Father Goose (1964)

Cary Grant, Leslie Caron, Trevor Howard

Directed by Ralph Nelson

Available to stream on Prime Video

Our next "When They Were Older" film features Cary Grant as you've never seen him before!

Grumpy loner Cary Grant lives alone on an island in the South Pacific until World War II intervenes, and he finds himself protecting a group of school girls and their teacher from the Japanese.

Cary Grant and Leslie Caron

Why we love it: We love watching this movie -- it is so lighthearted and fun and the actors are superb! Cary Grant really throws himself into this very different role and he is simply wonderful as the scruffy, grouchy ex-history teacher who has run away from civilization. The give-and-take dialogue between the old pro actors Cary Grant and Trevor Howard, assisted by straight man "Stebbings," is a reason in itself to watch this one. Even though most of their conversations take place by radio, they are able to keep the pace moving and keep the viewer interested in what will happen to them all when the Japanese attack. Leslie Caron is also very good as the young French teacher who disrupts Cary's life, but gradually learns to appreciate him. The line worth waiting for:  "Goody Two Shoes and the Filthy Beast!" 

Fun Facts:

• Cary Grant was 60 years old when he made this film. It was his second to last film and his last one as a romantic leading man. Unshaved, wearing jeans, untucked shirts, and tennis shoes with no socks, he is not his usual debonair self but he is still absolutely wonderful and amazingly funny. This was supposedly one of his favorite projects.

• Grant wanted Audrey Hepburn (his costar from his previous film - Charade (1963)) to costar but she was already committed to My Fair Lady. Leslie Caron was the second choice and this is her one and only film with Grant.

  
  

• Trevor Howard, who plays Commander Houghton, was a British actor who had risen to fame when he appeared in the successful wartime melodrama Brief Encounter in 1945. It was only his third film but it made him a star. According to TCM, Howard enjoyed working with Grant and credits him with making the comedy in the film successful. He recalled, "Grant was always there on the set. If a line of comedy didn't work he'd immediately call up his writers to polish it up, and, consequently, I think I played some of my best comedy scenes in Father Goose."

• Peter Stone (who had written the script for Charade which had come out the year before) was brought on by Cary Grant to write the script for Father Goose. Stone won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for this film. In his acceptance speech Stone said, "I want to thank Cary Grant, who keeps winning these things for other people."

Article from the New York Times 1964 about the making of "Father Goose"

Featured Cocktail:

Canadian Cocktail

While this drink can be made with any whiskey, it is perfect for a good Canadian whiskey or rye. And, of course, it shouldn’t be called ‘Canadian’ if the spirit is distilled somewhere else.

2 oz (60 ml) Canadian whisky

1 Tbsp (15 ml) Cointreau or other orange liqueur

1 Tbsp (15 ml) lemon juice

1 tsp (5 ml) simple syrup (optional)

1 dash Angostura bitters

Shake all ingredients with ice. Strain into ice-filled rocks glass or chilled cocktail glass.

Cheers to the Classics!