1.20.2022
Houseboat is one of the types of films that is just a nice easy-going family film. The basis of the film is a father's love for his children. Cary Grant stars as Tom Winters, a divorced father of three who lived apart from his family in Washington D.C before his estranged wife (and mother of the 3 children- David, Elizabeth and Robert) died, leaving him to care for his children as a single father all while learning how to be a father along the way. This movie is a family-oriented film that focuses subtly on the feelings of the children, and how we, as adults, affect how they feel about their home life.
There's a beautiful moment during the film as Tom and David (his oldest son) have a heart-to heart conversation about death. Tom explains about how his body is akin to the pitcher on the deck of the houseboat, and the water inside of the pitcher is his life force. No matter where the water goes, it always exists and is part of the Universe- and nature- itself.
One of the bright spots of the film is Sophia Loren. Ms. Loren stars as Cinzia, an italian woman who comes to work for the family as a maid as the request of the children. She is in America looking for some adventure in her life and to find companionship/friendship... and perhaps a love interest. She knows not how to cook, make coffee, do laundry or do anything that a typical maid can do (she is from a wealthy family). But what she is good at is understanding the children and is perceptive on how they feel. After David (the oldest son) attempts to leave home by rowboat in the middle of the night to his Aunt Carolyn's (Martha Hyer) because he feels his father does not love him, he falls into the ocean and is saved from drowning by his father. Once inside and safe, Cinzia reminds David that it was his father, and not Aunt Carolyn, that saved him that night.
The family begins to bond as they work together to fix up the rundown houseboat they begin to live on as they leave Washington. It is here that Tom and Cinzia begin to have a mutual understanding amongst themselves, and where Tom and his children begin to truly bond- all as a family. The one thing causing issues? Aunt Carolyn. Jealous of Cinzia she subtly attempts to sabatoge the growing relationship between Tom and Cinzia by "helping" Tom pick out a gift for Cinzia- a (gaudy) gold dress with purple flowers on it (as Tom does not know what to buy), in an effort to embarass her while wearing it (though the dress is amazing after she alters it by removing the flowers).
The main negative I have with this film is that while this movie is one worthy of viewing, it does feel a bit short on story. At just under two hours in length, the film still feels as if much of the story is untold. It doesn't detract too much, but it does create an experience that feels unfinished and leaves the audience as if they want more (in not quite a good way). Unfortunately, the other is the children. While yes children can be roudy and rude some times, I felt that the children were a bit over the top with their reactions to their father- and to Cinzia without more backstory to why they behave like they do.
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