Hobson's Choice (1953)
Hobson's Choice Photos
Movie Info
Cast
as Henry Horatio Hobson
as Willie Mossop
as Maggie Hobson
as Alice Hobson
as Vicky Hobson
as Albert Prosser
as Freddy Beenstock
as Mrs. Hepworth
as Jim Heeler
as Sam Minns
as Tudsbury
as Denton
as Ada Figgins
as Mrs. Figgins
as Dr. MacFarlane
as Nathaniel Beenstock
as Tubby Wadlow
as Printer
Critic Reviews for Hobson's Choice
All Critics (21) | Top Critics (7) | Fresh (19) | Rotten (2) | DVD (2)
Hobson's Choice is a cheerful little slice of death, warmed over and served with some lively comic sauces by Producer-Director David Lean and Actor Charles Laughton.
Although Laughton richly overplays every major scene, his performance remains one of the film's highlights.
Lean's splendid frames specifically work to show the high and low status of a social grid.
Flavoursome period charmer and a lovely, memorable performance from Mills.
A delightful and rewarding British film.
Lean's sharp direction and impeccable performances all round transform a slight comedy into a timeless delight.
Audience Reviews for Hobson's Choice
Although it pretends to be about shop owner Laughton and his difficulties with his trio of daughters, David Lean's intimate little comedy is really about one daughter's triumphant break for freedom from the shackles of a drunken male patriarchy and her taking a simple shop's assistant with her. It's the humanity in this that counts and the actors are wonderful conveying just that.
Super Reviewer
I usually associate David Lean with sweeping epics, so I was pleasantly surprised by this light comedy. Charles Laughton plays Hobson, the blustery owner of a bootmaking shop in 1890s London and father of 3 daughters. The oldest (Brenda de Banzie), not married at the ripe old age of 30 and in danger of becoming an "old maid", pursues and marries (out of spite) the best bootmaker in her father's shop. This of course infuriates her father, who had decided she shouldn't marry and should dedicate her life to caring for him and the bootshop, puts his foot down in efforts to stop her. But fortunately the daughter is as stubborn as he is, and gets her way. Laughton does comedy better than I expected he would, and John Mills as good as well as the unwitting bridegroom. A little side treat was to catch Prunella Scales (of Faulty Towers fame) as a teenager playing Hobson's youngest daughter.
Super Reviewer
Delightful!
Super Reviewer
Hobson's Choice Quotes
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