Father's Little Dividend.

Review #2225: Father's Little Dividend.

Cast: 

Spencer Tracy (Stanley T. Banks), Joan Bennett (Ellie Banks), Elizabeth Taylor (Kay Dunstan), Don Taylor (Buckley Dunstan), Billie Burke (Doris Dunstan), Moroni Olsen (Herbert Dunstan), Richard Rober (Police Sergeant), Marietta Canty (Delilah), and Russ Tamblyn (Tommy Banks) Directed by Vincente Minnelli (#405 - The Reluctant Debutante, #510 - Father of the Bride, #620 - Lust for Life, #878 - The Long, Long Trailer, #986 - An American in Paris, #1031 - Meet Me in St. Louis, and #1397 - Gigi)

Review: 

Admittedly, covering sequels don't always fall by the wayside so hard like this. I was surprised to realize that I had watched the original Father of the Bride (1950)...nearly eleven years ago. Having to look back at a review made before I could even vote honestly makes me cringe, but I can reasonably defend my assessment of the film now and then as one that, well, has an "always fun to watch" Spencer Tracy. He was a versatile actor that really could run the gamut from drama to comedy, and it showed pretty well in that aforementioned Bride (as adapted from the 1949 novel of the same name that had been written by Edward Streeter) film in showing the road of a man that has seen his one daughter become a married woman (the result was an Academy Award nomination, go figure). Both that film and this one were written by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett (a regular couple that did stuff such as The Thin Man and later the play/screenplay of The Diary of Anne Frank) to go with the return of cast and crew for one of those early examples of a studio sequel. Apparently, the movie was shot in just a bit over three weeks as the film made by Vincente Minnelli when he was taking a break from An American in Paris (also released in 1951). The movie was a fair hit with audiences and also one you probably encountered on public domain because due to a failed copyright renewal, one can easily see the 82 minute on the Internet or, well, on a cheap DVD.

Well, it may be a rushed product of a sequel, but it is a lightly entertaining film. It is a family film of the 1950s through and through, in terms of the positive realization that comes in learning to say the words "I am a grandfather". Tracy does narration at times just like the previous film, which here is about the same level of effective on a slightly smaller scale. He apparently had a bit of reluctance to do the film, but it doesn't show here as he remains fairly committed to playing the lead in wry commitment, you'd expect in a patriarch like him. Bennett did not get to do as many films as one would expect after this one, probably because of a scandal where her husband (Walter Wanger) shot her agent in the groin because he thought they were having an affair that occurred the same year that this film was released. She does about as well as she did in the previous film in warm support. The Taylors still make a neat pairing together as pieces that maneuver (and are maneuvered) just as much as one sees with Tracy's character when it comes to routine married life. The film doesn't go too ga-ga on baby jokes and eventually finds some footing for its climax (what else but a christening) because it is hard to really grind cynicism over useful routine like this about maintaining sense in a sometimes sense-less place, family or not. In conclusion, it certainly shows a few seams of strain when it comes to being anything more than what you might find in a sitcom of its ilk, but there is a general warmth that comes through in terms of the commitment of its cast and an overall hopeful message of maintaining oneself even with the inevitable passage of time and family. 

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

Life with Father.

Review #1370: Life with Father.

Cast: 
William Powell (Clarence Day Sr), Irene Dunne (Vinnie Day), Elizabeth Taylor (Mary Skinner), Edmund Gwenn (Rev. Dr. Lloyd), ZaSu Pitts (Cousin Cora Cartwright), Jimmy Lydon (Clarence Day Jr), Emma Dunn (Margaret the Cook), Moroni Olsen (Dr. Humphries), Elizabeth Risdon (Mrs. Whitehead), and Martin Milner (John Day) Directed by Michael Curtiz (#125 - Casablanca, #416 - Yankee Doodle Dandy, #505 - The Adventures of Robin Hood, #529 - Mildred Pierce, and #719 - Mystery of the Wax Museum)

Review:
"I put all the art into my pictures that I think the audience can stand."

What better way to accompany the 1940s than a family picture based on established material of the time? The film was based on the 1935 autobiographical book of the same name by Clarence Day, Jr, who had based it on episodes of humor in his family life, specifically his father in the 1890s. He died of pneumonia that year, but a follow-up book called Life with Mother was published posthumously in 1937. Two years later, the books were adapted into a play called Life with Father by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse, which ran for 3,224 performances in nearly eight years, and it still ranks as the longest running non-musical play on Broadway. The film was adapted to the screen by Donald Ogden Stewart (who you might recognize for his work on films such as Love Affair and The Philadelphia Story). It should prove no surprise that the film came from prolific director Michael Curtiz (who was 38 when he left Hungary for Hollywood, who could do a variety of genres through his own kind of visual style involving camera movement and lighting that combined with his intense style of activity (such as skipping lunch), with his friends nicknaming him "Iron Mike" for his fitness; in his 49-year career, he directed a total of 166 films before his death in 1962. 

It is evident from the roughly $4.7 million budget that Warner Brothers wanted to make a big achievement in making this book-turned-play-turned film an engaging one that draws on the humor that its brash patriarch inspires, with varying results. I can't necessarily say that this is a great comedy, since it does tend to veer on the edge of being dated, but there is a decent cast and useful production value that makes it a fair curiosity. Powell commands the film with fairly amusing results, drawing a few laughs in his attempts in family humor with his type of bluster that seems somewhat relevant for a family comedy. Dunne (in a role that she found rattlebrained that took coaxing to do from Curtiz) accompanies him with her own kind of charm, matching in dignity through fair chemistry with Powell. Taylor, who had risen to teen star earlier in the decade with National Velvet (1944), does well with grace whenever on screen, having the most presence among the teenagers and children despite having scattered focus. Gwenn contributes with warmth and dignity that is to be expected from him.  The film treads okay at 118 minutes, showcasing a 3-strip Technicolor tale of a comedy of manners that inspires chuckles more than yawns, even if it is entirely predictable (regardless of what era it was made in, I suppose). Life with Father is an average film with prominent talent and a prominent place because of its public domain status that makes it a decent gem worth looking for its look at a quirky family and the situations that come with them.

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

Notorious (1946).

Review #910: Notorious.

Cast:
Cary Grant (T. R. Devlin), Ingrid Bergman (Alicia Huberman), Claude Rains (Alexander Sebastian), Leopoldine Konstantin (Madame Anna Sebastian), Louis Calhern (Captain Paul Prescott), Moroni Olsen (Walter Beardsley), Ricardo Costa (Dr. Julio Barbosa), Reinhold Schünzel (Dr. Anderson), Ivan Triesault (Eric Mathis), and Eberhard Krumschmidt (Emil Hupka) Directed by Alfred Hitchcock (#219 - Rope, #223 - North by Northwest, #446 - Spellbound, #447 - Psycho, #450 - Vertigo, #455 - Rear Window, #553 - Strangers on a Train, and #800 - Shadow of a Doubt)

Review:
It has been a while since I covered a Hitchcock film on Movie Night, but I figured that it was time to do one that I had been thinking of doing for quite a while now, which is a brilliant spy film noir. The easiest benefit (aside from Hitchcock's direction, which I'll get to) is the trio of Grant, Bergman, and Rains. All three shine in their respective roles, with Grant and Bergman having great chemistry together, particularly during one stretch where the two engage in kissing alongside dialogue and looking at each other, and the sequence (lasting two-and-a-half minutes) is not only one of the most famous sequences in film but also a passionate one to watch. The production code of the time prevented kisses longer than 3 seconds, but the sequence works better than a scene that would've been allowed to linger on that kiss, in part because of the tension one can see between the two being framed better. Rains is also a good villain, being carefully crafted while also having his own kind of chemistry with Bergman, with the right kind of pace and movements.  Konstantin (an Austrian actress popular during the pre-war times in Germany in her only American film performance) is also pretty good. The rest of the cast is also pretty good in their roles. The camera shots are also a key standout, from the shots that introduce Grant's character to the shots from a character's point of view during the climax, with every shot having a key element of finesse to it. The story is crafted excellently, with love and duty being a strong theme that makes for a riveting movie that also has moments of suspense that deliver a great payoff. The climax is a fairly good one, utilizing the characters and story to conclude itself without resorting to a big battle or anything that wouldn't have worked for this movie; this is the kind of a movie where it ends on a character going back to their own house (resigned to their fate), and it's just a neat way to end both that arc and the movie. At 101 minutes, it certainly is a movie with a good pace, and I can definitely recommend checking out this movie, especially if you are a fan of Hitchcock and his work.

Overall, I give it 10 out of 10 stars.

The Long, Long Trailer.

Review #878: The Long, Long Trailer.

Cast:
Lucille Ball (Tacy Bolton-Collini), Desi Arnaz (Nicholas 'Nicky' Collini), Marjorie Main (Mrs. Hittaway), Keenan Wynn (Policeman), Gladys Hurlbut (Mrs. Bolton), Moroni Olsen (Mr. Tewitt), Bert Freed (Foreman), and Madge Blake (Aunt Anastacia) Directed by Vincente Minnelli (#405 - The Reluctant Debutante, #510 - Father of the Bride, and #620 - Lust for Life)

Review:
Honestly, I'm not a big fan of I Love Lucy. If you've known me over the years I've done this show, you are aware that I tend to veer towards older movies (in fact, 510 (including this one) of the films reviewed by me were before 1990), but Lucy was never one of my go-to shows growing up, though I know of its reputation and of its long lasting length as reruns on television. The Long, Long Trailer was one of only three films released during the time it was on (with The Magic Carpet and Forever, Darling being the other films), and the story goes that MGM believed the film wouldn't be much of a success because of the fact audiences could see the duo on TV. However, the film turned out to be a success, in part due to the slapstick that is (somewhat) endearing to me and no doubt endearing to the audiences of the time as well. There is something about the movie that manages to feel so real, with location shots (such as Yosemite), and adequate enough timing without being too canned. The part with the rocks inside the trailer is one highlight for me, in part due to the timing of the right moment of when everything culminates. The other cast members are pretty decent, though it really is all about
Ball and Arnaz, whose chemistry helps the movie out. The trailer is an interesting set in it of itself, and it certainly is sizable enough to contribute to some fine gags. As a whole, it's a decent little movie that is endearing enough for at least one watch. It's not a hallmark of comedy by any means, but it is at least entertaining.

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Mildred Pierce.

Review #529: Mildred Pierce.

Cast
Joan Crawford (Mildred Pierce Beragon), Jack Carson (Wally Fay), Zachary Scott (Monte Beragon), Eve Arden (Ida Corwin), Ann Blyth (Veda Pierce Forrester), Butterfly McQueen (Lottie), Bruce Bennett (Albert Pierce), Lee Patrick (Maggie Biederhof), and Moroni Olsen (Inspector Peterson) Directed by Michael Curtiz (#125 - Casablanca and #416 - Yankee Doodle Dandy, and #505 - The Adventures of Robin Hood)

Review
Mildred Pierce is a classic film noir (Which is why this film is in the National Film Registry, along with other films such as The Maltese Falcon, D.O.A, and other various films) that also manages to be a very gripping drama. Joan Crawford has a powerful performance as Pierce, she makes the movie whole, and she gives her all to make this more then just a film noir. The other actors are good, they certainly work well with Crawford, and they are also fun to watch. Ann Blyth is really effective at her acting in this film, especially with a character so brutal. Curtiz does a fine job directing and the film itself never has a bump or a sluggish moment in it, and the ending is certainly satisfying.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Father of the Bride.

Review #510: Father of the Bride.

Cast
Spencer Tracy (Stanley T. Banks), Joan Bennett (Ellie Banks), Elizabeth Taylor (Katherine Banks), Don Taylor (Buckley Dunstan), Billie Burke (Doris Dunstan), Leo G. Carroll (Mr. Massoula), and Moroni Olsen (Herbert Dunstan) Directed by Vincente Minnelli (#405 - The Reluctant Debutante)

Review
Spencer Tracy is always fun to watch, how he acts towards events in the character's life, like what he does in this film. He at first is skeptical about his daughter's soon to be marriage, but at the end he is accepting of his daughter growing up. Tracy interacts well with the rest of the cast, especially with Taylor, the two interact well as father and daughter, especially when Tracy sees Taylor in her wedding dress for the first time, shown on 3 mirrors no less, which is probably why the shot and the scene work so well. Bennett is also effective, and Taylor (while not being in the film too much), is fine. The film has some chuckles and it never slows its pace, making for a quick, but effective film that would inspire a sequel the following year, and a remake with its own sequel.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.