Hobson's Choice

Hobson's Choice (1954)

Genres - Drama  |   Sub-Genres - Domestic Comedy, Comedy of Manners, Satire  |   Release Date - Apr 19, 1954 (USA - Unknown), Jun 14, 1954 (USA - Limited)  |   Run Time - 110 min.  |   Countries - United Kingdom, United States  |   MPAA Rating - NR
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Synopsis by Hal Erickson

A "Hobson's Choice," as any slang expert will tell you, is no choice at all. In this 1953 filmization of Harold Brighouse's 1915 play Hobson's Choice, hero John Mills finds after several reels of evidence to the contrary that he does have a choice over how he'll conduct his life after all. Mills is the assistant to domineering boot-shop owner Charles Laughton, who lords it over his employees and three daughters by day, then tumbles through the streets on many a drunken evening. Laughton's "old-maid" daughter Brenda DeBanzie breaks free of her father's tyranny, marries Mills, and together with her new husband sets up a rival boot shop when Laughton refuses her a dowry. Father rants and raves, but finally agrees to a merger with his daughter that will assure Mills a large measure of freedom over managing things. The winner of the British Film Institute "Best Film" award of 1954, Hobson's Choice chalked up another international success for director David Lean.

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Keywords

bride, daughter, family, forbidden-love, groom [bridegroom], marriage, May-December-romance, romance, widow/widower