Father of the Bride

source: Father of the Bride

And, as the saying goes - "Marriage - It's the only sure-fire way to wreck a romance." IMO - "Father Of The Bride" (FOTB, for short) was an absolutely irksome adulteration of the purest sentimental slop, 1950's style. After watching this truly nauseating piece of nostalgic junk - I can't imagine why anyone (in their right mind) would ever want to go through that sickening ritual known as the "marriage ceremony". 'Cause - Believe me - This ordeal is such a preposterous tradition, totally sanctioned by the church. "FOTB" starred an 18-year-old Elizabeth Taylor (who was obviously being pushed into adult roles). Anyway - You're sure to be utterly shocked when you see the repulsive, zero-charisma sap who Taylor's naive character, Kay Banks, so desperately wants to marry...... Yeeeuck!!

This is a classic comedy directed by Vincente Minneli. Some of the comedy is straight faced making it more laughable. Spenser Tracy plays a self confident, mild mannered attorney who has his household domain and almost every thought preoccupied with the fact that his beautiful daughter(Elizabeth Taylor)is getting married. Joan Bennett, mother of the bride, is more practical, but does her share of providing comical situations. Tracy has trouble realizing that his ideas are not current with the times. Other cast members are: Billie Burke, Leo G. Carroll, Russ Tamblyn and Don Taylor.

The film has plenty of rough edges, but other than that it's just a harmless, amusing comedy with a lot of warm sentimentality. As the title would suggest, it's about a father whose daughter is getting married and the various complications resulting. Spencer Tracy plays the father, from the upper-middle-class 1950s suburbs, and is funny with his deadpan stares and narration. (The latter, however, gets in the way a couple of times in the second half.) Joan Bennett is quite good as his wife, the calm at the center of most of the storms, (though occasionally the perpetuator of a storm herself!) and she and Tracy have nice chemistry. The final scene between them is a nice way to close things out. Elizabeth Taylor plays the starry-eyed, emotional daughter who goes on about how her intended "is the kind of person who can make everything absolutly,... teribly wonderful!" We, on the other hand, don't see that when we meet the guy, but I guess that's the point? You know,... what does she see in him? As Bennett says, "I know he isn't good enough for {her}, but no one's good enough for {her}." The wedding rehearsal, Tracy trying to uncork a Coke bottle, and Tracy trying to fit himself into a tux that doesn't fit are humorous. Pleasent, not really remarkable, but not bad.