Houseboat

A widower, his three young children, and an Italian nanny get to know each other better when circumstances have them living together aboard a badly neglected houseboat. Widower Tom Winters is trying to understand and raise three precocious children alone. He gets unexpected help from beautiful stranger Cinzia when the children decide that she is to be the new maid. She is actually an Italian socialite who is trying to get away from her overprotective father. —Brian W Martz <B.Martz@Genie.com> Upon the sudden death of his estranged and nearly-divorced wife, absentee father Tom claims ownership of his three children, seemingly more from spite against his in-laws than out of consideration for his kids. When youngest son Robert runs off in reaction, he's returned by spoiled socialite Cinzia, who's been itching to escape her orchestra-conductor father's dictates. Being a willful child herself, she harmonizes immediately with the kids and, needing a hideout, agrees to be hired on as their nanny. Finding their new house destroyed by a lustful, careless irresponsible Italian handyman, the five decide to live on the man's neglected and dilapidated houseboat rather than rightfully sue him and take rooms at a hotel. As Cinzia bridges the gap between Tom and his kids while starting to learn how to cook and clean, Tom's newly-divorced sister-in-law Carolyn makes a play for him. He accepts her proposal, but as Cinzia draws men in like a dog in heat, he realizes that he's more interested in Cinzia. —statmanjeff