The First Time (1952) User Reviews

having a baby is no bed of roses

[blanche-2 · 6/10 · 15 January 2022]

Robert Cummings and Barbara Hale star in "The First Time," a 1952 comedy directed by Frank Tashin.

The story concerns a couple, Joe and Betsy Bennet, preparing for, and finally having, their first child. As they soon learn, it's not paradise - intefering mothers in-laws, a strict nurse, sleepless nights, new expenses, and lots of bills. On top of which - since this is the unenlightened 1950s - Joe expects his wife to take care of the house and look good when he comes home and wants his dinner.

Joe is an architect who has taken a job selling washing machines - and not particuolarly good ones - for his father. He hates it, and he isn't succesful.

On their first night out, Joe goes to pick up a babysitter, waiting at a bus stop, and winds up with a hooker instead.

Humorous and somewhat realistic film for the time, narrated by the darling baby - we know the parents were adjust, and we also know it's slow-going at first. Today the dads help a little more.

Thank God for modern conveniences! All new parents should watch this!

[PudgyPandaMan · 7/10 · 22 July 2008]

This is a charming look at the 1950's through the eyes of a newly married couple having their first child. The stars are Barbara Hale, (perhaps best known as Perry Mason's girl-Friday, Della), and Robert Cummings. It may not be the best movie you ever watch, but there is a lot to like here!

Perhaps the thing I like best is that it is a nice glimpse into what life in the 50's looked like. It is a domestic tale about a couple's adjustment from husband and wife, to mommy and daddy - hence the title "The First Time". The movie is narrated numerous times by the little tike himself, which is a cute touch.

There are great glimpses into what life was like in the 50s - the home decor, the traditional roles of men and women, the week long hospital stay after childbirth, the wet-nurse hired for 4 weeks upon returning home, diaper delivery service, the extensive and very RIGID baby schedule with feedings every 4 hrs (they mixed the formula themselves using "1c.evap milk, 2 t sugar & 1/2c water). I love seeing what life must have been like for my parents when they were growing up!

The dad has to change jobs to try to make more money and becomes a washing machine salesman like his dad. The brand is Whirl-a-matic and it is a piece of junk! They did a great job with casting - I liked the very differing types of grandmas cast. One is dowdy and old. The other is divorced and desperately trying to stay young to land a man. She won't even admit she is a grandma to her "male friend". The nurse is funny as a jail warden type - very bossy and scaring the young mom to death with all the rules and strict baby schedule.

I really like Hale and Cummings together - they play well off each other. Cummings is definitely the comedian of the two and is quite good at physical comedy and funny expressions. There are some funny moments - like the argument at the dinner table when they whisper yell at each other so as to not wake the baby. Another funny incident is when he tries to hire a baby-sitter.

This isn't real thick on plot or action. But it a great glimpse into life in the 50's. I think all expectant parents or new parents should watch this for a good laugh over how things "used to be". I wouldn't say those were the good ole days - thank God for modern day conveniences, like disposable diapers!!!!!

Too late. You can't send the baby back.

[mark.waltz · 7/10 · 15 January 2021]

This is a very funny comedy about the issues of bringing up a new born child and dealing with the expense, duelling grandmothers, officious nurses and sleepless nights. Sounds ordinary on the surface but it's so much more thanks to a witty truthful script and a fabulous ensemble lead by Robert Cummings as papa and Barbara Hale as mama. Next door neighbors Bill Goodwin (Hale's real life husband) and Jeff Donnell are the equivalent of Fred and Ethel Mertz as they argue openly and interfere in everything their neighbors do.

After a craving of banana sandwiches and forgotten lipstick before heading to the hospital, there's Hale's very funny roommate (Bea Benadaret), vain Mona Barrie (Hale's mother whom the baby narrator describes as the poor man's Gloria Swanson) and plain spoken Kathleen Comegys as the arguing grandmothers. You know that Barrie and Comegys are not going to get along when Comegys refers to the diva like Barrie as "granny".

Nurse Cora Witherspoon further insults Berry when she says that usually one of the grandmothers is already deceased. Witherspoon is like an older version of Mary Wickes here, stealing every moment as she declares that the one thing she does better than train babies is to train mommys. And what about the baby? Basically you see a basinet to represent where the baby is.

I could tell only 10 minutes into this film that this was going to be one of my new favorite comedies, and coming from Columbia in the 50's, it reminded me of the "Fuller Brush" films and "A Woman of Distinction" in the way that it took ordinary situations and turned them into outlandish farce that brings real laughs from the belly. Even the props are funny like the clock in the babies room which looks like something you'd see in an Abbott and Costello horror movie spoof.

nice

[Kirpianuscus · 4 July 2021]

A nice commedy around a baby , giving occasion to Robert Cummings to expose his smile, his soles, being the good guy next door , honest and friendly, who in moment of too high honesty is fired and beautiful Barbara Hale in a role reminding the performances of Rosalind Rusell. But , sure, nice and amusing, ironic and charming in few moments - the contribution of Cora Whiterspoon is just precious - . So, just nice, the recipe being far to can be an original one.

Incomplete review, switched it off halfway.

[KayMack23 · 3/10 · 10 April 2014]

Uninventive vehicle with Robert Cummings who plays the tired father who has tons of baby bills to pay. The couple's life revolves around all of the troubles that involve a new baby, such as lack of sleep, feeding times, etc etc. But- although the film revolves around a baby, an hour into the film: WHERE IS THE BABY?

The viewers aren't even treated to see the new baby after its born! Where was it?? Isn't the most important aspect of this movie the baby?? Even as the mother recovers in the hospital after just giving birth, there was no mother and baby introduction (????!). When mother and father finally leave the hospital, the mother leaves with a bundled up wad of blankets- we are supposed to imagine there is a baby in there. After parents arrive back at home, we can hear "baby cries"- movie sound effects- but no baby is ever shown. The actors playing the grandmothers, the new nanny, all apparently are peering into an empty bassinet. Un-freakin-believable.

An hour into waiting for the baby to be shown, I never did see ANY baby. Only baby crying sound effects, wadded up blankets, not even a baby foot. No baby. Got so angry I turned the stupid movie off. No laughs, no great dialogue, just a bunch of used up jokes about how much a baby costs.

Wasted a good hour waiting for a non-existent "baby".

BOOOOOO!

Possibly the funniest movie that NOBODY has apparently ever seen

[zetes · 10/10 · 7 September 2002]

A hilarious, original, and beautiful domestic comedy. The plot is pretty bare-bones: a married couple has a baby, and we spend the first year following their good times and hardships. They live the 1950s ideal marriage, or at least that's how they'd like to appear. Joe, the husband (Robert Cummings), is forced to quit his great but low-paying job as an architect when they can't afford a professional nanny to help his wife, Betsey (Barbara Hale), learn exactly how to take care of their son. Instead, he has to beg his father for a thankless job as a door-to-door washing machine salesman (and to boot the washing machines are crap!). Joe's work is hellish, and it puts a strain on his relationship with Betsey. When he gets home from work, he wants to expect what every respectable 1950s husband has: a hot meal and a pretty wife who's prepared it. He doesn't get what he wants, of course, and, after a big fight, Betsey gets back at him by wearing a sexy negligée, preparing his hot dinner perfectly, pouring him a tall glass of beer, and stuffing his pipe full. Sounds good, but she fills his beer glass too full, throws him down onto the couch (without spilling his beer, amazingly), overstuffs his pipe, and gives him dinner on a silver platter, setting it on his knees as he lays on the couch, his hand busy guarding his beer. When she devilishly asks him if this is how he'd like it, his mouth full of pipe stem, he nods giddily. He's too oblivious to realize that she's being sarcastic, and only realizes what she was doing when she runs away crying. Every aspect of the film is masterfully written and directed. It's worthy of Preston Sturges, the equal of many of his films. And like Sturges' films, it manages to be both hilarious and emotionally touching. The film is narrated by their son from an unspecified later date, which is quite cute. When I came to IMDb to rate it and comment on it, I was utterly shocked to see that it had not even received five votes. This is easily the best film that I've seen with that sorry distinction. 10/10.

Another forgotten gem!

[girvsjoint · 8/10 · 27 May 2010]

Without going over the plot again, the other reviewers have covered that adequately, I'd just like to say that any comedy with Robert Cummings in the lead is worth a look, as in my opinion he was in the top 5 of all screen comedy actors, along with the likes of Grant, MacMurray,Niven etc. A fine dramatic actor also, but comedy was his forte! 'The First Time' was made around the time Cummings moved into television, and along with another film he made around that time called 'Marry Me Again', has been largely forgotten, which is a pity, as they are both very funny films, and far more deserving of a new life on DVD, than many that have been granted that status! If you get a chance to see it, or, can find a 'bootleg' copy, as I did, you won't be disappointed!