The play was the basis for the 1938 Academy Award winning film directed by Frank Capra. The film cast included several notable stars of the era including James Stewart, Jean Arthur, and Lionel Barrymore. The extended core cast included Edward Arnold, Spring Byington, Ann Miller, Dub Taylor, Charles Lane, Mischa Auer, Eddie ‘Rochester’ Anderson, and the uncredited Arthur Murray.

This comedy is one of  Capra’s best films — and certaily it’s unappreciated. Barrymore is outstanding as the patriarch of the eccentric Vanderhof clan showing his range, playing the polar opposite of the evil Mr. Potter in “It’s a Wonderful Life”. Barrymore, who is on crutches throughout the movie, is a man who has dropped out of the rat race and whose only goal in life is happiness – his and that of everyone around him. Arthur never seems to get her due when great actresses are discussed, but she certainly deserves to be mentioned along with the greats. Edward Arnold is excellent as a humorless, money hungry businessman who tries to buy the Vanderhof’s home for his latest business venture. The cast of free spirits who live in, or regularly visit the Vanderhof home make the movie. Poppins, Kolenkhov, Penny and the rest are a hilarious bunch who create a continuous cacophony of joy that greets any visitor to the Vanderhof home. In typical Capra style, things hit rock bottom for the Vanderhof clan before a warm, uplifting end that places a warm smile on your face.

The moral of the story is this: you can’t take it with you. The end.