User reviews

YOURS, MINE, & OURS is the 1968 family classic based on a true story that, among other things, was an inspiration for the TV series THE BRADY BUNCH. This warm and entertaining comedy stars Lucille Ball as Helen North, a widowed naval nurse, who is the mother of eight children who meets and falls in love with Frank Beardsley (Henry Fonda), a widowed naval officer, who is the father of ten children and the obvious complications that ensue when Helen and Frank decide to marry and blend their families. There are no surprises here...the children obviously object to the union and still think of themselves as separate families despite Frank and Helen's efforts to bring them together, but everything does eventually iron itself out in true sitcom style. Lucille Ball has one of her best film roles here, playing it relatively straight as Helen, but the Lucy we know and love does get to shine through in a couple of comic scenes...one at a crowded bar where she does battle with a slip and a fake eyelash and during a dinner at Frank's house where Frank's sons have spiked her drink and she gets very drunk. Fonda proves to have a surprising gift for light comedy and his chemistry with Ball is unexpectedly solid. Van Johnson is very funny as the mutual friend who brings them together and Tom Bosley has some funny moments as the family doctor. There are several future stars featured in the film as the North/Beardsley children, including Tim Matheson, Gil Rogers, Morgan Brittany, Mitch Vogel, and Tracy Nelson. A true family classic that still makes me laugh out loud after almost 40 years.

YOURS, MINE, AND OURS reunites Lucille Ball and Henry Fonda, who had worked together in the 1942 B-film THE BIG STREET, the former a heavy-handed drama making a contrast to this lightweight comedy. Reminiscent of CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN, the premise -- a man and woman, both with a huge family, meet, fall in love, and marry -- would be unbelievable if it weren't true.

Based on the autobiographical novel by Helen Eileen Beardsley, YOURS, MINES, AND OURS is a blueprint of sorts of future television shows "The Brady Bunch" and "Eight is Enough" but amps it up to eleven. While on those shows we never got to see just how a real household was handled (being situation programs, their stories were resolved in minimal time), here we get glimpses of what happens at dinnertime, or how groceries get done, and it's those trivial things that keep the charming story in check instead of throwing it into la-la land. Both Fonda and Ball are well-matched and have funny scenes together despite that both actors were a little too old for their characters, but it's not even a minor contrivance. Very enjoyable, witty, sunny: just what this kind of movie should be.

OK, the movie is really quite dated. Perhaps this is why the movie sells for less than $9.99 on DVD. But in spite of its being dated, the movie is still very funny. Maybe it's funny because it is outdated. The movie was made a long, long time ago, in a day when "comedy" took priority over "politically correct". With Madelyn Davis and Bob Carroll, Jr writing the script, it couldn't be anything but a sure fire winner. The two also provided their talents on I LOVE LUCY. (Madelyn Davis was known as Madelyn PUGH during the I LOVE LUCY era).

Lucille Ball, in this movie, has really taken a big risk in stepping out of her domain where she truly reigned as the queen of comedy. Her brilliance as a comedian has always been in her ability to act like the perfect scatterbrain, driving a totally frustrated straight man well past his breaking point with her totally insane schemes. On TV, this straight man was played by Desi Arnaz and later, by Gale Gordon.

In this movie, Lucille Ball shone brighter than ever, showing an ability to go from "scatterbrain" to "serious to the point of tears" and back, so effortlessly. And there was no "straight man" to bounce her brand of comedy off of.

Tom Bosely was hilarious as the family doctor, with his deadpan approach. Seeing him later as Howard Cunningham in HAPPY DAYS, I wonder if he was really acting or was he simply being himself? He certainly has that dry wit down to an art.

Oh, and then, there is that issue of age. Lucille Ball was 57 and Henry Fonda was around 61 when the movie was made. This issue is obviously irrelevant. The movie was a hit when it was released in 1968. And it obviously beats that remake in 2005, hands down, in spite of the age of leading roles in the remake.

Lucille Ball and Henry Fonda rule!

I have always just loved this movie! I saw it as a teenager in the 60's, getting ready to go off to college and thought it was great fun at that time. Since I was a teenager, I remember really enjoying the character of Mike, played by Tim Matheson. I always thought he would go on to be a real big movie star instead of TV movies, since he had lots of charisma and maturity at that young age. However, he has done very well in the roles on television he has played and is always a real treat to watch. I don't think I thought Lucille Ball was too old the first time I saw it, because anyone over 25 seemed old to me at the time! I recently caught this movie on TV and enjoyed it again from an adult perspective. It was a little corny but still a good film. Life in the sixties even with Vietnam and all was a much more innocent time especially with what kids face today. I would give it a 100 just because it is so uplifting.

Henry Fonda's entertaining vehicle with young people and agreeable actors . A widower Navy Admiral (Henry Fonda) and a lovely widow (Lucille Ball who produced the film with his company : Desilu Productions) fall in love and marry, much to the dismay of his 10 and her 8 children . He runs a loving but tight ship , with charts and salutes . The kids long for a permanent home . The film deals about a happy family , the father is a notorious Admiral and the mother is a nurse . They are instantly attracted to each other and quickly decide to marry . There are various family crisis but it is all very heartwarming . They are quite cognizant of the fact that he already has ten children from his first marriage, and she has eight from her first marriage . Henry Fonda and Lucille Ball ought to keep the familiar order involving in their own home while at the same time occupy the works .Then the problems start as two sets of kids, the free spirits and the disciplined preppies, must live together. The warring factions agree to work together to carry out the marriage .

The picture is pretty entertaining and amusing , the film contains bemusing scenes , zany shenanigans , continuous laughters and various chuckles with lots of fun . Humanity and humor are high in the priorities of the director Shavelson who shows a considerable talent recapturing funny situations . The picture belongs to numerous family sub-genre whose maxim representation is ¨Cheaper by dozen ¨ with Myrna Loy and Clifton Webb and a modern version starred by Steve Martin and Bonnie Hunt ; and of course ¨Yours , mine and ours¨ , being recently remade (2005) by Raja Gosnell with Dennis Quaid and Rene Russo . Formidable main cast , very well featured by Henry Fonda and Lucille Ball . Besides , there appears as sons ,some young actors who will have an acceptable career as TV stars as Morgan Brittany , Tim Matheson and Tracy Nelson .

The motion picture was well directed by Melville Shavelson . His movies have a special penchant for recapturing a particular atmosphere , many of this movies are about real people but they remain muted in impact . A notorious screenwriter , Bob Hope and Danny Kaye features Shavelson's movies when he became filmmaker and his films with them are the most successful such as ¨The seven tittle Foys¨ , Beau James¨, ¨On the Double¨ and ¨Five pennies¨ . Shavelson's later pictures were made for TV and mostly biographies as ¨The great Houdini¨ , ¨Ike¨, ¨Ike : the war years¨, and ¨The legend of Valentino¨ which remains the best work on the subject to date . Two of the best films resulted to be ¨¨Cast a giant shadow¨ , an epic movie with all-star-cast dealing with the birth of Israel and this ¨Yours , mine and ours¨.

"Yours Mine And Ours" is one of the best "family films" of the 1960s. (Very) loosely based on the real-life story of Helen North, a Navy widow with eight children, who married Navy career man Frank Beardsley, a widower with ten children of his own. Lucille Ball bought the rights to Mrs. Beardsley's book "Who Gets The Drumstick?", co- produced it, and took the starring role of Helen North. For those who know her chiefly as a comedienne, this film will be a pleasant surprise. For not only does she have the opportunity to indulge in some of the slapstick she is famous for, she proves conclusively that she was an excellent dramatic actress as well. Moreover, she can switch abruptly (and seemingly effortlessly) from comedy to pathos, sometimes in the same scene! Henry Fonda takes the part of Frank Beardsley and gives it both dimension and strength. As his bachelor friend, Van Johnson is a welcome presence, as is Tom Bosley as a sardonic doctor. There is also a hilarious performance from Louise Troy, as Frank's date early in the story. The kids are well cast and include future notables Tim Matheson, Suzanne Cupito (who grew up to be Morgan Brittany), Mitch Vogel and Tracy Nelson. A good deal of the plot involves the mutual dislike most of the kids have for their step-siblings, but a great deal of charm is present as well. Aiding the production is a nice score by Fred Karlin, a lovely song "It's A Sometimes World", and handsome San Francisco location photography. A remake has just been completed and will be released around the holiday season, but it's not likely to top this one. Incidentally, if you read the original book by Helen Beardsley, you will most likely come away with a far different picture of the Beardsley family, one which may not have transferred as well to the screen. This may also explain why there is no mention of the book as the story source in the movie's opening credits.

I have to admit that I had trouble with Henry Fonda and Lucille Ball in the leads largely because they both were really too old to play their respective characters (Ball was about 57 at the time and Fonda about 63). In the end the film is so well done that I forgot about that. Aside from the film "Please Don't Eat the Daisies", this is probably the best family movie of the 60's. The best thing about the film is the realistic way in which the family blends together. The usual problems are all there and the way in which Fonda and Ball deal with it is about what one would expect, a certain amount of good intentions, a bit of mistake making, sacrifice, and providing a good deal of love and support. The writing may not be politically correct in this day and age (the scene where Fonda's kids get Ball drunk, Ball spanks one of the boys, and there is also a certain amount of gender stereotyping), but it is this that gives the film its appeal and relatability. As Leonard Maltin points out, look for a some well known faces in the supporting cast. Tom Bosley as the doctor, Tim Matheson as Mike, a four or five year old Tracey Nelson, Morgan Brittany of Dallas fame, 70's TV staple Ben Murphy as the oldest daughter's boyfriend, and well known child actor Eric Shea who gives an endearing performance as young Philip, the kid that seems the most lost in the big family. All in all Dad Fonda sums the whole thing up when he describes for the oldest daughter (who's being pressured by the boyfriend to have sex) what love is really about and how this family is staying together, "It isn't going to bed with a man that proves that you love him it's getting up in the morning and facing the drab, miserable, wonderful everyday world that counts. I suppose having 19 kids is carrying it a bit too far, but if we had it to do all over again who would we skip, you?" And that is exactly what Helen and Frank are doing together, and the kids admire and respect them all the more for it.

Lucille Ball reined above Hollywood as Queen of Comedy and also the CEO of Desilu with not one but three studio lots in Hollywood,Desilu Gower, Desilu Cahuenga and DesiluCulver ( The old Selznick Studio where Gone With The Wind was filmed). Taking chances was Lucy's forte: starring in a TV show "I Love Lucy" and insisting on the casting of her husband Desi Arnaz and her also equally famous decisions authorize the productions of "Star Trek" and "Mission Impossible" against the recommendations of the Desilu Board of Directors. Ball's last great accomplishment as a CEO was the insistence of filming "Yours Mine and Ours" as a theatrical movie hoping to make Desilu a force in film production as well. Make no doubt about it if one re reads the story that Rex Reed wrote in the New York Times on Lucy while she was filming this movie, Ms. Ball ran the show and event titled his great article on Lucy " I Run My Studio Like I Run My Home".

Lucille Ball-looking youthful and beautiful- is superb in the title role of Helen Beardsley and her nuanced performance should have garnered Lucille Ball a long sought after Oscar nomination. Ms. Ball is at times both funny and in a departure from her TV "Lucy" quite soft and underplays many scenes. Henry Fonda is a perfect "Mr. Beardsley". Van Johnson a pal from Lucy's old MGM days is cast and gets a nice role supporting both Stars.

Many were surprised by the success of this film. I have no idea why. It is a fine and lasting comedy classic directed by the sure hand of the fine Melville Shavelson.

Should a widow with eight children marry a widower with ten? Well, yes, if the lady is played by Lucille Ball. This movie is heavily dependent on Ms. Ball, who manages to carry the film on her comic shoulders. It's nice to see an older actress playing a beautiful, romantic leading role; and, watching Ball is the main attraction, after all these years. The situation is something different than anything she would do on television, at the time. Herein, there are subtle, snickering sex (and drug) jokes.

Mostly, you get to see how Ball and Henry Fonda (as Helen and Frank Beardsley) manage merging their reluctant offspring. This situation plays better than "The Lucy Show" meets "The Brady Bunch" (that latter show must have been inspired, at least in part, by the success of this film). The earlier "courtship" scenes are sweeter, and funnier, than the remainder of the film.

In a large cast of children, it's difficult to stand out - unless the script gives you something to do. Tim Matheson (as Mike) and Eric Shea (as Phillip) are the luckiest recipients. And, Jennifer Leak (as Colleen) gets to fend off Ben Murphy, her "frustrated, sex maniac" boyfriend.

****** Yours, Mine and Ours (4/24/68) Melville Shavelson ~ Lucille Ball, Henry Fonda, Tim Matheson, Van Johnson

This classic comedy features Lucille Ball and Henry Fonda reunited. Ball plays a widow with 8 children while Fonda plays a widower with 10 children. The two get married and try to unite the families as one. With 20 different personalities in one home, things get more than a little tough. There is one scene where one of Fonda's children spikes Lucille Ball's drink. She gets drunk and makes a fool of herself, much to the delight of the kids. I love that scene. Her runny makeup and slurring words are just hilarious! This movie has recently been the victim of a terrible remake starring Dennis Quade. If you found that entertaining in any way, you will love the original. It is a wonderful, funny movie that is safe for all ages. Enjoy!

Originally when Lucille Ball wanted to film this story, she had that noted television father Fred MacMurray in mind for the role of the Navy widower with 10 kids. That would have been an interesting project had that team come about. Lucy and Fred worked, but one time on the Lucy/Desi Comedy hour, but never on the big screen. When Fred proved unavailable, Lucy went and got Henry Fonda her co-star years ago in The Big Street.

I'm told that in The Films of Henry Fonda, he welcomed the idea of doing Your's, Mine and Our's. He had done a bunch of westerns around this time of varying kind and looked for a change of pace. The last family type film Fonda had done was Spencer's Mountain which got less than overwhelming reviews.

But with television's number one comedy star both starring and producing there was certainly guaranteed box office. To Lucy's credit she did not hog the whole film and allowed Fonda his comedy moments.

You also won't be seeing any outrageous Lucy type moments either in the film. Partially that was a bow towards her age and, but more it was a realization that such things as the chocolate factory or stomping the grapes just didn't go in this film.

The film was based on a true story although it was set and written in the early Sixties of the Kennedy years. I'm sure in producer Lucille Ball's mind a few years wouldn't really make a difference. But in point of fact in America of the Sixties it was a night and day type difference. I'm sure many in the audience were asking whether this really was reflective of 1968.

Van Johnson as Fonda's naval buddy and Tom Bosley as an overworked doctor contribute their bits in her. It's not a bad film over all, but isn't a great effort for either of its stars.

Only because I loved Lucy and Henry Fonda could I sit through this movie.

I get that this film was based on a true story but there's nothing really funny about a grossly overcrowded house with way too many kids.

And Lucy pregnant at age 57 in 1968 before invitro? Give us a break.

Henry Fonda was always one of my favorites but the character he portrays here is not too admirable. He forms a gigantic combined family, gets the wife pregnant and then takes off to the sea leaving the mother to deal with 18 kids and one more on the way.

What a concept.

The remake of this movie with Dennis Quaid and Renee Russo is even worse. At least Lucy and Fonda were believable as a couple - though not as the parents of this brood.

If I were asked what my favorite film of all time was, I would probably say either "The Last Picture Show" or "Ordinary People," two films that I feel are legitimate masterpieces. But if I were asked what my favorite film of all time REALLY was, I'd have to say "Yours, Mine and Ours," which was one of the first movies my parents ever took me to (along with a re-release of "Swiss Family Robinson" and Steve McQueen's "Bullitt") as a five-year-old. I've loved it my entire life, and I have to admit my affection for it hasn't dimmed with age. Although I realize it's not one of the great masterpieces of all time, and I would never rate it as high as say, "Show" or "People" or "Casablanca" or "Schindler's List" for that matter, I still love this film all the same.

I must admit that I am also a lifelong fan of "I Love Lucy," so the fact that "Yours, Mine and Ours" stars Lucille Ball certainly has something to do with my fondness for this film. And growing up in the '70's when co-star Henry Fonda was relegated to cameo roles in awful films like "The Swarm" and "Rollercoaster," if it hadn't have been for his charismatic and likeable performance here, I would never have known he was the great actor that he was. Add the pleasure of Lucille's longtime friend Van Johnson in the prime supporting role of Darryl, Fonda's best friend, and an extremely young Tim Matheson as Fonda's oldest son, and you have the foundation of an excellent cast in a lovely romantic comedy about the ultimate blended family (think "The Brady Bunch" with brains, and much, much larger to boot).

Very loosely based on a true story, Ball is Helen North, a recent widow with eight unruly children who moves to San Francisco for a fresh start. While working at the infirmary at an (unnamed) Naval base, she meets Naval Officer Frank Beardsley (Fonda, of course), who is a recent widower himself (with 10 children !) and has brought one of his daughters (Suzanne Cupito, aka '70's starlet Morgan Brittany) in for treatment. Helen and Frank are immediately smitten with each other and go out on a date, but immediately break it off when they realize how many children their combined family would contain. Darryl realizes that eighteen children aside, these two were made for each other and proceeds to plot to get them together. They do eventually marry and this sets up many amusing scenes of this huge family trying to blend in together.

The nice thing about this film is that for once Lucille Ball is allowed to play a character completely different from Lucy Ricardo or Lucy Carmichael (from "The Lucy Show"). She is intelligent, touching, funny and very, very human here. In only one scene does she do any kind of "Lucy" shtick, and that is during a wonderfully played drunk scene. Even then she doesn't resemble her daffy TV persona as much as, well a woman who's had too much to drink. And the chemistry between Ball and Fonda is so believable, as a child I found it hard to believe they were not really married in real life! Honest! Johnson gives wonderful support and Tom Bosley has a few amusing scenes as the family's exasperated doctor. I also loved the character of Madeline Love, who Darryl sets Frank up with on a disastrous date that ends with her riding home between Frank and Helen (who's been dumped by her Darryl-arranged date). Their discussion of their respective families ends with the hilarious exchange: Frank: "I'm glad I have ten children!" Helen: "I'm glad I have my eight!" Madeline: "And I'm glad I'm careful!"

All in all, this is an extremely enjoyable romantic comedy that grandkids can watch with their grandparents where everyone will be entertained and nobody will be embarassed. An added treat: laughing at the '60's styles and hairdoes, which look worse and worse with each passing decade. They just don't make them like this anymore. ***1/2 (out of *****)

Our whole family has always enjoyed this movie. Before coming to this site, however, I didn't know that it was based on a true story. My wife likes the movie (she likes almost anything with Lucille Ball in it) so I will probably get her a copy of the book as a gift. Even if the movie departs from the book significantly, I still believe that reading the true story would only enhance enjoyment of the movie. I would like to thank the IMDB people for creating the format that enables this type of information to be shared.

In my opinion, the movie is carried by a masterful rendition by the three main stars - Lucille Ball, Henry Fonda, and Van Johnson. Each of these is a personal favorite, so I may be prejudiced, but I can't imagine anyone else in these roles. And not only did the ages of Fonda and Ball not bother me, but it never occurred to me that there might have been a problem there. (Hollywood does a good job with makeup, and I failed to pull out my almanac while watching the movie to check on the stars' ages.) I have had friends with almost pure white hair become parents. An uncle started going very gray in his early thirties. So age and the appearance of age are very relative. Just enjoy this great movie.

Terrific actors, making one of the last great family values comedies that hits on all cylinders. Two families merge to make one great loving family, With terrific casting and great writing the movie never gets boring and it's message is upbeat reflecting the changing culture during the 60s without being disrespectful to family values or post war patriotism. I always feel hopeful I watch this. Several of the kids have gone on to become significant actors with fulfilling careers. There's no vulgarity or gratuitous violence in this film but it's clear that there is a battle for the family to find a loving future together.

This might be one of Lucy's last good roles, especially when Henry Fonda's kids get her drunk to sabotage the budding romance. It can be pretty sappy, but still outshines it's tv cousin the Brady bunch.

Not only is this perhaps my favorite movie of all time, but it has proved capable of attracting viewers much younger than myself (and in truth, I was not even born yet when this movie came out). My 2 and 11 year old daughters both enjoy this movie and will sit through it with me no matter how often I suggest it. In fact, my toddler asks for it by name at least once a week! I can't think of a single complaint, except perhaps to say that I envy those characters the simplicity of their lives. If only things were so simple today! And really, who can complain when it showcases a young Tim Matheson, giving us a glimpse of things to come (remember Animal House?)as well as a glimpse of the adorable Matheson sans shirt (his scene with Tom Bosley at the draft board physical is one of the funniest in the movie). One of my favorite things is watching this movie and looking at the faces of the kids, trying to see the adults they eventually became (Tracy Nelson at about age 3, Eric Shea was about 6 or 7, Morgan Brittany, who was a young teenager, and FYI to the person who commented about her appearances in the Old Navy ads: that was Morgan FAIRCHILD, NOT Morgan Brittany). And to those who complain incessantly about the ages of Ball and Fonda at the time the film was made, PLEASE! Get over it already! Half the fun of watching movies is being able to suspend disbelief for 2 hours. I think they looked awfully good, regardless of their "real" ages. This movie, once your kids get past their astonishment that people actually lived without 8 hours of TV a day, showed respect for their elders (most of the time), and got by without PlayStation 2 (!), is the perfect family movie. But oh, I wish 4 carts full of groceries still cost $126.63!! (Did anyone else notice that??) ***** out of *****

why is it people care so much how old Lucille ball and henry Fonda were in the movie. when i saw it i thought that they both looked awfully believable in their roles and thats that. fun movie with miss ball doing scenes that remind us of the classic i love Lucy.....and Mr. Fonda looking debonair and actually good in comedy. the kid who stole the show Eric Shea...wow is he natural and good and this also went on in the Poseidon adventure. wonder what became of him. the scenes are all cute and the dialogue really is the dialogue parents and kids would have. not a absolutely great film...but a honest fun one that i enjoyed very much.

Engineering Officer "Frank" (Henry Fonda) loses his wife and after his tour of duty aboard the USS Enterprise is left with the ominous task of returning to San Francisco to look after his ten - yes, that's ten - children! Meantime, "Helen" (Lucille Ball) is in a similar predicament following the death of her husband - but she only has the eight offspring to raise. After a trolley clash in a supermarket, the two adults meet, court and after romance blossoms they decide to marry and raise all of their respective broods under one roof with four bathrooms! Initially, the concept of a film with eighteen kids offering everything from tantrums to hormones did not appeal to me at all. Fonda and Ball, however, really do make this work. It's a bit wordy at times and the humour has dated, but for the most part there is a genuine chemistry on display and many of their parenting problems - especially when they discover a new bundle of joy is en route - ring quite true. Director Melville Shavelson manages the more cacophonous elements of the story quite well - the pandemonium is there, but it is sparingly used allowing the sensations of exhaustion and exasperation to emerge, but not sufficiently to drown out what is actually quite an affectionate story. I'm not sure his aircraft carrier could ever have taken me far enough from this actual scenario, but watching on a big screen from a distance offers us an enjoyable romp through family life peppered with patience, patience and love. Give it a go and you might appreciate the versatility of Fonda as a half-decent comedy actor and Ball as, well, a star.

I love this movie and have since I first saw it as a child. It's family friendly fare that was pretty typical of the time, and doesn't pretend to be anything else. If all you know of Lucille Ball is the old I Love Lucy series, you might be surprised to find that she was a pretty good actress, although there is one particular scene that does make the most of her fabulous comedic talents. She was 57 in this movie, but looks great and carries off a woman at least 10 years younger with no problem. She and Fonda have pretty good chemistry.

She plays a widow with 8 children who marries a widower with 10, and they go on to add one more. My own family history includes a similar story, and a total of 23 kids before they were done, so it's completely believable to me.

Of course this is light fare so you don't get any of the reality of raising a large family (all those kids would have had chores), just the comedy. But that's fine because who wants reality in a comedy? Watched it again recently and it holds up well to my memories.

Headache-inducing comedy-drama, based on a true story (!), apparently has quite a faithful following. I remember seeing it on television in the prime-time hour years ago and it was a big ratings hit. Plot has widow Lucille Ball--and her eight children--marrying officer and widower Henry Fonda--and his 10 children. Kids seemed to get a kick out of the chaos and, indeed, Lucy works hard at being flexible and warm, but Fonda is such a cold fish, such a moody old cuss and strict disciplinarian (with a one-note voice that only seems to modulate between stern-and-steely and stern-and-loud), that I found the one main ingredient in "Yours, Mine and Ours" impossible to swallow: the romance. Ball and Fonda were previously paired much earlier in "The Big Street", which wasn't very convincing in the love-department either, but finding them matched up in this busy, bustling family affair is almost depressing; there's no connection. Some funny moments, and the picture looks handsome enough, but the plot predicaments get tiresome. Worse, all the character development is given to the adults and the kids don't even get a chance to shine. ** from ****