You won't be disappointed!

One of my all time favorites.

The biggest problem with this movie is it’s a little better than you think it might be, which somehow makes it worse. As in, it takes itself a bit too seriously, which makes most of the movie feel kind of dull.

Blistering performances.

Stanley T. Banks (Spencer Tracy) surveys the aftermath of his favorite 20 year old daughter Kay (Elizabeth Taylor)'s wedding celebration. Three months earlier, he returns home to the normal family affair. During dinner, Kay announces marrying Buckley Dunstan sometime in the future although he's not sure which one is Buckley. He knows that he will no longer be the most important man in his little girl's life.Elizabeth Taylor's young star power probably had a lot to do with the movie's success. It's life imitating art. However, this is very much Spencer Tracy's movie. It's old fashion but it's also a timeless sentiment. It may be an old movie but the central premise never gets dated as long as there are fathers and daughters. Tracy plays a fine father-knows-best character. It's sweet comedy although the humor is not that edgy.

I feel a 10/10 rating has to be carefully judged before awarding. Thus I am all too careful in awarding such a high score. However, I didn't really have to think about this... this movie easily deserves 10/10.In this day and age when so-called 'comedy' movies are simply full of just daft, witless, senseless, sometimes toilet, 'humour', film-makers would do well to look at the likes of Vincente Minelli's "Father Of The Bride" (1950) for inspiration on good quality film-making.The difference with the likes of this three-Oscar-nominated 'masterpiece' is that it is not comedy in the sense of daft circumstances, silly jokes etc... it reflects - basically - the comedy that we experience in everyday life. In fact, I'd go so far as to call this a 'light-hearted drama' if anything.Tracy is his brilliant self. His 'comedy acting' is actually an extension of the excellent script, his position as an unfortunate victim of circumstances (he conveys the weight of the world as being on his shoulders), the direction and a reflection on what we as objective viewers relate with our own lives. This is what 'comedy-drama' / comedy-acting' is all about... NOT playing for laughs as seems to be the common methodology these days.It is interesting that in a recent episode of the UK's fast-deteriorating soap "Coronation Street", the scriptwriter actually plagiarised some lines from the 1950 "Father Of The Bride". Reference was made (I paraphrase) to "I hope it's not the guy with the teeth"... and more. It was so badly misplaced and - to me - noticing it immediately, it was straight (and paraphrased) from the movie. I suppose that considering copying is the best form of flattery, it's perhaps a testament to Goodrich, Hackett and Streeter (the writers, the latter being the novelist).I won't waste my time going any farther than just mentioning the Steve Martin 'remake', which is nothing but the usual modern rubbish attempting to match a classic original but, I suppose, again 'mimicry is the best form of flattery'.Supporting roles are played excellently all round... particularly a young and very beautiful Elizabeth Taylor, the gorgeous Joan Bennett, Don Taylor ('the boy with the shoulders'), Billie Burke and more.The style is of the main protagonist (Tracy as lawyer Stanley T. Banks) narrating the story of the lead up to his only daughter ("I know a father's not supposed to have a favourite, but with Kay...") getting married. It's actually a very interesting insight to the turmoil that can befall a tight-knit middle-class family under such circumstances.I'd suggest also having a look at the sequel to the original: "Father's Little Dividend" (1951). Although not nearly as good, it's still very enjoyable and worth watching.

all these years, after watching RAGING BULL and Vicki La Motta saying she's going to the movies to see FATHER OF THE BRIDE in 1947, and now I see it came out in 1950...do I need to recheck RAGING BULL? OK, OK...a very enjoyable comedy with Tracy kicking up his heels, as "Father", getting bombarded day after day with financial and familial responsibilities.will the wedding actually happen? is the groom really worthy of Elizabeth Taylor's hand? will they have to knock down half the house to accommodate 150 guests, 149 unwanted? movie flows with a perfect screenplay and zippy direction....my armchair critique: the director had a chance to make funny scenes hilarious and Tracy actually could have done better, had he been allowed to kind of, "lose his mind" just a little bit. he seems to settle into all the sentimentality when he could come on more like say, W. C. Fields, or even OLiver Hardy! (Hardy would have done a magnificent job)...yes, some slapstick could have worked beautifully...some camera glances....Tracy always looking at his wallet when the next over charge is discussed. but hey...that's me.rent or buy. nice oldie.

i did enjoy this film,which was remade in 1991 with Steve Martin.this version is more of a romance than comedy,though there are a some comic bits that do work pretty well.this is the first movie movie i have seen with Spencer Tracy,and i kinda thought he overacted a bit at times.maybe that was intentional,i'm not sure.Steve Martin overacted in his version too,in my opinion.i find it amusing how back then in the 50's they weren't allowed to show a couple sleeping in the same bed,and of course there's a scene where the husband and wife are sleeping in separate beds in the same room,less than a foot away from each other.this trend continued into the 70's.anyway,for a pleasant diversion,you can't go wrong with this movie.for me,Father of the Bride (1950)is a 6/10