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Father of the Bride [1950] (REGION 1) (NTSC)
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The original comedy film about marriage with Tracy & Taylor
Review date: 2005-04-13 Rating: 10 out of 10
Elizabeth Taylor is the most beautiful bride in the history of the movies and Spencer Tracy is the suffering "Father of the Bride" in this 1950 film directed by Vincent Minnelli. Stanley Banks (Tracy) finds his peaceful life is tossed upside down when his daughter Kay (Taylor) announces she is going to marry Buckley Dunstan (Don Taylor). In the aftermath of the wedding, Stanley recounts in great detail the many problems a father has to contend with during the preparations for the wedding. But all the headaches are made worthwhile when he opens the door and see Kay in her wedding dress for the first time in a superbly beautiful shot of the radiant young bridge. This is one of those shots that makes you forget the film is not in color. Joan Bennett is first rate as Ellie, the woman caught between her husband and daughter, while Moroni Olson and Billie Burke play Buckley's parents and Leo G. Carroll gets the choice role of Mr. Massoula, the wedding planner. Tracy became very much the father figure for Taylor after this role, which certainly shows in their on-screen chemistry, and she always called him "Pops" until the day he died. The film was based on the novel by Edward Streeter and was quickly followed by a sequel, "Father's Little Dividend." The recent remake with Steve Martin was totally unnecessary, but you have to admire anybody who would take on a role for which Spencer Tracy was nominated for an Oscar. Remind me to watch this film when my daughters start planning their weddings.
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Reviews
A safe, feel-good family dramedy.
Review date: 2002-01-30 Rating: 8 out of 10
This classic 1950s family values comedy benefits from the charming performance of Spencer Tracy as the beleagured father. Elizabeth Taylor is at the bloom of youthful, unearthly beauty, and though her performance is light and 'stagey', her character is none the worse for it. While the movie is dated, it is still a must-see in its 'Life with Father' genre. Watched back-to-back with its later remake (by Steve Martin) provides an interesting contrast in times, values, and styles, and how the essential feelings, raised by a father's perceived loss of his little girl, stay the same.
Product Details/Specifications
Actor(s):
Don Taylor
Spencer Tracy
Billie Burke
Elizabeth Taylor
Joan Bennett
Creators:
Spencer Tracy (Primary Contributor)
Joan Bennett (Primary Contributor)
John Alton (Cinematographer)
Ferris Webster (Editor)
Pandro S. Berman (Producer)
Albert Hackett (Writer)
Edward Streeter (Writer)
Frances Goodrich (Writer)
Director(s):
Recording label: Warner Home Video
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
EAN: 9780790744643
Binding: DVD
ISBN: 0790744643
Number of items: 1
Format: Black & White, Closed-captioned, Colour, DVD-Video, Subtitled, NTSC,
Release date: 2003-05-13
Universal product code (UPC): 012569508224
Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
Region code: 1
Running time: 92 minutes
Theatrical release date: 1950-06-16
Language: English (Original Language)
Language: French (Original Language)
Language: Cantonese Chinese (Subtitled)
Language: English (Subtitled)
Language: French (Subtitled)
Language: Japanese (Subtitled)
Language: Korean (Subtitled)
Language: Portuguese (Subtitled)
Language: Spanish (Subtitled)
Language: Taiwanese Chinese (Subtitled)