
“Ring up another triumph for Mr. Belvedere!”
Posing as a man over 70, a lecturer (Clifton Webb) enters an old-folks home to prove age is a state of mind.
Release Date: 8/1/1951
Runtime: 87 minutes
Languages: English
Director: Henry Koster
00Companies: 20th Century Fox
Countries: United States of America
CinemaSerf
Acclaimed writer "Lynn Belvedere" (Clifton Webb) is on a lecture tour to support his latest book, when he alights on an home for elderly people. It's administered by "Rev. Watson" (Hugh Marlowe) with the help of "Harriet" (Joanne Dru) and populated by a curious collection of elderly individuals with varying degrees of neuroses and quirks. "Belvedere" decides that he is going to demonstrate to each of them, as well as to the obviously affectionate but don't know it yet pair running the place, that a lot of their ailments, worries and troubles are merely in their minds. It's got a certain feel-good nature to it, naive and simplistic, but still the message is meant to be positive and to that extent Webb's characterisation is quite charming, if a little pompous, and his acting adequate. Zero Mostel also chips in nicely as his long suffering agent and the inmates, if you like, are made up of solid character actors who deliver well too. It's just too wordy - far too much dialogue and not enough of it pithy or humorous. Still, it's a gently amiable outing for this character that we have seen a few times now that passes the time easily enough. Perhaps he has had his day, now, and it is time for him to retire, too?

Clifton Webb
Mr.Belvedere

Joanne Dru
Miss Tripp

Hugh Marlowe
Reverend Watson

Zero Mostel
Emmett

Doro Merande
Mrs. Hammer

William H. Lynn
Mr. Beebe

Harry Hines
Mr. Cherry

Thomas Browne Henry
Father Shea

Hugh Beaumont
Policeman
Frances Brandt
Miss Hoadley

Kathleen Comegys
Mrs. Sampler
Jane Marbury
Mrs. Gross
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