Parents' Guide to

You Can't Take It with You

By Nell Minow, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 8+

Kid-friendly Capra classic stars a quirky family.

Movie NR 1938 127 minutes
You Can't Take It with You Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 11+

Based on 1 parent review

MovieLover4Lyfe
MovieLover4Lyfe Adult
June 2, 2010
age 11+

By today's standards this movie is ab it slow moving. Children may not want to sit through it. Has a very nice story in it though and teens should be able to appreciate it.
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

In YOU CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU, Tony Kirby (Jimmy Stewart) and Alice (Jean Arthur) have fallen in love. The problem is that they are from drastically different families. Tony's is straight-laced. Alice's is loving but eccentric, presided over by Grandpa (Lionel Barrymore). Alice invites Tony and his parents over for dinner, but they arrive a day early. The chaos that ensues leads Alice to believe she and Tony cannot be married, but it only serves to strengthen his resolve that they can.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1 ):
Kids say (3 ):

The well-loved play by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart is given the wholesome Frank Capra treatment, sometimes called "capra-corn." The entire populist subplot about the land being sold and the appearance of most of the characters in court are the additions of Capra and his screenwriter, Robert Riskin, and they make the film seem a bit dated. But children will enjoy the way that everyone in the family joyfully pursues his or her own dreams, and the way they all respect and support one another.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about whether they would like to live in a family like this one. Which family member is most like you? Why did Tony tell his parents the wrong night for dinner at the Sycamore's? Notice the difference between the way that the Sycamores and the Kirbys react when they get arrested. Why? What does the title mean?

Movie Details

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