So many way to do a post-modern critique of this - but if you wasted your time doing that, then you've missed the point.
This is just a lovely simple story and Judy Holliday is just radiant in it - no, it's not that Elizabeth Taylor/Spenser Tracy sort of upscale East Coast suburban thing - this is a California version where the grandpa is a working class ethnic guy and there's actually a sincere religious thematic element.
But the key is Judy Holliday - wow, she was great - just as comedic as Lucille Ball, but so much more natural - in fact, effortlessly natural on camera - all of her reactions and interactions just flow - and, yet, her performance is never trite - there are always surprising little twists, for example, in domestic mixup scenes where the wife character is typically expected to become an antic shrew, Judy just plays it sweet and easy and always with a gentle kind humor that could not be nicer to watch.
All of the supporting characters are very good as well - some might dismiss as "type casting" - but everyone seems comfortable in their roles and given the space to express their characters with their own level of nuance - it all rings true enough for a relatively simple narrative, that is nonetheless sincere.
And this is easy to enjoy - Judy portrays her part as a very intelligent woman - which she was in real life - she wise-cracks some, does it a little silly at times - but always also as a loving woman - and all without the slightest whiff of salaciousness or snidely pretentious innuendo of any sort.
So relax on this one - its a true "feel good" watch - and, sure, we all know "real" life can be a lot more harsh - but, at the same time, people can "really" be loving and sweet.
As the song says: So it goes like it goes, like the river flows, and time keeps moving on - and maybe the good gets a little bit better, and maybe the bad gets gone.
So why not choose to think like that? :-)
This is just a lovely simple story and Judy Holliday is just radiant in it - no, it's not that Elizabeth Taylor/Spenser Tracy sort of upscale East Coast suburban thing - this is a California version where the grandpa is a working class ethnic guy and there's actually a sincere religious thematic element.
But the key is Judy Holliday - wow, she was great - just as comedic as Lucille Ball, but so much more natural - in fact, effortlessly natural on camera - all of her reactions and interactions just flow - and, yet, her performance is never trite - there are always surprising little twists, for example, in domestic mixup scenes where the wife character is typically expected to become an antic shrew, Judy just plays it sweet and easy and always with a gentle kind humor that could not be nicer to watch.
All of the supporting characters are very good as well - some might dismiss as "type casting" - but everyone seems comfortable in their roles and given the space to express their characters with their own level of nuance - it all rings true enough for a relatively simple narrative, that is nonetheless sincere.
And this is easy to enjoy - Judy portrays her part as a very intelligent woman - which she was in real life - she wise-cracks some, does it a little silly at times - but always also as a loving woman - and all without the slightest whiff of salaciousness or snidely pretentious innuendo of any sort.
So relax on this one - its a true "feel good" watch - and, sure, we all know "real" life can be a lot more harsh - but, at the same time, people can "really" be loving and sweet.
As the song says: So it goes like it goes, like the river flows, and time keeps moving on - and maybe the good gets a little bit better, and maybe the bad gets gone.
So why not choose to think like that? :-)