Father and child sit together smiling while looking at a smart phone.

Want more recommendations for your family?

Sign up for our weekly newsletter for entertainment inspiration

Parents' Guide to

Driftwood

By Brian Costello, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 6+

Quaint 1940s family film with a few potential scares.

Movie NR 1947 88 minutes
Driftwood Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

age 10+

Based on 8 parent reviews

age 6+

A little girl is given a bath, during which she is fully nude, but her private parts are hidden by bubbles.

This movie is suitable for those six and up. A little girl is given a bath, during which she is fully nude.

This title has:

Too much sex
age 15+

Sad film is too much for young ones

PG-13: emtional moments and some scares

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (8 ):
Kids say: Not yet rated

For better or worse, they don't make movies like DRIFTWOOD anymore. Some will consider it corny and others will consider it quaint, but at the end of the day, the movie is an enjoyable slice of gosh-wow nostalgia, or at least a glimpse into How Things Used to Be. The days of malt shops, of neighbors knowing neighbors, of women feeling it's necessary to get married lest they turn into old maids, of spotted fever outbreaks among children.

A very young Natalie Wood plays the role of the precociously honest cute child to the hilt. The courtroom scene is hilarious -- intentionally and unintentionally. The ending, naturally, ties up everything in a fairly tidy and completely happy bow.

Movie Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate