Hobson's Choice (1954)

Henry Hobson runs a successful bootmaker's shop in nineteenth-century Salford. A widower with a weakness for the pub opposite, he tries forcefully to run the lives of his three unruly ... See full summary »

Director:

David Lean

Writers:

Harold Brighouse (play), David Lean (screenplay),

Stars:

Charles Laughton, John Mills, Brenda de Banzie

Won 1 BAFTA Film Award. Another 1 win & 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Charles Laughton	...	Henry Horatio Hobson
John Mills	...	Willie Mossop
Brenda de Banzie	...	Maggie Hobson
Daphne Anderson	...	Alice Hobson
Prunella Scales	...	Vicky Hobson
Richard Wattis	...	Albert Prosser
Derek Blomfield	...	Freddy Beenstock
Helen Haye	...	Mrs. Hepworth
Joseph Tomelty	...	Jim Heeler
Julien Mitchell	...	Sam Minns
Gibb McLaughlin	...	Tudsbury
Philip Stainton	...	Denton
Dorothy Gordon	...	Ada Figgins
Madge Brindley	...	Mrs. Figgins
John Laurie	...	Dr. MacFarlane

Storyline

Henry Hobson runs a successful bootmaker's shop in nineteenth-century Salford. A widower with a weakness for the pub opposite, he tries forcefully to run the lives of his three unruly daughters. When he decrees 'no marriages' to avoid the expensive matter of settlements, eldest daughter Maggie rebels and sets her sights on Will Mossop, Hobson's star bootmaker. Maggie and Will leave to start up in competition, and she then turns her mind to helping her sisters marry their chosen partners.

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Plot Keywords:

salford | daughters | pub | marriage | shoemaker | 

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Taglines:

A Masterpiece of Lusty, Gusty, Rowdy Entertainment

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

19 April 1954 (UK)

Also Known As:

As Filhas do Sr. Hobson

Filming Locations:

Salford, Greater Manchester, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

London Film Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

107 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The original setting for "Walking Happy", the musical based on Hobson's Choice is London in the 19th century.

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Goofs

In the scene at the beginning of the film when Hobson is at the bottom of the staircase, the shot shows a mat or carpet at the top of the stairs. Hobson runs up the stairs and the shot showing him saluting at the top landing, shows no mat or carpet at all. Only a bare floor.

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Quotes

Willie Mossop: By gum.

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Connections

Version of Hobson's Choice (1931)

User Reviews

Is there a Maggie out there for ME?

From a movie I had absolutely never heard of, Hobson's Choice has quickly flown to the top third of my all-time favorite film list. I happened upon this little gem by doing a Charles Laughton search in the video data bank of our university library computer system. I had been hoping we might have The Hunchback of Notre Dame. We didn't, but we DID have this wonderful period comedy.

Set in Salford, England in the 1890s, this David Lean film brims with good humor, spunk, fine black and white cinematography and absolutely first-rate acting. Charles Laughton plays Henry Horatio Hobson, a typical successful late Victorian Era businessman. One can almost picture him singing `A British bank is run with precision; a British home should expect nothing less,' as David Tomlinson would croon a decade later in Mary Poppins. A widower with three grown daughters, Hobson fancies himself to be king of his castle. Of course the daughters really wield the power-especially Maggie (Brenda de Banzie), the oldest.

When Hobson determines to marry off the two younger daughters, but declares Maggie too old for marrying (at 30), she takes it as a challenge. Virtually demanding marriage and a business partnership with her father's best shoemaker, Willie Mossop (John Mills), she engineers not only her own marriage but that of her sisters, as well.

Laughton was a true talent. I had never seen him do comedy. His round, rubber face is as expressive in Hobson's Choice as any comedian I have seen. His commanding stage presence is obvious. Many scenes stick in the mind, such as Hobson marching huffily toward his favorite watering hole, his lackey right behind him. With spirited march music playing, they stride through the street, making an amusing visual contrast. Laughton is tall, erect, and extremely rotund. He is headed straight forward, head held high and back arched proudly, as any proper self-made English gentleman of his day would be. His friend is perpetually hunched toward his benefactor, his thin, frail frame turned partially toward Laughton as he walks, intent on hearing and agreeing with every word Hobson utters. Others have already commented on the moon scene and his charge up the stairs after a night of drinking, both of which were delightful.

Of course de Banzie is magnificent as Maggie and Mills is great as Willie. His growth as the movie goes along is gradual and natural. The excitement of going out on their own, getting a loan and buying the needed supplies to open a business certainly connects with me. I have been there twice, although ultimately failing (at least on the bottom line) both times. Had I had a Maggie to support, encourage and inspire me, as well as to tend to the business side of things, I really believe I would have succeeded like Willie does. (Any Maggies out there???)

Daphne Anderson and Prunella Scales are very good as the attractive, but spoiled younger sisters. Obviously Maggie was raised in the earlier days when Hobson was building up his business and Vicky and Alice after he had acquired much of his affluence. The whole cast is extremely sound and Lean's direction is superb. I find myself surprised that I had NOT heard of Hobson's Choice. This is a dandy little film and a real plumb to have found as I found it. If you want to see a great film, either watch Hobson's Choice or watch another film with the VCR/DVD player unplugged. How's THAT for a `Hobson's choice?'