Cheaper By the Dozen

1950 • 86 minutes

About this movie

This colorful depiction of life in a family of 12 children stars Clifton Webb as Frank Bunker Gilbreth, an eccentric father who prides himself on some truly unorthodox child-rearing methods. Based on the bestseller by two children of the real Mr. Gilbreth, this charming film co-starring Myrna Loy is "alive with big laughs" (Los Angeles Times).

Narrated by the oldest daughter (Jeanne Crain), the story follows a series of family crises over the years: from how the children over-whelmed their new school's administration office, to the time they threw a hospital into chaos when they arrived for a mass tonsillectomy. There's even a memorable encounter with a birth control advocate. Simultaneously hilarious and sentimental, "Cheaper by the Dozen is a family comedy in the truest sense.

Ratings and reviews

Sweet B&W version of a family of 12 kids, run by a time-management expert & his long-suffering wife. Cute & funny, brings back fond memories, made close to the novel, based on a true story. Very watchable. 5 stars! (Clifton Webb, Myrna Loy)

Must set aside some modern expectations and watch this movie with the perspective of the 1950's. Chipper dialog, lovely characters, and a true-life back story makes this an enjoyable movie.

A great film about an era that is as wholesome as modern society is profane. Clifton Webb and Myrna Loy deftly capture the spirit of the characters in the novel on which the movie is based.