Father of the Bride (1950)
- kbroer
- Nov 15, 2024
- 2 min read
Spencer Tracy, Joan Bennett, Elizabeth Taylor
Directed by Vincente Minnelli
Available to stream on Prime Video
In our next favorite from the 50's, Kay Banks (Elizabeth Taylor) is getting married and Stanley Banks (Spencer Tracy) is the father doing the worrying and the paying. That's all there is to the story, but great acting makes it great entertainment.
Why we love it:
Elaborate church weddings were coming into fashion in the 1950's, after the privations of the 1930's Depression and the 1940's World War. This funny and poignant movie is a delightful portrayal of that time. It's all Spencer Tracy's show and he is wonderful; so easy to watch and root for. He has good help from wife Joan Bennett, who stays in the background, but is always there to help the story along, and, of course, gorgeous Elizabeth Taylor, who is the perfect bride.
Leonard Maltin calls it a "peerless Tracy performance."
Fun Facts:
18-year-old Elizabeth Taylor married Conrad Hilton Jr. (Nicky) just a few weeks before the movie was released. MGM took advantage of her real-life wedding as a great publicity opportunity and planned and paid for her entire wedding. MGM designer Helen Rose designed Taylor's wedding gown for the film and for her real wedding. Unfortunately, Taylor's marriage to Hilton was not a success and it lasted just eight months.
A young Russ Tamblyn (later known for his role as Riff in West Side Story) plays one of Taylor's younger brothers.
Spencer Tracy was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor. The film was also nominated for Best Picture and Best Screenplay.
Spencer Tracy and Joan Bennett The story was adapted from a best-selling novel by Edward Streeter from 1948.
The movie was remade in 1991 with Steve Martin, Diane Keaton, and Kimberly Paisley. The remake is quite faithful to the original, even down to the Venus de Milo clock wedding present that isn't received well in either film.
For more reviews from the time go to the Fan Magazine Reviews page.
Featured Cocktail:
Beautiful Cocktail
Several cocktails are made by mixing brandy or cognac with another ingredient. For example, Benedictine (an herbal liqueur) and Brandy is such a popular combination it is sold as one product in a single bottle. Another brandy combination is made using Amaretto, an almond-flavored liqueur. The Beautiful cocktail is a delightful marriage of cognac and the orange flavor of Grand Marnier.
1 1/2 oz (45 ml) cognac
1 1/2 oz (45 ml) Grand Marnier
Pour together into a brandy snifter. Usually served without ice at room temperature, but it's equally delicious served warm or with a single ice cube. As long as the proportions are equal, the measures are up to you.
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