Product Details

• Actors: Spencer Tracy, Joan Bennett, Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Portnow
• Directors: Vincente Minnelli
• Producers: Pandro S. Berman
• Format: Full Screen, Closed-captioned, NTSC, Subtitled
• Language: English (Mono), French (Dolby Digital 1.0)
• Subtitles: French, Portuguese, Spanish, Thai, Korean, English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Turner Home Ent
• DVD Release Date: August 29, 2006
• Run Time: 93 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (69 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000GETTIE
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,479 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• Learn more about "Father of the Bride (Keepcase)" on IMDb

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

This 1950 Vincente Minnelli classic may show its age here and there, but it's still a far sturdier movie than the 1991 Steve Martin vehicle. Spencer Tracy earned yet another Oscar nomination for his wonderfully well observed portrayal of Stanley Banks, a decent (if occasionally long-winded) fellow who gets caught up and cut up in the rudderless spectacle that is the wedding of his only daughter (Elizabeth Taylor, of course). It's a sage commentary on the class mores of the day--how much does one spend? (Or, more accurately, when does one quit spending?) Does one invite one's work colleagues, even if they don't know the bride? Tracy is simply magnificent, gruffly warm and funny, whether he's getting sloppy drunk and discoursing at length or simply sitting by, silently amazed, as his daughter and her beau make up after a spat. The film inspired a sequel (1951's Father's Little Dividend--try getting that title made nowadays), a remake, and a remake of its sequel, as well as a TV series--all in all, almost as many incarnations as Taylor had weddings. --David Kronke

Product Description

"I would like to say a few words about weddings," a weary man says from the middle of a muddle of rice and scattered bottles. What follows is a warm, witty look at what it means to be Father of the Bride. Spencer Tracy is the father and Elizabeth Taylor the bride in this lively Vincente Minnelli-directed classic. Taylor is glowingly showcased - and reflected in three mirrors when first seen in a wedding gown. Tracy's performance captures every loving father's exasperations and joys as the day approaches. It also captured the fourth of his nine* Best Actor Academy Award* nominations. The film also earned nominations** for Best Picture and Screenplay. Here comes the bride, there goes dad's wallet - and everyone's heart. What sparkling fun!

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 36 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Some Things Never Change July 17, 2004

By H. F. Corbin TOP 500 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase

I just saw for the first time ever this movie made in 1950; directed by Vincente Minnelli; and starring Elizabeth Taylor, Spencer Tracy and Joan Bennett. Ms. Taylor was only 18 when she made this film and was frightening and eternally beautiful. She is so petite that she almost could adorn her own wedding cake. The movie, however, as the title implies, belongs to Mr. Tracy who plays her father who cannot bear to see his little daughter grow up and get married. There is a lot of most fathers in Mr. Tracy's character. He has some great lines and some funny scenes and endears himself to us with his gentle humor-- the footage where he gets stuck in his kitchen making drinks and doesn't get to make a speech about his beloved daughter, just to point out one delightful instance. He is such a bungler-- can't get to Ms. Taylor at the wedding reception to bid her goodbye either.

I did not find this 54 year-old movie dated at all. Some things never change. Love may be eternal and most families the world over act pretty much the same when it comes to seeing their children leave home.

22 of 26 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Spence steals the show September 20, 2000

By Candace Scott

Format:VHS Tape

First, a warning: this is the colorized version of this classic black and white film, so avoid it if you're a film connoisseur. The original black and white version is infinitely superior to this poorly done colorization.

Now, the good news. This film showcases Spencer Tracy's remarkable acting ability and he delivers a witty and intelligent performance as Elizabeth Taylor's long-suffering father. Spence has several monologues which are a joy to watch. His acting gift (along with Charles Laughton) is an absolute wonder and it's always a pleasure to watch him. Joan Bennet is adequate in a supporting role and Elizabeth Taylor is breathtaking as the 18-year-old soon to be wed daughter. Liz's performance is actually quite good and her interplay with Tracy is especially effective.

Yes, this movie is dated in places, but Tracy's performance is worth watching the entire movie. He is in nearly every scene and transforms a seemingly average movie into something really special.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars One Wedding You Definitely Want to Attend March 30, 2006

By Silver Screen

Format:DVD

Unlike some previous reviewers, I have to say that I think that the original "Father of the Bride" has stood the test of time and I found it to be just as enjoyable, if not more so, in some cases, as the Steve Martin remake.

Spencer Tracy stars as Stanley Banks, an attorney happily married to his wife Ellie (Joan Bennett), with three children and a lovely house. His only daughter Kay (Elizabeth Taylor) drops a bombshell on Stanley and Ellie one evening by announcing that she is getting married to someone named Buckley (Don Taylor). From that moment on, the Banks family's life is turned topsy-turvy by the upcoming wedding.

I found Spencer Tracy's performance to be very genuine. I didn't see him as being so consumed by the cost of the wedding (although what father doesn't worry about the financial bottom line?) that who his daughter was marrying was secondary. I found his performance reflected the shock and sadness over losing his daughter to Mr. Right and the confusion over getting lost in the wedding shuffle, as most fathers of the bride do.

The engagement party, where Stanley is left to tend the kitchen, thereby missing the entirety of the party and the excitement showcases this fact perfectly. Again, Stanley is left out after the ceremony, when he wants to kiss the bride and cannot seem to get to her.

Joan Bennett is wonderfully cast as Ellie, rivaling Myrna Loy as the perfect cinematic mother.

Elizabeth Taylor is lovely as the bride to be and although her big fight with Buckley over where they will honeymoon is a bit farfetched (would they really break up over their vacation destination? - - and if they would, wouldn't that signal much larger problems?), her wide-eyed innocence and concern for her father during this time is touching.

Interestingly enough, Taylor wore her wedding dress in this film to her actual first wedding to Nicky Hilton, at the time this movie premiered (and was divorcing him by the time they began filming the sequel).

This film isn't necessarily Oscar material, but it's a wonderful cinematic collection of some Hollywood greats on film (Tracy, Bennett, Taylor, Billie Burke as the groom's mother) and a definite feel good film for the whole family.

RSVP to this one.