Father of the Bride (1950)

Father of the Bride (1950)

6/10

Starring

Spencer Tracy

Joan Bennett

Elizabeth Taylor

Don Taylor

Billie Burke

 

Directed by Vincente Minnelli

 

I enjoyed this movie, but not as much as I enjoyed the 1991 remake of the same name starring Steve Matin. I guess I am a little spoiled from seeing the 1991 version so much that I missed the soundtrack. This movie had no soundtrack and there is a huge part that played in me not loving the movie as much as I did the remake. And even though the movie was fun, it made me appreciate the men and women who work on movie scores.

The plot is like that of the remake, although many of the character names differ. This is my first time seeing this movie and my first-time seeing Elizabeth Taylor acting. Now Spencer Tracy was as usual just head over heels ahead of the rest. I loved his Stanley Banks, his way of acting and trying his best to be as cheap as usual. The talent this movie carries with Joan Bennett and the rest makes it very easy to fall in love with the characters as you watch them trying to navigate the stingy Stanley Banks who does not want to see his daughter go.

The movie starts with us viewing the aftermath of the wedding of Kay Banks (Elizabeth Taylor) to Buckley Dunstan (Don Taylor). There we see Stanley just wondering how come his little angel has suddenly grown to be a woman.

He starts to narrate the train of events that led to this present day. His daughter Kay seems to be in a world of her own and it made Stanley nervous. He starts to suspect that a guy was the root of all these troubles when Kay starts talking about a guy named Buckley, whom to her is the smartest guy there is. Soon we are witnessing Stanley coming to terms with the idea that Kay is getting married to Buckley and he is going to be the one paying for the wedding. Stanley is willing to do everything within his power to cut costs, as well as not make his wife and daughter angry with him while he does it.

The movie is one of those timeless jewels that can be enjoyed anytime. It got numerous accolades and Oscar nominations. It also features in the AFI top 100 laughs, even though I believe the remake beats it hands down, I appreciate the work this movie put in place for us to be able to see and appreciate the remake that followed.