The film, about a boy coming of age in a French-Canadian family, is based on a popular stage play...itself based on a bestselling novel. The characters are so well-drawn and the performances so engaging that one hardly notices the less cinematic aspects of the picture.
The dialogue allows the use of both the English and French languages to convey the characters' thoughts and actions. The cast is mostly bilingual, and each performer brings a lively energy to his part. In particular, Charles Boyer shines as a responsible but liberal-minded father.
Louis Jourdan, who plays Boyer's playboy brother, provides a delightful contrast. His character is much wilder and carefree, which means he cannot be a good example for Boyer's teenaged son (Bobby Driscoll)...can he?
Still both men do well to anchor the story as Driscoll goes through the customary growing pains, from boyhood to manhood. A highlight of the competing paternal relationship is a scene where Boyer and Jourdan visit Driscoll's school after the lad has veered from his studies and gotten into trouble. They each have their own approach in dealing with a harsh corporal punishment-minded school official.
Much of the drama is easily solved, and this is, indeed, a happy time, for each of them. Plenty of drinking scenes add to the merriment in case anything ever gets too serious. Maybe some won't like the older uncle next door (Kurt Kasznar) whose enjoyment of wine leads to frequent intoxication, but it is all fairly harmless. It would have been nice had there been a sequel, but maybe they were too drunk to make one.
The dialogue allows the use of both the English and French languages to convey the characters' thoughts and actions. The cast is mostly bilingual, and each performer brings a lively energy to his part. In particular, Charles Boyer shines as a responsible but liberal-minded father.
Louis Jourdan, who plays Boyer's playboy brother, provides a delightful contrast. His character is much wilder and carefree, which means he cannot be a good example for Boyer's teenaged son (Bobby Driscoll)...can he?
Still both men do well to anchor the story as Driscoll goes through the customary growing pains, from boyhood to manhood. A highlight of the competing paternal relationship is a scene where Boyer and Jourdan visit Driscoll's school after the lad has veered from his studies and gotten into trouble. They each have their own approach in dealing with a harsh corporal punishment-minded school official.
Much of the drama is easily solved, and this is, indeed, a happy time, for each of them. Plenty of drinking scenes add to the merriment in case anything ever gets too serious. Maybe some won't like the older uncle next door (Kurt Kasznar) whose enjoyment of wine leads to frequent intoxication, but it is all fairly harmless. It would have been nice had there been a sequel, but maybe they were too drunk to make one.