Yours, Mine and Ours (1968)

In the 21st century, it may be inconceivable to many people how anyone could have a large family. Eight or ten children would seem beyond the ability of anyone to raise. But, 18 would surely be insane. Indeed, many think four children today make a large family. No doubt, that's a reflection on our culture. But back in the days when I was growing up (mid-20th century), families with four or fewer children were small. Five to nine kids would be a medium-size family. Ten or more made a large family. And every town of any size had one or more families of 15, 16, 17, 18 or more children. "Yours, Mine and Ours" is a warm-hearted comedy about two widowed people who meet and fall in love, and then unite their already individually large families into one family of 18 children. It's based on a true story, by Helen Beardsley. Desilu Productions bought the rights for the film even before the author wrote her autobiographical book, "Who Gets the Drumstick?" The branch of service is changed and a few other details are different in the movie, but basically it's a story of the Helen North and Frank Beardsley union. In real life, the North children did vote unanimously to have their names changed to Beardsley, as in the movie. And, each parent did actually adopt the other's children. All of the cast for the movie are good. Henry Fonda is Frank Beardsley, Lucile Ball is Helen North Beardsley, and Van Johnson is Frank's friend, Darrel Harrison. The film may be slow for 21st century audiences, but it is a nice look at the closeness and warmth of a large military family of the mid-20th century. A modern parent having trouble with a son or daughter might sit the problem child down to watch "Yours, Mine and Ours." The one great virtue that all children in large families learn is sharing with others. But there are many others as well (caring for others, helping with chores or assignments, giving, etc.). Modern families often have great difficulty inculcating such qualities and virtues in their children.Oh, yes. The movie shows Helen and Frank having one of their own babies as well. In real life, the couple had two more children – for a total of 20 between them. Before this movie was made, the largest family put on the silver screen was that of Ma and Pa Kettle in a series of movies from the late 1940s through 1957. They have 15 children. So, the Beardsleys of "Yours, Mine and Ours" hold the record.

Henry Fonda's entertaining vehicle with young people and agreeable actors . A widower Navy Admiral (Henry Fonda) and a lovely widow (Lucille Ball who produced the film with his company : Desilu Productions) fall in love and marry, much to the dismay of his 10 and her 8 children . He runs a loving but tight ship , with charts and salutes . The kids long for a permanent home . The film deals about a happy family , the father is a notorious Admiral and the mother is a nurse . They are instantly attracted to each other and quickly decide to marry . There are various family crisis but it is all very heartwarming . They are quite cognizant of the fact that he already has ten children from his first marriage, and she has eight from her first marriage . Henry Fonda and Lucille Ball ought to keep the familiar order involving in their own home while at the same time occupy the works .Then the problems start as two sets of kids, the free spirits and the disciplined preppies, must live together. The warring factions agree to work together to carry out the marriage .The picture is pretty entertaining and amusing , the film contains bemusing scenes , zany shenanigans , continuous laughters and various chuckles with lots of fun . Humanity and humor are high in the priorities of the director Shavelson who shows a considerable talent recapturing funny situations . The picture belongs to numerous family sub-genre whose maxim representation is ¨Cheaper by dozen ¨ with Myrna Loy and Clifton Webb and a modern version starred by Steve Martin and Bonnie Hunt ; and of course ¨Yours , mine and ours¨ , being recently remade (2005) by Raja Gosnell with Dennis Quaid and Rene Russo . Formidable main cast , very well featured by Henry Fonda and Lucille Ball . Besides , there appears as sons ,some young actors who will have an acceptable career as TV stars as Morgan Brittany , Tim Matheson and Tracy Nelson .The motion picture was well directed by Melville Shavelson . His movies have a special penchant for recapturing a particular atmosphere , many of this movies are about real people but they remain muted in impact . A notorious screenwriter , Bob Hope and Danny Kaye features Shavelson's movies when he became filmmaker and his films with them are the most successful such as ¨The seven tittle Foys¨ , Beau James¨, ¨On the Double¨ and ¨Five pennies¨ . Shavelson's later pictures were made for TV and mostly biographies as ¨The great Houdini¨ , ¨Ike¨, ¨Ike : the war years¨, and ¨The legend of Valentino¨ which remains the best work on the subject to date . Two of the best films resulted to be ¨¨Cast a giant shadow¨ , an epic movie with all-star-cast dealing with the birth of Israel and this ¨Yours , mine and ours¨.

Originally when Lucille Ball wanted to film this story, she had that noted television father Fred MacMurray in mind for the role of the Navy widower with 10 kids. That would have been an interesting project had that team come about. Lucy and Fred worked, but one time on the Lucy/Desi Comedy hour, but never on the big screen. When Fred proved unavailable, Lucy went and got Henry Fonda her co-star years ago in The Big Street.I'm told that in The Films of Henry Fonda, he welcomed the idea of doing Your's, Mine and Our's. He had done a bunch of westerns around this time of varying kind and looked for a change of pace. The last family type film Fonda had done was Spencer's Mountain which got less than overwhelming reviews.But with television's number one comedy star both starring and producing there was certainly guaranteed box office. To Lucy's credit she did not hog the whole film and allowed Fonda his comedy moments.You also won't be seeing any outrageous Lucy type moments either in the film. Partially that was a bow towards her age and, but more it was a realization that such things as the chocolate factory or stomping the grapes just didn't go in this film.The film was based on a true story although it was set and written in the early Sixties of the Kennedy years. I'm sure in producer Lucille Ball's mind a few years wouldn't really make a difference. But in point of fact in America of the Sixties it was a night and day type difference. I'm sure many in the audience were asking whether this really was reflective of 1968.Van Johnson as Fonda's naval buddy and Tom Bosley as an overworked doctor contribute their bits in her. It's not a bad film over all, but isn't a great effort for either of its stars.

Lucille Ball reined above Hollywood as Queen of Comedy and also the CEO of Desilu with not one but three studio lots in Hollywood,Desilu Gower, Desilu Cahuenga and DesiluCulver ( The old Selznick Studio where Gone With The Wind was filmed). Taking chances was Lucy's forte: starring in a TV show "I Love Lucy" and insisting on the casting of her husband Desi Arnaz and her also equally famous decisions authorize the productions of "Star Trek" and "Mission Impossible" against the recommendations of the Desilu Board of Directors. Ball's last great accomplishment as a CEO was the insistence of filming "Yours Mine and Ours" as a theatrical movie hoping to make Desilu a force in film production as well. Make no doubt about it if one re reads the story that Rex Reed wrote in the New York Times on Lucy while she was filming this movie, Ms. Ball ran the show and event titled his great article on Lucy " I Run My Studio Like I Run My Home".Lucille Ball-looking youthful and beautiful- is superb in the title role of Helen Beardsley and her nuanced performance should have garnered Lucille Ball a long sought after Oscar nomination. Ms. Ball is at times both funny and in a departure from her TV "Lucy" quite soft and underplays many scenes. Henry Fonda is a perfect "Mr. Beardsley". Van Johnson a pal from Lucy's old MGM days is cast and gets a nice role supporting both Stars. Many were surprised by the success of this film. I have no idea why. It is a fine and lasting comedy classic directed by the sure hand of the fine Melville Shavelson.