Father of the Bride **** (1950, Spencer Tracy, Joan Bennett, Elizabeth Taylor, Don Taylor) – Classic Movie Review 3081

Director Vincente Minnelli’s delightful 1950 black and white original comedy is so much better than the 1991 remake with Steve Martin and Diane Keaton.

Spencer Tracy stars as the proud but grumpy old father Stanley Banks, Elizabeth Taylor plays his daughter Kay, the gorgeous young bride, Joan Bennett is the mom Ellie, and Don Taylor’s the groom, Buckley Dunstan. This perfect casting brings to sparkling life Minnelli’s fondly regarded comedy about a family in the grip of wedding fever, and a father in the grip of the gripe because everything’s costing too much. (‘The Bride gets the THRILLS! Father gets the BILLS!’}

As usual with a vintage MGM movie, there is strong character actor work from a special cast of the studio’s notable support players such as Billie Burke, Leo G Carroll, Moroni Olsen and Melville Cooper, while young Rusty Tamblyn (later Russ) plays one of Kay’s brothers.

Director Minnelli is just the right film-maker to bring out the warmth in this family saga. However, it is really Tracy’s film – and he’s on unstoppable form.

Also in the cast are Taylor Holmes, Paul Harvey, Frank Orth, Tom Irish and Marietta Canty.

Filming took place at All Saints’ Episcopal Church, 504 North Camden Drive, Beverly Hills.

Sequel: Father’s Little Dividend (1951).

© Derek Winnert 2015 Classic Movie Review 3081

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