Introduction
Welcome to my corner! Last week, I shared my thoughts on the film 1776. This week, I'm sharing my thoughts on the film Father of the Bride.
The TCM television channel played Father of the Bride as part of their 'Director Vincente Minnelli lineup on June 6 in the afternoon. Enjoy!
Father of the Bride
Father of the Bride is a 1950 American romantic comedy film directed by Vincente Minnelli from a screenplay by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett, based on the 1949 novel of the same name by Edward Streeter. The film stars Spencer Tracy, and follows a man trying to cope with preparations for his daughter's wedding. Father of the Bride was nominated for Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Writing, Screenplay and Best Actor in a Leading Role (for Tracy).
Plot: When beautiful Kay Banks (Elizabeth Taylor) announces her engagement to Buckley Dunstan (Don Taylor), her doting middle-class father, Stan (Spencer Tracy), must contend with a variety of problems, ranging from money issues to wedding planning difficulties. As things get hectic, Stan's wife, Ellie (Joan Bennett), tries to be the calm in the center of the storm. At the heart of the comedy, though, is Stan's emotional tie to his little girl, and his realization that she has indeed grown up.
Acting: I didn't have any problems with the acting presented in Father of the Bride.
Spencer Tracy played Stanley T. Banks. His four most notable movies are: Judgement at Nuremberg, Father of the Bride, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, and Inherit the Wind. I reviewed Guess Who's Coming to Dinner back in March. I've also seen Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1941) where he played the main character(s). That one's my favorite of Tracy's films I've seen so far.
Joan Bennett played Ellie Banks. Her four notable films are Suspiria, Scarlet Street, Man Hunt and The Woman in the Window. I haven't seen her other work.
Elizabeth Taylor played Kay Banks. We talked about her not too long ago when I reviewed Night Watch. The four films she's most known for are: The Taming of the Shrew, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and Suddenly, Last Summer. Out of these four, I've only seen Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?. Don't make me get into that movie again...Oof. I don't have a favorite Elizabeth Taylor movie yet.
Don Taylor played Buckley Dunstan. Out of his notable titles, there was only one that he acted in; the other three he directed. These titles include: Stalag 17 — for acting, Escape from the Planet of the Apes, The Final Countdown, and The Island of Dr. Moreau (1977). He directed more than he acted. However, I haven't seen any of his other acting or directing work.
Billie Burke, famously known from The Wizard of Oz as Glinda the Good Witch, also appears in this movie. She plays Doris Dunstan, Buckley's mother. I love hearing her voice.
Technical aspects: According to Frank Miller for TCM, when creating the role for the father, the character was shaped around Spencer Tracy. Minnelli believed Tracy was capable of handling a role that balanced humor with fatherly tenderness. After some miscommunication with the producers, Jack Benny was brought in for a reading. He was too comedic and couldn't handle the dramatic aspects of the film. When Tracy heard another actor was being tested, he turned down the movie. Minnelli asked Katherine Hepburn to invite Tracy to a dinner party where he later convinced Tracy to join the production.
Tracy then wanted Hepburn for his screen wife, but it i was felt that they were too romantic a team to play a happily domesticated couple with children, so Joan Bennett, who had previously co-starred with Hepburn in the 1933 film version of Little Women and Tracy in the 1932 motion pictures She Wanted a Millionaire and Me and My Gal, got the part.
Final Thoughts: There was a lot more humor to this movie than I was initially expecting. I loved it though! I highly recommend giving it a watch!
Father of the Bride was the perfect summer flick, as summertime is very popular for weddings. I felt every aspect of Stanley Banks' pain with wedding planning in my soul. Now, I haven't been married, but I've been to my fair share of weddings, and also been part of a few wedding parties, so I know the headache of what goes on behind the scenes. And believe you me, I want no part of it! If and when I ever get married, It won't be an extravagant, expensive affair. No sir! After the horror stories I've heard and seen firsthand, not to mention the death of one's pocketbook, I'd been fine with a small gathering. Or heck, even eloping!
My thoughts on weddings aside, this was a great movie. I really enjoyed it. I'm starting to see more and more of Spencer Tracy on the screen, and I've begun to realize why he was a big name at the time. He was good! Now I can say I've also seen another Elizabeth Taylor move, so that's something too.
I know there's a 1991 remake of Father of the Bride starring Steve Martin, Diane Keaton and Martin Short, but I actually haven't seen it yet. I plan to someday. I'm sure it's good too! They wouldn't make sequels to it if it wasn't good, right? Hehe.
Where to watch it: According to Google, Father of the Bride is currently available to watch on Hulu and YouTube TV with a premium subscription. Or, you can purchase or rent a digital copy for a few dollars. I've also donated a DVD copy of the film to the Emil M. Larson Library in Clark for you all to enjoy if you choose to.
That's it for this week! What were your thoughts? Feel free to share them with us! You can call us, email us, visit us at the office, leave us a comment or message on Facebook, or even mail us something. Keep the comments, suggestions, questions, submissions, etc. coming our way! We'd love to hear from you!
