In real life, the legendary Bette Davis did stay with a family outside of New York while her home was being fixed up. Having a major star stay with a common family led to all sorts of interesting occurrences and both the family and the star came out a bit more educated or more humble, if that is possible. In the case of Katharine Hepburn's Laura Lansing, a famous writer past her prime, then with the regular family in Long Island shows her what real people are like and give the family an opportunity to educate themselves on how a true woman of the world lives.
Unfortunately, the situations while staying with the family simply just aren't believable and not really true to human life. It is the standard family where three kids, two parents having a seemingly good marriage with a husband appearing to be playing around, a bratty teenage girl that hides her vulnerability under a nasty attitude, it is hard to believe much of what is going on. It is only through the presence of the star that this rises above its sitcomish plot. Only someone like Katherine Hepburn could bring this class and as a result the remainder of the cast is totally overshadowed.
This seems rushed into production to match the success of Mrs. Delafield Wants to Marry and lacks in the thoughtfulness of James Prideaux's script. Forced into clichés all the way down the line, the affections between Laura and the family come off totally unrealistic. A subplot involving the wife and a rather dull soap opera leading man throws off the story even mire and stretches out the running time unnecessarily. Without Hepburn, this would be a total dud.
Unfortunately, the situations while staying with the family simply just aren't believable and not really true to human life. It is the standard family where three kids, two parents having a seemingly good marriage with a husband appearing to be playing around, a bratty teenage girl that hides her vulnerability under a nasty attitude, it is hard to believe much of what is going on. It is only through the presence of the star that this rises above its sitcomish plot. Only someone like Katherine Hepburn could bring this class and as a result the remainder of the cast is totally overshadowed.
This seems rushed into production to match the success of Mrs. Delafield Wants to Marry and lacks in the thoughtfulness of James Prideaux's script. Forced into clichés all the way down the line, the affections between Laura and the family come off totally unrealistic. A subplot involving the wife and a rather dull soap opera leading man throws off the story even mire and stretches out the running time unnecessarily. Without Hepburn, this would be a total dud.