The Happy Time (1952)

[moira finnie]

The Happy Time (1952-Richard Fleischer) is on Sunday morning at 2 am EDT.

This is a story of a French Canadian family in Ottawa with Louis Jourdan, Charles Boyer, Marsha Hunt, and Linda Christian, based on a series of stories by Robert Fontaine. It is not the kind of movie that is going to change the world but is a simply told, nostalgic look at life in one household from the point of view of the family's son, played by Bobby Driscoll, as he begins to grow up.

There is one outstanding scene when Boyer, who is clearly enjoying himself in a part that allows him to abandon his screen lover image, explains to his son what is real about sex beyond the physical facts of life...it goes something like this...“this love we speak of now, when it is real, when it is true, it is the greatest love of all. I know; we have it here, in this house, Maman and I; it is the best, it is the most natural. In this way, the world comes down to a house, and a room, and a bed, and if there are two people in love there, then that is the whole world. Of course, you won’t know this for many years. You know it is possible never to know it? I hope you will. If you are as lucky as I am, you will.”

The way that Boyer says this can't be conveyed in written words, but is rendered so subtly and effectively, it seems heartfelt by the actor. Btw, just a year after making this film, Boyer gave one of the best performances of his career in Ophuls The Earrings of Madame de... (1953), about a man in an entirely different sort of marriage. The guy had range!

[ken123]

I'll walk a million miles to see Marsha Hunt.

[ziggy 6708]

thanks for mentioning one of my favorite coming-of-age films.
It depicts such a warm, supportive and family, who love each other in spite of, or maybe because of all their faults and foibles. Would've loved a dad like Boyer. Always leaves me with a smile on my face.

[Birdy]

A first for me - I enjoyed it very much.

[mrsl]

.
Again, Ken123 and I agree. Wonderful Marsha Hunt in a wonderful little family movie. I'm sorry I didn't DVR it.
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[Moraldo Rubini]

I enjoyed this one too. Fun to see Louis Jourdan in a rakish role. And to see Kurt Kasznar recreate the role he did on Broadway -- some years before The Sound of Music. I loved that it took place in Ottawa! How many Hollywood movies take place in Canada? It was a sweet treat.