and Charles Coburn ("Burnside"). Both men are vying for the affections of the former - the mother of aspiring architect "Hal" (Ronald Reagan). The story moves along quickly and amusingly with the two resorting to more increasingly outlandish methods to secure the hand of "Louisa". Meantime, their antics are playing havoc on her son and on his family with whom she lives. Though the ending is a bit far-fetched, the joke still holds up remarkably well. Reagan portrays the role of the increasingly frenetic son quite effusively and the family of supporting cast - including Piper Laurie and Scotty Beckett who are having their own relationship issues - all contribute well to this enjoyable story that clearly validates the theory that life begins at 50, or 60, or....

I didn't know what to expect when I first started watching. Soon I was literally laughing out loud. Ronald Reagan is married (Ruth Hussey) with two children, one a teenage daughter the other a twelve yr old son. They all live together with his mother, who starts dating the towns grocer. Ronald Reagan starts behaving like a typical child who doesn't approve of his mother dating anyone but his deceased father of ten years. Oh, but wait...a love triangle ensues between this grandmother, the grocer and Ronald Reagan's boss. Their antics and jealous behavior is simply outrageous and hilarious. This love triangle between Spring Byington, Edmund Gwenn and Charles Coburn is so charmingly funny, being they're all in their sixties and behaving like teenagers in love. All of the actors are perfect in their roles and play their parts quite believable. I've seen them all in so many movies, yet I can't forget that Edmund Gwenn is really Santa....lol (Miracle on 34th Street).

This movie is in black and white, which I think ads to its charm. I highly suggest you watch this one.

Edmund Gwenn and Charles Coburn were both wonderful character actors who enhanced many, many films with their charming presence. However, normally a Hollywood film of their era only featured one cute or grouchy old man...and that is why I love "Louisa" as it has a double dose of these guys with BOTH Gwenn and Coburn.

When the film begins, Hal Norton (Ronald Reagan) has come home with great news. However, he's very annoyed to see that instead of celebrating with him, his wife is in a tizzy because Hal's mother, Louisa (Spring Byington) is bored...and when she has nothing to do, Louisa sticks her big nose into everyone's business. So, after Hal talks to her, she decides she needs to get a life of her own outside this home. Soon, she begins dating...first with Mr. Hammond (Gwenn) and later with Hal's boss, Mr. Burnside (Coburn). Both men are absolutely infatuated with her and soon begin to make total fools of themselves...like a couple love-sick 16 year-olds! And as for Hal, he seems to be having a serious Oedipal fixation, as he's really hot and bothered that these men want his mommy.

Overall, this is a silly, fun and light-hearted film...the sort that they just don't make any more...but should. Cute and enjoyable from start to finish.

Ronald is good, but the ol' man with the monocle, gosh his funny! Mr. Cobun? whatever his name is, he sure can do a lot with some stuffy odd character! haha

Had me rolling! He probably is one of the Classics a lot of gran folk know about!

I would love to see more of his stuff, is there anything in which he is the main guy?

But everyone in this lil' charming film had a nice banter going on at all times, it was neat and more importantly it just worked.

I would recommend it! Youtube classics TCM special. Wish they had everything I mean come on, why should we have to purchase something that makes up the foundation of Hollywood or just plain the beginning of movie making all across the world, they are classics , they should be as free as going to the library and picking up their source materials in book form... It just makes for more learning and how our ancestors grew up in the nascent stages of filmmaking...

Well, this was nice...

I will keep it short, this movie is quite good.

Initially we watched it simply due to the cast, but it turned out to be quite good.

What else would you expect from Spring Byington, Edmund Gwynn and Charles Coburn.

Universal assembled a smashing cast for this comedy of American family life in 1950. To appreciate the plot, one should understand that before the mid-20th century, many in America didn't think that older people, especially widows and widowers, should marry again. It was even frowned upon by some, including younger people of the period.

So that sets the stage for this superb rollicking comedy, with a cast of several Academy Award winners and nominees. The setting is the town of Pleasantville, a suburb of a big city that has commuter trains. The movie playing at the town theater is "Harvey," starring James Stewart, which came out that year. Naturally, it was a Universal film.

Of the six main characters, only one - Ronald Reagan, never received an Oscar nomination. But his Harold 'Hal' Norton shows his fine talent for wry comedy in this film that is loaded with laughable dialog as well as numerous funny scenes. Reagan plays the dutiful son who is overly protective of his widowed mother. He is hilarious in his angst and disdain over her dating other men her age.

Hal's mother, Louisa Norton, is played superbly by Spring Byington. She is the female in a love triangle that develops and that provides many laughs in this brilliant screenplay. For the competing beaus, the studio couldn't have made a better match than two very familiar Oscar winners. Charles Coburn and Edmund Gwenn were among the best-known supporting actors of Hollywood's golden era. The ever-monocled Coburn plays Abel Burnside, who is also Hal's boss. Gwenn, who will be forever remembered as Kris Kringle from 1947's "Miracle on 34th Street," plays neighborhood grocer, Henry Hammond.

Ruth Hussey is excellent as Hal's wife, Meg, and Piper Laurie makes her film debut as the Norton's daughter, Cathy. She finds her grandmother's affections for Mr. Hammond shocking. The Norton's son, Chris, is played by Jimmy Hunt. Others who contribute to the humor are Scotty Beckett as Jimmy Blake, the nerdy boyfriend of Cathy. Beckett had a promising career that went into a tailspin his last few years due to drugs and alcohol, and he died at age 33 of a drug overdose. Young Martin Milner has a short scene with a great line.

The screenplay for "Louisa" may have come close to the record number of one-liners, zingers and putt-down lines in a movie. Following are some, with many more under the Quotes section of this IMDb movie Web page. This is a superb comedy that the whole family should enjoy. Just remember that it's partly a snapshot of Americana at the mid-point of the 20th century.

Hal, "Where were you, mother? The movies let out at midnight. It's after one now." Luisa, "We parked, son."

Hal, "Meg, you never really knew dad. You never played baseball with him." Meg, "I never played baseball with him, but I was very fond of him."

Hal, "She's been a widow for over 10 years. Why did she suddenly become lonely now?"

Hal, "Chris, move over." Chris, "Have another fight with mom, dad?" Hal, "Son, as you grow older you'll discover that certain women have a peculiar sense of humor. Now go to sleep."

Jimmy, "Good evening, Mr. Norton." Hal, "Jimmy, you know we like having you for dinner. You're here every night, but would you excuse us just this once?"

Henry Hammond, "I have several questions of my own." Hal, "You have?" Henry, "Naturally. I'm marrying a woman with children." Hal, "Mr. Hammond, we have no intention of living with you and mother." Henry, "Oh, I realize that, but one must be careful."

Chris, "Dad, do I have to eat the flowers?" Hal, "You're on our own, son."

Luisa, "Henry considers himself an adventurer of the senses."

Luisa, "Henry, I'm surprised at you. You were very rude." Henry, "Well, how do you think I felt, watching you lead Mr. Burnside on?" Luisa, "Henry!" Henry, "Flirting! Shamelessly, before my very eyes." Luisa, "I was simply being courteous to Hal's employer." Henry, "Now, don't tell me you didn't enjoy his attentions. Dropping your handkerchief coyly like a show girl. That trick's a bit dated, Luisa."

Cathy, "You take grandma's love life very seriously, but nobody pays any attention to mine."

Hal, "Oh, Cathy, we're busy. You convinced us you were heart-broken at breakfast."

Hal, "That's one thing about my family. Nobody believes in being unhappy unless everyone knows it."

Abel Burnside, "It's always been my motto - disturb the peace if you have to, but get where you're going."

Luisa, "Luisa, he said to me, I thought I married a lady. David, I said to him, I thought you married me."

Motorcycle Cop, "I deeply apologize for being in your way, hot rod. Were you in a hurry?" Henry Hammond, "Just give me the ticket, officer, I'm in no mood for conversation."

Stacy Walker, square dance caller, "How many of you gentlemen feel strong? Our next contest - Indian wrestling." Hal Norton, "Who dreamed this one up? Is this a dance or a track meet?" Meg Norton, "Shhh. I thought it would be nice for the young people. We have to consider them too."

Chris, "I can't sleep, dad. I'm too worried just thinking about grandma running away from home."

Hal Norton, "We'll be able to get by and you won't have to give up Gladys." Meg Norton, "You're just afraid of my cooking."

Abel Burnside, on the telephone to the police, "This is Abel Burnside speaking. Now, you boys had better snap to it or you'll be pounding a beat in the suburbs." Cathy Norton, "This is the suburbs." Burnside, "We...well, you'll be in real trouble."

Abel Burnside, "Before I get through with that senile Casanova, he'll regret the day he was born. I'll tear him limb from limb."

Louisa is so cute! I'd never heard of this movie before, and I'm so glad I discovered it. Nowadays, it's more common for romances to feature a middle-aged couple, but back in 1950 it was practically nonexistent. Spring Byington plays the title character, a devoted mother to Ronald Reagan, and a grandmother to Piper Laurie and Jimmy Hunt, who finally steps out of her comfort zone and puts herself back on the market. Spring got typecast as a ditz, but there were a few movies (including her debut as Marmee in Little Women) where she got to actually act out a full character. In this comedy, she has no trouble taking center stage and keeping the audience's interest. She's fun, she's flirty, and it doesn't matter that she's fifty - she's the center of a love triangle!

Charles "Piggy" Coburn and Edmund "Santa" Gwenn play her very different suitors. While Piggy is a millionaire (and her son's boss), Santa is a penniless grocery store owner. Piggy can pick her up in a limousine and take her to the opera, but Santa can only take her on a humble picnic in the park. They both have their strengths and weaknesses, and it'll tug you in both directions until the end when she makes her decision - or will she? Spring is independent, confident, and although she values her family's opinion, she realizes the ultimate choice is hers alone to make. If you want to see an unusual romance from the time period, I'd definitely recommend Louisa.