{{Short description|1959 British film by Robert Day}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2016}} {{Use British English|date=May 2016}} {{Infobox film | name = Bobbikins | image =File:Bobbikins film poster.jpg | caption = | director = Robert Day | producer = Oscar Brodney <br />Bob McNaught | writer = Oscar Brodney | narrator = | starring = Shirley Jones <br />Max Bygraves <br> Billie Whitelaw | music = Philip Green | cinematography = Geoffrey Faithfull | editing = Stan Hawkes <br />Ralph Kemplen | studio = 20th Century Fox | distributor = 20th Century Fox | released = {{Film date|1959|07|28|df=yes}} | runtime = 89 minutes | country = United Kingdom | language = English | budget = | gross = }}
'''''Bobbikins''''' is a 1959 British comedy film directed by Robert Day and starring Shirley Jones and Max Bygraves.<ref name="BFIsearch">{{Cite web |title=Bobbikins |url=https://collections-search.bfi.org.uk/web/Details/ChoiceFilmWorks/150018046 |access-date=4 February 2024 |website=British Film Institute Collections Search}}</ref> It was written by Oscar Brodney and made in CinemaScope and released by 20th Century Fox.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://allmovie.com/work/bobbikins-85564|title = Bobbikins (1959) – Robert Day | Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related | AllMovie}}</ref> It was produced by the British subsidiary of 20th Century Fox and shot at Elstree Studios.
==Plot== This adventure follows the story of a young navy man, his wife and their baby son, Bobby, also known as Bobbikins''.'' To his surprise, Dad discovers his son talks, not baby-talk or gibberish but has adult conversations with his father only. Bobbikins learns stock market tips and passes them to his Dad.
After making a killing on the stock market, problems really begin. The dad is presumed mad, the government is after him, and the breakdown of relations between the young couple ensues. But there is hope.
==Cast== * Shirley Jones as Betty Barnaby * Max Bygraves as Ben Barnaby * Steven Stocker as Bobbikins Barnaby * Billie Whitelaw as Lydia Simmons * Barbara Shelley as Valerie * Colin Gordon as Dr. Phillips * Charles 'Bud' Tingwell as Luke Parker * Lionel Jeffries as Gregory Mason * Charles Carson as Sir Jason Crandall * Rupert Davies as Jock Fleming * Noel Hood as nurse * David Lodge as Hargreave * John Welsh as Admiral * Bill Nagy as Rogers the butler
== Critical reception == ''The Monthly Film Bulletin'' wrote: "Though the film's gimmick of a talking baby is in itself capably handled, its development is feeble, and the film has little more than Max Bygraves' bright personality to rely on."<ref>{{Cite journal |date=1 January 1959 |title=Bobbikins |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/1305814506 |journal=The Monthly Film Bulletin |volume=26 |issue=300 |pages=122 |id={{ProQuest|1305814506}} }}</ref>
''The Radio Times Guide to Films'' gave the film 1/5 stars, writing: "Even die-hard Max Bygraves fans will be hard pressed to squeeze much enjoyment out of this cinematic lemon. Impoverished entertainer Bygraves becomes rich after his 14-month-old baby begins picking up financial titbits from his park bench conversations with Chancellor Charles Carson. Preposterous."<ref>{{Cite book |title=Radio Times Guide to Films |publisher=Immediate Media Company |year=2017 |isbn=9780992936440 |edition=18th |location=London |pages=115}}</ref>
In ''British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959'' David Quinlan rated the film as "mediocre", writing: "Preposterous and over-sentimental comedy just about gets by on the charm of the baby and stars."<ref>{{Cite book |last=Quinlan |first=David |title=British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959 |publisher=B.T. Batsford Ltd. |year=1984 |isbn=0-7134-1874-5 |location=London |pages=286}}</ref>
British film critic Leslie Halliwell said: "Not at all a good idea, and feebly executed."<ref>{{Cite book |last=Halliwell |first=Leslie |title=Halliwell's Film Guide |publisher=Paladin |year=1989 |isbn=0586088946 |edition=7th |location=London |pages=127}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{IMDb title|id=0053661|title=Bobbikins}} * {{TCMDb title|id=69268}} * {{AFI film|id=53096|title=Bobbikins}}
{{Robert Day}}
Category:1959 films Category:British comedy films Category:1959 comedy films Category:Films directed by Robert Day Category:20th Century Fox films Category:Films about babies Category:Films shot at British National Studios Category:1959 English-language films Category:1959 British films Category:Films scored by Philip Green Category:English-language comedy films Category:British black-and-white films