Hobson's Choice (1954)

Director:

David Lean

Writers:

Harold Brighouse (play)
David Lean (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

19 April 1954 (Denmark)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

A Masterpiece of Lusty, Gusty, Rowdy Entertainment

Plot:

Henry Hobson runs a successful bootmaker's shop in nineteenth-century Salford. A widower with a weakness for the pub opposite...

Plot Keywords:

Salford | Daughters | Pub | Marriage | Shoemaker

Awards:

Won BAFTA Film Award. Another 1 win & 4 nominations

Cast

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
Raymond Huntley	...	Nathaniel Beenstock
Jack Howarth	...	Tubby Wadlow
Herbert C. Walton	...	Printer
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Shirley Stelfox	...	(unconfirmed)
Edie Martin	...	Old Lady Buying Shoelaces (uncredited)

Directed by
David Lean

Writing credits
Harold Brighouse		(play "Hobson's Choice")
David Lean		(screenplay) &
Norman Spencer		(screenplay) and
Wynyard Browne		(screenplay)

Produced by
David Lean	....	producer
Norman Spencer	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Malcolm Arnold

Cinematography by
Jack Hildyard		(photographed by)

Film Editing by
Peter Taylor

Art Direction by
Wilfred Shingleton

Costume Design by
John Armstrong

Makeup Department
Gladys Atkinson	....	hairdresser
George Partleton	....	makeup artist
Tony Sforzini	....	makeup artist

Production Management
John Palmer	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Adrian Pryce-Jones	....	assistant director
John George	....	third assistant director (uncredited)
Bert Pearl	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
William Hutchinson	....	assistant art director (as Bill Hutchinson)
James Sawyer	....	draughtsman (uncredited)

Sound Department
Buster Ambler	....	sound recordist
John Cox	....	sound supervisor
Red Law	....	sound recordist
Barbara Hopkins	....	dubbing crew (uncredited)
Bob Jones	....	dubbing crew (uncredited)
Peter Meyers	....	assistant boom operator (uncredited)
Ken Ritchie	....	boom operator (uncredited)
Ivor Worsley	....	dubbing crew (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Bob Cuff	....	matte painter (uncredited)
Wally Veevers	....	special processes (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Peter Newbrook	....	camera operator
Alan Hall	....	clapper loader (uncredited)
Ray Hearne	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Dennis C. Lewiston	....	clapper loader (uncredited)
Gerry Turpin	....	focus puller (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Julia Squire	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Teddy Darvas	....	assembly cutter (uncredited)
Norman Savage	....	first assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Muir Mathieson	....	music director
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra	....	music player (as The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra)

Other crew
Maggie Shipway	....	continuity (as Margaret Shipway)
Margaret Dukelow	....	production secretary (uncredited)
Maggie Unsworth	....	continuity (uncredited)

Production Companies

• London Film Productions

Distributors

• British Lion Film Corporation (1954) (UK) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1954) (USA) (theatrical)
• Embassy Home Entertainment (1985) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (1989) (UK) (VHS)
• Criterion Collection, The (2009) (USA) (DVD)
• D. E. F. (1955) (France) (theatrical)
• Sascha Filmverleih (1955) (Austria) (theatrical)
• Criterion Collection, The (laserdisc)

Other Companies

• Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, The  orchestra

Also Known As:

Runtime:

107 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | Sweden:Btl | UK:U | Iceland:L | West Germany:12 | USA:Not Rated

Filming Locations:

Salford, Greater Manchester, England, UK

Company:

London Film Productions

Trivia:

Later adapted into a musical set in the Old West called "Walking Happy".

Goofs:

Continuity: In the early scenes, when Freddie Beenstock's father is eye balling Jim Heeler and Henry Hobson, through his window, on their way to Moonraker's Pub, the "Beenstock & Son"s lettering is painted on the middle panes of the colonial type windows and are aligned with Mr. Beenstock's chest and waist. Just a few frames later, when Freddie joins him, the lettering has moved to the top panes and is aligned with their heads.

Quotes:

Willie Mossop:By gum.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Human Duplicators (#5.20)" (1992)

One of the greatest British movies of all time

This film is still one of my all time favourites. The acting is superb, especially from Sir John Mills who delivers the most convincing piece of acting I have seen. Every part of this film is a joy to watch, from Charles Laughtons drunken behaviour to Brenda De Banzie's sheer determination to get what she wants by forcing Mills' character to stand up for himself once in his life.

They don't make films like this anymore, no profanity, no nudity and no innuendo.

A perfect family movie. You'd be mad to miss this next time you see it's coming on TV .