Father Goose

So, to continue my tradition of writing about classic Hollywood cinema (my favorite genre), I rented Father Goose, directed by Ralph Nelson. Released in 1964, it won an Oscar for its screenplay/story; the original story was written by S. H. Barnett and the film's screenplay was written by Peter Stone and Frank Tarloff.

The film stars Cary Grant as Walter Eckland, a grouchy isolationist who agrees to live alone on an island, working for the army watching for foreign planes. In return, he gets all of the whisky he could possibly drink. My favorite of his lines is "Let me tell you I am not a father figure. I am not a brother figure or an uncle figure or a cousin figure. In fact, the only figure I intend being is a total stranger figure." It sums up his character in the beginning of the movie. Things go unaccording to his plans when a plane carrying a French teacher and seven students crashes nearby and they are forced to take up residency in Mr. Eckland's one-room shack - forcing him to retreat to the cabin of his non-functional boat. He is not one for socializing with little girls, and comedy ensues when he has to interact with them, and their pretty, and snobbish, French teacher Catherine Frenau. My favorite of the students is Harriet, or Harry as she prefers to be called.

One of my favorite scenes takes place in the cabin. While out walking with one of her students, Madame Frenau is "bitten" by a "snake." Her student rushes down to Mr. Eckland's boat, worried that the bite may have been poisonous. Eckland makes all of the students wait outside while he calls the army headquarters, asking about the types of snakes that live on the island. He makes a small incision on Catherine's leg and sucks the poison out. Then he hears back from the army; it is bad news. All of the snakes that live on the island are deadly. They tell him to make Catherine as comfortable as possible. The rest of the scene is really funny. Eckland gives Catherine a lot of whisky, hoping that it will ease her pain and they drunkingly talk about a variety of subjects.

I had never seen this movie before, but now I consider it one of my favorites. If you feel like light-hearted, classic comedy, I strongly recommend this movie!