Cheaper By the Dozen

1950 • 86 minutes
4.8
29 reviews
86%
Tomatometer
Eligible
Watch in a web browser or on supported devices Learn more

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

4.8
29 reviews
Brad Myers
7 July 2016
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.
Did you find this helpful?
Mark Overholt
28 January 2020
Great family movie. Truly children are a blessing from God . Blessed are the parents who have lots of children. This world would be a much better and happier place if all fathers and mother's loved each other and their children as potrayed in this movie.
Did you find this helpful?
Susan Kay
19 October 2016
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)
Did you find this helpful?

Rate this movie

Tell us what you think.