The Happy Road

{{Short description|1957 French-American comedy film directed by Gene Kelly}}

{{Infobox film

| name = The Happy Road

| image = "The_Happy_Road"_(1957).jpg

| caption = British quad poster

| director = Gene Kelly

| producer = Gene Kelly

| writer = Arthur Julian
Harry Kurnitz
Joe Morhaim

| based_on =

| starring = Gene Kelly
Barbara Laage
Brigitte Fossey
Bobby Clark
Michael Redgrave

| music = Georges Van Parys

| cinematography = Robert Juillard

| editing = Borys Lewin

| distributor = Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

| released = {{Film date|1957|06|20}}

| runtime = 99 minutes

| country = United States

| language = English

| budget = $575,000{{Citation | title = The Eddie Mannix Ledger | publisher = Margaret Herrick Library, Center for Motion Picture Study | place = Los Angeles}}.

| gross = $950,000

}}

The Happy Road is a 1957 French-American comedy film starring Gene Kelly, Barbara Laage, Michael Redgrave and Bobby Clark.{{cite web|url=http://explore.bfi.org.uk/4ce2b6abd0c38|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120714203641/http://explore.bfi.org.uk/4ce2b6abd0c38|url-status=dead|archive-date=2012-07-14|title=The Happy Road|work=BFI}} The plot involves two runaway students and the efforts of their respective parents to locate them.

Plot

Two students (a boy and girl) escape from their Swiss private school and make for Paris. Their respective parents, an American father and a French mother, together embark on a wide journey around the countryside, getting local police involved in finding them, with many whimsical situations, including riding on a police motorcycle, and encountering military maneuvers and a bicycle race.

Cast

Mike Andrews — Gene Kelly
Suzanne Duval — Barbara Laage
Danny Andrews — Bobby Clark
Janine Duval — Brigitte Fossey
General Medworth — Michael Redgrave
Doctor Salaise — Roger Tréville
Hélène — Colette Dereal
Madame Fallière — Maryse Martin
Motorcycle Officer — Van Doude
Armbruster — Colin Mann
The Woodcutter — Alexandre Rignault
David, Earl of Bardingham — T. Bartlett
Carpenter — Paul Préboist

Critical reception

Allmovie wrote, "The Happy Road tends to bludgeon its audience with whimsy at time," but noted, "Gene Kelly, as always, is charming, and less affected than usual";{{cite web|url=http://www.allmovie.com/movie/the-happy-road-v94310|title=The Happy Road (1957) - Trailers, Reviews, Synopsis, Showtimes and Cast - AllMovie|work=AllMovie}} while The New York Times praised the film as "a lively and charming little tale" concluding, "Mr. Kelly rates a good hand for this picture. So does Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer."{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9801E4DB1730E23BBC4951DFB066838C649EDE|title=Movie Review - The Happy Road - The Screen: 'Happy Road' Arrives; Gene Kelly Film Opens at Plaza Theatre The Cast - NYTimes.com|website=The New York Times |publisher=}}