trimbolicelia Love this film. Sort of a minor film for Cary Grant. Won't spoil it for anyone but what few people seem to know is that it is based on a book written in the 30's by the actual mother of the family. The title of the book is Room for One More by Anna Perrot Rose. Hard to find but worth the read.

DKosty123 This is a feel good film, light comedy Norman Taurog, the director specialized in light comedy. When you look at his resume which started in silent films, you see where he worked with Elvis films a lot, but going back, he did a Martin & Lewis film (The Stooge), and even worked with the great Fields in Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch and directed the screen version of Tom Sawyer. This type of film is definitely in his wheelhouse.The only thing wrong is it assumes that all kids will respond when treated with respect and kindness. I am sure the book that it is based upon is the story of this. That is the main reason I think it comes off as a little shallow. There are kids who will respond to this, but there are kids who won't. Still, the story is a light Comedy so looking into it too seriously, I shall not.Grant seems terribly out of place in this. He is an overwhelmed father who does everything his wife wants. This might explain why Betsy Drake, his real life wife and him did split 11 years after this movie. After all, eventually a husband who does everything his wife wants gets worn out.While this film addresses the Boy Scouts, it addresses the Polio disease which since it has been cured people forget about. Back when it was made, Polio was still a major problem. The audience in 1952 would understand this better than today's folks who just see that Jimmy John has walking issues. Polio being cured remains one of the biggest accomplishments of modern medicine.A typical ploy of this director in light Comedies is props and Cary Grant gets funny sequences with an inflatable boat. The use of the dog and the way the kids are handled is typical of Norman's Direction too. This does warm the heart.

abcj-2 Room for One More (1952) I have watched all but a short list of Cary Grant's films (the remaining are not his best ones, so don't know if I'll ever finish). Some of them I have seen too many times to count. Room for One More isn't one I'd pop in frequently, but I'm so glad TCM is playing this film with some regularity now. I saw it when it premiered on TCM last year and it's on my "to buy" list. Here's why. The main reason is it is a sweet story with a precious family. This family has all of the issues that normal families face, yet they open their home for more children. This makes it the kind of movie that just has heart. Cary Grant made entertaining films, but this one is tops in the heart department. There is no screwball comedy, no mystery, and no getting the girl. He doesn't need to do that since he's married in then film and to his wife in real life at the time.Next, there is no neatly tied Ward and June Cleaver marriage. It's more of a Carol and Mike Brady marriage where there's a conflict and a moral resolution in a relaxed atmosphere. It has worked for the Brady Bunch all these years and it works here.Finally, and I could go on and on, but finally I really love this movie because Cary Grant is so relaxed. He's the most relaxed here than in any other film. He seems to really be enjoying working with his wife and having a blast since they did not have children of their own. Cary adored his stepson from a former marriage and retired to be with Jennifer later in life. I think he would have been a fun father to a passel of children and it shows in this film. I read that he later regretted prolonging fatherhood till his twilight years. Regardless, he plays a father, a husband, a man with a 9-5 job with the same aplomb he plays his suave and his screwball characters. He's just great. His wife Betsy is not a perfect screen partner for him, but this is their 2nd film together and they both appear more relaxed and excited to be working together. If anything appeals to you when reading reviews of this film, go ahead and watch it. It's a rare role departure for CG that works.

James Mattis I have loved this Cary Grant movie since the very first time I saw it on TV as a child growing up in Brooklyn. I can honestly say I watched it every single time I saw it was listed in the TV Guide. It is a sweet honest tale filled with humor and humanity. It is a family movie but it is also very adult. I love all the characters and it touches on so many human values for such a rather simple story that it is very much like real life. I felt then, as I do now, that I was richer for having seen it. It evokes the same kind of emotion that I would get from watching "It's a Wonderful Life" although... if memory serves... I believe I saw this movie long before I first saw that Christmas classic. If I were programming for a local TV station or a network I would purchase the rights to this movie (it's probably in public domain anyway) and show it all night on Christmas eve cause it not only has a beautifully poignant and funny Christmas scene but it more importantly embodies all of the values that the holiday season is suppose to be about. I would probably still watch it every single time. I loved it.