This Happy Breed

A Sweeping Panorama of Living

1944 • 111 min • Drama

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Synopsis

A chronicle of the lives of the Gibbons family, from shortly after the end of the First World War to the beginning of the Second.

Our family guide

Best from age 8

Movie Knight Score

64 reviews

100 Reviewers · 1 · 51%
71 Audience · 63 · 49%

This drama chronicles the lives of the Gibbons family in suburban London, spanning the years between the two World Wars. It follows their joys, heartbreaks, and evolving relationships against the backdrop of societal change.

Violence & peril: 1/10
Language: 1/10
Drinking, drugs & smoking: 2/10
Romance & sensuality: 1/10
Scary moments: 2/10

Heads up

Discussions of war and its impact
Characters experience loss and disappointment
Brief mentions of social unrest

What it models well

Family bonds and support
Resilience through adversity
Adapting to changing times
The importance of home

Talk about it after

How families navigate difficult times together.
The contrast between pre- and post-World War I life.
The hopes and anxieties of the early 20th century.
How personal decisions impact family members.

Written by the Movie Knight editorial team for This Happy Breed. Our own words, our own scoring — always double-check against your family's standards.

Where to watch

Country

Stream

Criterion Channel

Free

Darkroom

Free with ads

The Roku Channel
YouTube Free
Plex
Plex Channel
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Top billed cast

Director: David Lean • Crew: Ronald Neame, David Lean, Anthony Havelock-Allan

Trailers & clips

This Happy Breed (1944) ORIGINAL TRAILER [HD 1080p]

British Film - This Happy Breed (1944) Clip 1

Reviewer notes

RecommendedTrusted family reviewers
This gently entertaining film follows the trials and tribulations of the "Gibbons" family - mum, "Ethel" (Celia Johnson), dad "Frank" (Robert Newton), daughters "Queenie" (Kay Walsh), "Vi" (Eileen Erskine) and their son "Reg" (John Blythe) alongside her mother "Mrs. Flint" (Amy Veness), who not untypically lodged with them too.…
CinemaSerf, TMDB Community