"Houseboat" is set in Washington, DC and nearby Virginia, including the houseboat on the Potomac. Tom Winters (Cary Grant) works for the government, his divorced wife was recently killed in a car wreck, and the grandparents were set to get custody of the three young children, papers already to be signed by Tom. But Tom would have none of that, instead took them to his hotel apartment in DC. Getting a nanny sure would be nice, plus a bigger place.
Enters Cinzia (Sophia Loren), well educated daughter traveling with her famous conductor father, Tom's young son wanders away after the concert and ends up spending the evening with Cinzia. When she brings him home, both dirty, Tom thinks this "peasant" might make a good nanny. Never mind that she was also gorgeous.
The houseboat becomes the gimmick to set up the dynamics of the story. While a cottage is being moved for them, sold by Tom's sister in law (Martha Hyer), it stalls on the tracks and gets destroyed by the train. The truck driver just happens to have a houseboat on the Potomac to rent them. But it is dilapidated, the roof leaks, and a host of problems crop up to keep the comedy flowing. In addition, Hyer is divorcing her husband and has had an eye for Tom since she was 4, and wanted him now.
Cary Grant and Sophia Loren are an odd pairing, and was no doubt done to capitalize on their popularity. Grant was over 50, and was to make only a few more movies. Loren was 23 and while she was a seasoned actress in foreign films, was still relatively new to American cinema. Still, we the audience believe they can become romantically involved.
It was nice to see a young Paul Petersen as Tom's son, David. I remember Petersen mostly for his 8-year stint on the old Donna Reed TV show, playing one of her sons. He is a real brat in "Houseboat."
SPOILERS: In the end all gets sorted, Tom has to reject Hyer's proposal, he isn't in love with her. Cinzia at first leaves to return home, but then comes back and she and Tom are married, and the kids are happy. They also leave the houseboat.
Enters Cinzia (Sophia Loren), well educated daughter traveling with her famous conductor father, Tom's young son wanders away after the concert and ends up spending the evening with Cinzia. When she brings him home, both dirty, Tom thinks this "peasant" might make a good nanny. Never mind that she was also gorgeous.
The houseboat becomes the gimmick to set up the dynamics of the story. While a cottage is being moved for them, sold by Tom's sister in law (Martha Hyer), it stalls on the tracks and gets destroyed by the train. The truck driver just happens to have a houseboat on the Potomac to rent them. But it is dilapidated, the roof leaks, and a host of problems crop up to keep the comedy flowing. In addition, Hyer is divorcing her husband and has had an eye for Tom since she was 4, and wanted him now.
Cary Grant and Sophia Loren are an odd pairing, and was no doubt done to capitalize on their popularity. Grant was over 50, and was to make only a few more movies. Loren was 23 and while she was a seasoned actress in foreign films, was still relatively new to American cinema. Still, we the audience believe they can become romantically involved.
It was nice to see a young Paul Petersen as Tom's son, David. I remember Petersen mostly for his 8-year stint on the old Donna Reed TV show, playing one of her sons. He is a real brat in "Houseboat."
SPOILERS: In the end all gets sorted, Tom has to reject Hyer's proposal, he isn't in love with her. Cinzia at first leaves to return home, but then comes back and she and Tom are married, and the kids are happy. They also leave the houseboat.