Review of Hobson's Choice (1954) by Anne F — 25 Mar 2010

What a continuous surprise this movie was! First off, David Lean's set direction and photography are in super-lush black and white with the crispest of details and fantastic depths-of-field. The next large surprise is the amazing clowning ability of Charles Laughton, reminding us again of how talented and courageous he was as an artist.

Then, who knew John Mills could be so authentically a working-man, so beautifully simple-minded and heart-warming? The final surprise comes at the end, when we realize just how warmed our hearts have actually been as the lump of joy jumps into our throats.

But the biggest surprise of all, to me, is the film's gentle, admiring, and loving treatment of a character who is a thoroughly bossy woman -- one who has business smarts, math acumen, and ambition too, no less! This highly respectful and sentimental approach to an openly domineering woman is very much missing in American movies from all eras.

All of the performances are glorious -- particularly that of Brenda de Banzie as Maggie, whose force of will sets the movie in motion, and John Mills, her perfect and perfectly lovable partner. HOBSON'S CHOICE was apparently designed as something of a French farce and has more than a bit of vaudeville to it, but it became a classic because of the deeper stuff it has in spades -- intelligent writing, sympathy for human frailty, and balls-to-the-wall acting.

Bravo!