Room for One More

Norman Taurog's 1952 film is about two children added to an already crowded family. Anne and her husband Poppy have three children and money is tight, yet she keeps taking in children nobody wants. First comes Jane, who has already tried to kill herself, then Jimmy John, who has trouble with his legs and trusts nobody. The film does not make their adjustment look easy; anger, attempts to run and the discomfort of the other children are all inside the story. Poppy's movement from reluctance to acceptance forms a second line. Cary Grant sets aside his usual charm here to play a tired father, and Betsy Drake, who plays Anne, was his wife in life as well. The tone is light while the subjects are heavy. Who it's for: viewers who like classic Hollywood family films. Who it's not for: anyone who will find the period's ideas about raising children uncomfortable; the film does not question them.