Houseboat
1958 · Movie · Approved · 110 min · ★ 6.4 · 69% critics
A runaway Italian socialite takes a job as housekeeper for a busy widower raising three children. As they adjust to cramped life on a worn-down houseboat, clashing personalities and family growing pains turn into warm comedy, romance, and a chance to rebuild trust.
Also known as La Péniche du bonheur
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Details
- Years
- 1958
- Release date
- 1958-11-19
- Language
- English
- Rated
- Approved
- Runtime
- 110 min
- Critic score
- 69/100
- TMDB rating
- 6.4/10 (199 votes)
About
You’ll likely enjoy this if you want a light, old-fashioned romantic comedy with family chaos, sweetness, and easy laughs in close quarters; Not for you if you dislike schmaltz, dated attitudes, or very predictable plotting like in Send Me No Flowers.
Pros: warm family comedy; charming leads; funny kid moments | Cons: predictable story; corny slapstick; dated age-gap romance
Themes
- class society
- washington dc, usa
- parent child relationship
- harmonica
- houseboat
- nanny
- ball
- boat wedding
- single father
Awards & recognition
- Academy Award — Best Writing, Original Screenplay · 1959 · nominated
Cast & crew
Cary Grant
as Tom Winters
Sophia Loren
as Cinzia Zaccardi
Martha Hyer
as Carolyn Gibson
Harry Guardino
as Angelo Donatello
Eduardo Ciannelli
as Arturo Zaccardi
Murray Hamilton
as Capt. Alan Wilson
Mimi Gibson
as Elizabeth Winters
Paul Petersen
as David Winters
Charles Herbert
as Robert Winters
Werner Klemperer
as Harold Messner
Directed by Melville Shavelson