lillismonica I watched this last week. So funny. Great actors, screwball plot. Unusual for a war film, lots of comedy, along with intrigue, and a love story. Cary grant is superb, as always. The schoolgirls are hilarious. There are tons of great one liners, and gags. Its a bit improbable, the love interest, but hey, who wouldn't fall for Cary? Trevor Howard and Grant make a good comic foil for each other. Good movie to while away a rainy day with. A real family movie. It will have you laughing so much. This was the penultimate movie that Grant made. When it ends, you will be longing for more, as I find I do with all Grant's movies. Grant really was marvellous with his comic timing. Goody two shoes, and the filthy beast ! Love it.

SnoopyStyle During the start of World War II, Walter Eckland (Cary Grant) buys a boat on cheap to sail around in the south Pacific. He doesn't care about the world and not even the war. Australian Naval commander Frank Houghton (Trevor Howard) forces him to observe for the incoming Japanese. Just to be sure, Frank punches a hole in Walter's boat. Walter is stranded on a deserted island. His code name is Mother Goose. Frank has hidden bottles of boozes and gives Walter each location when he gives a confirmed sighting. Frank tricks Walter to rescue a man in danger from the Japanese. When he gets there, the man is dead and he finds schoolteacher Catherine Frenau (Leslie Caron) and seven schoolgirls. He's a drunk and she's a "Goody Two Shoes". They clash and eventually fall in love.Cary Grant is funny and charming as always. Leslie Caron is a bit young for Grant but they develop good chemistry. Verbal combat is always a good way to develop that chemistry. She's playing a bossy spinster. This is a fun little rom-com.

tommyknobnocker I'm confused by the number of good reviews for this film and even more by the Oscar this screenplay received. I guess people have childhood memories that are better than the picture.On the positive side, it was nice to see Cary Grant in a part outside of his usual flawless hero.On the negative side, "Father Goose" contains so much sexist propaganda that it had my girlfriend wincing in pain. That's a sad statement, because I never would have watched this film without her insistence.Grant plays an army officer consigned to a remote island to keep an eye on Japanese troop movements. He's shortly placed in charge of a group of school girls and their teacher, Leslie Caron.In pretty short order, we are treated to "hilarity" surrounding Grant's alcoholism. He discourages one of the young lady's crushes by coming on to her. Worst of all, we learn that the quickest way to a woman's heart is for her to be slapped in the face by a man. Over and over until she decides to marry the brute.For some reason, lots of reviewers seem to find this behavior enchanting, which makes some of the skewed ratings I've seen on IMDb all the more suspect.

Maddyclassicfilms Father Goose is directed by Ralph Nelson, has a screenplay by Peter Stone and Frank Tarloff and stars Cary Grant, Leslie Caron and Trevor Howard.Cary Grant plays a character here who is far removed from the suave and immaculate characters he played in the 30's and 40's, but is just as lovable.He and Leslie Caron have a wonderful chemistry and he gets to show his comic abilities, the film is an excellent blend of romance and comedy.Father Goose is set during the Second World War, Walter Eckland(Cary Grant)is happily living alone in the Pacific repairing his boat and boozing. His solitude is shattered when Commander Frank Houghton(Trevor Howard)asks him to stay on one of the islands and radio back any sightings of Japanese air activity.This he agrees to do until his solitude is shattered again by the arrival of young French schoolteacher Catherine Freneau(Leslie Caron)and a group of schoolgirls. They are stranded on the island and need to get back to the mainland.After a failed attempt to take them to the mainland they must stay with him which causes a lot of friction.As he gets to know her better though Eckland grows to like and even love the bubbly Catherine.He even becomes a surrogate father to the girls.Danger comes in the form of Japanese soldiers, bomb threats and poisonous snakes.Father Goose proves once again why Cary is one of the best and most likable actors ever to grace the screen.He himself said this was one of his favourite films and it's easy to see why.For once he's playing someone very unlike himself and it's such a shame that he didn't get a chance to do more roles like this in his long career.