But nobody wants to carry the luggage, dear. Image: IMDb
What is the worst vacation you’ve ever had?
And: What made it miserable?
Was it substandard accommodation? Too much time with annoying relatives?
Sometimes horrible vacations can make great stories – after the fact, of course – and sometimes they can make for a fun-loving movie.
Enter James Stewart as the unlucky Mr. Hobbs in the comedy Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation (1962). Stewart plays a man whose family leases a beach house for the summer, on either the East or West coast of the United States. (The movie is unclear about the exact geographical location.)
It sounds like the Best! Time! Ever! But it soon becomes apparent that Stewart’s character will have to slog through this dream vacation with Gritted Teeth.
As it turns out, the holiday has enough misery for all.
Stewart-as-Hobbs narrates the film, via lengthy flashback, with surprisingly dark views of his maritime holiday.
Meanwhile, his wife (Maureen O’Hara) envisions a seaside frolic where her children and grandchildren can reconnect As A Family. O’Hara’s character wants to save her children from themselves, which always leads to Complications.
Alas, this vacation is already riddled with complications, starting with the beach house itself.
The house is as miserable as it looks. In fact, the obstinate plumbing is one of the supporting characters in this film.
Next are the sons-in-laws, one of whom is struggling with unemployment, while the other is a Know-It-All who spends an awful lot of time with a neighbouring young woman.
Additionally, Stewart’s young grandson keeps shouting he doesn’t like his grandfather, and, in one scene, throws a toy car at him. “You little creep,” Stewart mutters under his breath.
Plus, there’s the youngest daughter (Lauri Peters) who is so self-conscious of her new braces, she refuses to leave the house. Stewart and O’Hara persuade her to go to a dance, where Stewart pays youths $5 apiece to dance with her.
One of these young men is the charismatic 1950s Teen Idol, Fabian, who oozes charm and freshness, and we don’t realize how much the film needs him until he leaves the screen.
Who is this madly-coiffed pop star dancing with my daughter? Image: IMDb
Our opinion: Some films from the late 1950s and early 1960s seem more dated today than films from the 1940s. 1940s movies, with brisk 90-minute run times, were focused and story-driven. Movies in the 1950s, however, started becoming grander (and, some cases, bloated), and their occasional self-indulgence can make them seem like artifacts from another planet.
Part of the issue may be the colour palettes of the time. (Mr. Hobbs is filmed in muted pastel colours, although we’ve posted black & white photos here. It’s a long story.) Another reason may be studios straining to break free of the weakened Production Code, while trying to appease older and younger audiences at the same time.
The latter is obvious in Mr. Hobbs, à la Stewart and O’Hara vs. Fabian and Peters. You can’t help but wonder if the teenager storyline is wedged in at regular intervals so younger audiences don’t become Bored.
Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation is based on the novel Mr. Hobbs’ Vacation by American novelist Edward Streeter. Streeter also wrote Father of the Bride, another successful Hollywood adaptation about Family Life.
Despite any shortcomings, Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation is a terrific yarn with timeless messages about love and family. They say it was the inspiration for National Lampoon’s Vacation (1983), and it was Marie Wilson’s final film.
So, are you planning a fabulous trip this year? We hope it will be the experience of a lifetime – in a good way – and that you’ll avoid the headaches rampant in Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation.
Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation: starring James Stewart, Eleanor Parker, Fabian. Directed by Henry Koster. Written by Nunnally Johnson. Twentieth Century Fox, 1962, Colour, 116 mins.
That’s a great point about the late 50s/early 60s movies feeling more dated than films of the 40s.
Many of the 40s films feel incredibly relevant and even fresh by comparison. I suspect the growing popularity of television has a lot to do with it. Especially when color TVs made their appearance.
Nowadays, with streaming services, the industry is hungry for the kind of content that’ll keep the viewer glued to the screen. Yet, I don’t think the movie theater is quite dead yet. If the pandemic has demonstrated anything, it’s our need for face-to-face, personal interaction and community. Watching a movie with others is a form of same.
I mean, now that I think about it, movie theaters bring complete strangers together in one room for a shared experience. Maybe political heads of state should spend more time going to the movies. 🙂
Agreed – I don’t think the movie theatre is quite dead yet. Our small town theatre ran Casablanca a couple of weeks ago (3 showings!), and while the crowd was small, it was wonderful to share that fab movie with others. Like you said, the restrictions have shown us how important it is for strangers to share experiences.
As for politicians going to more movies, you may be on to something. 👍
If you like films about families on holiday, recommend this Scottish movie… What We Did on Our Holiday, was going to review it for this but discovered another Scottish gem.. I know that you will love.
Nice review and thanks for joining my blogathon! I can see what you mean about late ’50s to early ’60s films emphasizing aesthetic over story. One of the worst movies I’ve ever seen was ‘Marriage on the Rocks’. In my review of that film, I wrote how I liked the architecture of Ernie’s house and the creativity of the opening credits. As for the story, it contributed to the movie being so bad, it made me feel uncomfortable, as the movie’s view on marriage and divorce was one-sided and out of touch. If you’re interested, here’s the link to that review:
Demography was still a new idea in 1962, though the “Gidget” movies (and Elvis in “Girls Girls Girls” and “Blue Hawaii”) had already staked out the beach as a location for hip teen-driven films. No doubt the hope was that parents would be sold by Stewart and O’Hara, and teens would be willing to come along to see Fabian and Peters.
Right – and it looks like they were successful in attracting both age groups. I really liked Stewart and O’Hara as a married couple in this film. They seemed quite believable to me.
I don’t think I’ve seen this James Steward movie before. My father used to watched all his movies when I was a kid, but I don’t recall this particular one. I agree with you these pastel colored movies feel more dated than older black and white movies from the 40’s. Thank you for sharing this review!
Your father sounds like he was a movie buff, and James Stewart was one of the best, wasn’t he? This film has lots of laughs, despite its flaws. Stewart is perfect as the father who’s often perplexed by his family.
Definitely. My father loves cinema, specially the old Hollywood movies and he´s the one who made me appreciate the greatness of movies. James Steward was an amazing actor, one of my dad´s favorite actors.
Sometimes a picture captures so much more than originally intended. The first photo you included in your blog “But nobody wants to carry the luggage, dear” struck me as interesting. There is Jimmy Stewart’s reaction to his lovely wife’s enthusiasm at having a family reunion for the vacation.
Silver Screenings 
That’s a great point about the late 50s/early 60s movies feeling more dated than films of the 40s.
Many of the 40s films feel incredibly relevant and even fresh by comparison. I suspect the growing popularity of television has a lot to do with it. Especially when color TVs made their appearance.
Nowadays, with streaming services, the industry is hungry for the kind of content that’ll keep the viewer glued to the screen. Yet, I don’t think the movie theater is quite dead yet. If the pandemic has demonstrated anything, it’s our need for face-to-face, personal interaction and community. Watching a movie with others is a form of same.
I mean, now that I think about it, movie theaters bring complete strangers together in one room for a shared experience. Maybe political heads of state should spend more time going to the movies. 🙂
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Agreed – I don’t think the movie theatre is quite dead yet. Our small town theatre ran Casablanca a couple of weeks ago (3 showings!), and while the crowd was small, it was wonderful to share that fab movie with others. Like you said, the restrictions have shown us how important it is for strangers to share experiences.
As for politicians going to more movies, you may be on to something. 👍
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This does sound an excellent cast and one that I will have to check out as I love the National Lampoon film – good choice.
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There are some really funny lines in this film, along with good physical comedy. It’s well worth tracking down, if you can find it.
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If you like films about families on holiday, recommend this Scottish movie… What We Did on Our Holiday, was going to review it for this but discovered another Scottish gem.. I know that you will love.
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I have seen this film, and it’s FABULOUS! My husband discovered it a few months ago. A lovely story, and amazing cinematography.
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So glad you like it, my mum recommended it and I love it. Billy Connolly is a fantastic stand up comic too, check him out if you haven’t already.
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I loved Billy Connolly in this role. In fact, I love him in everything. He always gives you your money’s worth, doesn’t he?
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Definitely! I would recommend him in Water with Michael Caine if you haven’t seen it.
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Haven’t seen that one, but I’ll add it to my Must Watch List.
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I have had one of these after joining your Villains blogathon when I started these years ago. So many films ..
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Nice review and thanks for joining my blogathon! I can see what you mean about late ’50s to early ’60s films emphasizing aesthetic over story. One of the worst movies I’ve ever seen was ‘Marriage on the Rocks’. In my review of that film, I wrote how I liked the architecture of Ernie’s house and the creativity of the opening credits. As for the story, it contributed to the movie being so bad, it made me feel uncomfortable, as the movie’s view on marriage and divorce was one-sided and out of touch. If you’re interested, here’s the link to that review:
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Thanks for sharing the link. I will drop by to check it out. 🙂
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I’ll watch it just for that house–you know how much I love spooky old mansions!
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Admittedly, I didn’t pay much attention to the house, but I think it alone is worth a re-watch. It would be a perfect setting for a horror film.
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Haven’t seen this one. JS was in some of my fave movies, such as: Rear Window; Harvey; It’s A Wonderful Life.
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You might like this one. It’s an amusing, good-hearted romp.
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Demography was still a new idea in 1962, though the “Gidget” movies (and Elvis in “Girls Girls Girls” and “Blue Hawaii”) had already staked out the beach as a location for hip teen-driven films. No doubt the hope was that parents would be sold by Stewart and O’Hara, and teens would be willing to come along to see Fabian and Peters.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Right – and it looks like they were successful in attracting both age groups. I really liked Stewart and O’Hara as a married couple in this film. They seemed quite believable to me.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I don’t think I’ve seen this James Steward movie before. My father used to watched all his movies when I was a kid, but I don’t recall this particular one. I agree with you these pastel colored movies feel more dated than older black and white movies from the 40’s. Thank you for sharing this review!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Your father sounds like he was a movie buff, and James Stewart was one of the best, wasn’t he? This film has lots of laughs, despite its flaws. Stewart is perfect as the father who’s often perplexed by his family.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Definitely. My father loves cinema, specially the old Hollywood movies and he´s the one who made me appreciate the greatness of movies. James Steward was an amazing actor, one of my dad´s favorite actors.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sometimes a picture captures so much more than originally intended. The first photo you included in your blog “But nobody wants to carry the luggage, dear” struck me as interesting. There is Jimmy Stewart’s reaction to his lovely wife’s enthusiasm at having a family reunion for the vacation.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You said it! Stewart’s character had to be practically dragged to the family vacation. His carrying the luggage is a running joke throughout the film.
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I thought his facial expression was priceless, as was Maureen O’Hara’s. Summed up the movie. 🙂
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