SnoopyStyle Young siblings David, Elizabeth, and Robert are trying to come to terms with their mother's death. They are forced to live with their estranged father Tom Winters (Cary Grant) in Washington, D.C. At a concert festival, Robert gets lost and befriended by Cinzia Zaccardi (Sophia Loren). She comes after fighting with her overbearing conductor father. The kids force Tom to hire her as their new maid. Their vacation starts badly when their house is run over by a train. They're given an old houseboat instead.There're a lot of slapping for a romance movie and they're no small swipes. It's a little slower at first. With the arrival of Loren into the group, the movie picks up with more comedy. I'm not sure if Loren and Grant had other rom-coms. His straight-laced and her exotic presence make for a good on-screen pairing although their off-screen pairing may have been more dramatic. It's an interesting what-if in Hollywood casting.

Amy Adler Tom Winters (Cary Grant) is a very busy lawyer in DC. Divorced, he rarely sees his three beautiful children, David (Paul Petersen), Elizabeth and Robert. Yet, a fateful day arrives. His ex-wife passes away and he is suddenly in charge of the trio of kids. He is out of his element and the kiddies don't like bunking with a virtual stranger, either. Also, the three siblings are used to living in rural Virginia and don't appreciate the "sights" of the big city that Dad tries to show them. Unbelievably, Tom takes his family to a stuffy concert near the Washington Monument. Robert turns up missing but is rescued by a beautiful lady, Cinzie (Sophia Loren). This single woman is running away from the demands of her father, a famous conductor. Very quickly, changes arrive. Cinzia is hired as the housekeeper, although she can't cook or clean. She obviously loves to care for children, though. Then, Tom decides to move to the country and commute to DC and ends up installing the kids in an old Houseboat. Will this really work? Tom and Cinzie are going to be in very "close" quarters! Also, David is still mourning the death of his mother and may need special attention. Can Tom give it? Well, Cinzie is there to help, right? This darling romantic comedy from the late fifties is quite charming. Grant is always a delight and Loren is beyond alluring and lovely while also showing a comic tough. (Just an observation, Loren and Penelope Cruz look very much alike!). Peterson and the other two child actors do a nice job as well, as does all of the other supporting players. Then, the setting of a houseboat in rural Virginie is fun and scenic while costumes, script and lively direction help move the movie along well. Do bring Houseboat to your house soon. Despite its date of release, its story and issues are timeless.

utgard14 Widowed lawyer Cary Grant hires Sophia Loren to take care of his three kids and moves them all onto a houseboat. He believes Sophia to be a maid but, in fact, she's the daughter of a famous Italian conductor. Comedy and romance ensues. Cary does well with a character that's not really likable at first. He has great chemistry with Sophia, who pretty much owns the picture. She's sexy, funny, and charming. The three kids are played by Paul Peterson (of Donna Reed Show fame), Charles Herbert (13 Ghosts, among others), and Mimi Gibson (this is probably her best role). They're all good, particularly Herbert. Love his scenes with Sophia. Harry Guardino is a treat as the guy who sells Cary the houseboat after destroying their other house. Cary's then-wife Betsy Drake was originally set to star. Their marriage was on the rocks at the time, and he was having an affair with Sophia, so she wound up with the part. It worked out best for us as it would have been a far different movie with Drake, who had a pretty bland screen presence. It's a pleasant, enjoyable mix of romantic and family comedy. Nothing unpredictable or deep but good fun.

bkoganbing Cary Grant, prominent diplomat and widower, is trying to get acquainted again with his three kids, Paul Petersen, Mimi Gibson, and Charles Herbert. He's also got a sister-in-law, Martha Hyer, crushing out on him big time.But after the youngest kid, Herbert, wanders away after a concert, he meets Sophia Loren who is also running away from her conductor father, Eduardo Ciannelli. They are soul mates Herbert and Loren and before long she's moved in on the Grant family.Which is forced by circumstance I won't reveal to live on a houseboat in the woods in Maryland. The Houseboat and its many problems lend itself to a whole lot of physical problems and one rather dramatic one, when one of the kids nearly drowns. Cary gets a lot of good mileage out of the comedy.This was Cary and Sophia's second film together and it was one big improvement on the overblown Pride and the Passion. No doubt that the two of them were still involved from The Pride and the Passion lends a lot of truth in the scenes Grant and Loren play together.Also look for a nice performance by Harry Guardino who's the one who is responsible for the group being on the Houseboat.Houseboat is a nice family comedy and hasn't aged a bit from the Fifties when it was made.