Film Review: Hobson's Choice (1954)(Spoilers Ahead)

I love films of all genres for different reasons. Black and white films always captivate me because the stories, sounds and characters are always colourful, and Hobson's Choice is no exception for me. Widowed father and successful bootmaker Henry Hobson (Charles Laughton) is determined not to let his three daughters Maggie, Alice and Vicky (Brenda de Banzie, Daphne Anderson and Prunella Scales) get married, but his oldest daughter, Maggie, rebels completely in an intelligent and quick witted way by choosing Hobson's own boot maker William Mossop (John Mills) to be her husband.

This film is set in Salford and so of course I love it, as well as how sweet William is and how Maggie doesn't put him down but builds him up, their relationship at first being slightly unequal but as the film progresses they do even it out and end up falling in love. Maggie respects William the same way he respects her. She not only teaches him to read and write but also to be proud of his craft.

There were a couple of cringy moments for me, especially regarding Henry and his incredulous attitude towards the idea of anyone marrying his 30 year old daughter, as well as Vicky and Alice's ineptitude during Maggie's absence in the store/family home, although it did showcase exactly how much hard work Maggie did so it didn't bother me too much.

I also loved the special effects and Charles performance.

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