I remember seeing FATHER GOOSE years ago. My best
recollection of it makes me think I saw it at the drive in with my family. I
know I saw it often growing up when it was on TV back before cable stations controlled
all the classic films. Now it’s being offered on blu ray in a great version
from Olive Films.
The story revolves around Walter (Cary Grant), a loner who’s
left the world behind to live off his wits in the south pacific. Unfortunately
this is during World War II and the Japanese in the islands may change his
intended course. Walter is shanghaied into working for the allies as a spotter
on a remote island where he’s left shipwrecked by an “accidental” bump into his
boat. With supplies and whiskey on hand he should have no problem helping them.
And to make sure he’s sober enough to do so, they’ve hidden the whiskey until
he spots something and it’s confirmed.
When word reaches the allies that another spotter may have
been found they lure Walter into helping rescue the man. He arrives to find the
man now buried. At the same time he discovers there is a teacher and a group of
young girls also there who need his help. Taking them with him back to his
island the film becomes a comedy of wills as the teacher Catherine (Leslie
Caron) sets about taking over the place until help can rescue her and the
girls.
With the Japanese in the area the best the allies can
promise is a rescue in a week. In the meantime Walter continues trying to fix
his boat, finding the bottles of whiskey the teacher has hidden so he won’t
drink in front of the impressionable girls and trying not to go crazy as his
way of life is changed. In the process he begins to lighten up his disposition
and take a paternal turn towards the young girls and a romantic interest in
Catherine.
The set up and follow through here is fairly routine but
that doesn’t matter. It isn’t the substance of the story that matters here as
much as the fun placed all around it. The interaction between the gruff Walter
and the girls is priceless and full of good humor. The romance is subtle and
never intrusive. And there is just enough of a touch of action to make it seem
fairly real for a movie made around this time.
In reading the liner notes and watching the extras I learned
something I wasn’t aware of. As much of a leading man as Grant was and for all
of the acclaimed movies he’d made he’d never won an Oscar and it bothered him.
While his fellow stars of the time were winning he was overlooked. But all of
his roles seemed alike, the debonair man about town who was pursued by the
female lead. He had said he was retiring from movies but after speaking with
Alfred Hitchcock who told him he needed to play against type, he was presented
this script which gave him the opportunity to do so.
This film was his attempt at winning that long coveted
Oscar. The end results was that he didn’t even get nominated. It was 2 years
before he made another film and that was his last. Fortunately Hollywood
recognized the error of their ways and eventually he was presented with an
Oscar for his lifetime achievement in film.
The movie here offers plenty of laughs and entertainment to
boot. And Olive Films is releasing this as part of their Olive Signature Series
which means you’ll get the best quality print as well as some interesting
extras. This version is a 4k restoration from the original camera negative. The
extras include an audio commentary track featuring film historian David Del
Valle, UNFINISHED BUSINESS: CARY GRANT’S SEARCH FOR FATHERHOOD AND HIS OSCAR
with Grant biographer Marc Eliot, MY FATHER an interview with internet pioneer
Ted Nelson discussing his father director Ralph Nelson, Universal Newsreel
footage featuring Leslie Caron and an essay by VILLAGE VOICE critic Bilge Ebiri.
Fans of Grant will want to add this version of the film to
their collection as will sixties film fans. It is a treat for those who
remember movies like this and who want to enjoy yet another Cary Grant classic.
Click here to order.
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