To me, this movie is perfection.

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

What a timeless classic! I don't usually like Spencer Tracy, but Father of the Bride is a must-see classic nonetheless.Every parent, but fathers in particular, needs to watch this movie. If you'd rather see the remake with Steve Martin, go ahead, but the original has Elizabeth Taylor, and you really can't compete with that. In Father of the Bride, a man has to adjust to, accept, and bless his daughter's engagement. She's the apple of his eye, and all of a sudden, another man becomes the sun in her universe. It's heartbreaking for all parents, especially those who treasure their little girls. But how can you stay mad at sweet Elizabeth Taylor? The original novel is absolutely delightful and hilarious. The tone is hilarious and borderline tongue-in-cheek, which is perfectly reflected in Spencer Tracy's narration throughout the film. If you like Spence even a fraction more than I do, you'll like the film that much more. I don't usually like him, but he emanates gruff and grumpy, which is exactly what the part calls for! In the remake, Steve Martin isn't as grumpy, and if you read the original book, you'll see the father character has to be that way for the story to truly work. And no one can say the name "Buckley" with such disdain as Spence; it never fails to amuse me.The iconic scene: Liz is getting ready to go out on a date with her fiancé, and Spence suggests she put on a coat since it's cold outside. She refuses. Her fiancé makes the same suggestion as he picks her up at the house and she looks up at him adoringly before selecting a coat. If that makes you smile, you'll probably like the rest of the movie. For a bonus, watch this movie with your parents!

I will express my prejudices here. I've always felt that people who expect outrageously expensive wedding should pay for them themselves. Instead of seeing the comedy here, I felt sorry for Tracy's character, who gains nothing from this and practically loses everything. Still, it has witty exchanges by all participants, some good supporting characters, lots of action,and a frantic pace that made even me tired. I will put my prejudices aside because I recognize this as a fiction and we all enjoy a good disaster film. Elizabeth Taylor is really stunning as the bride, and that helps. Her dark beauty dominates the screen.

In my opinion Vincent Minnelli's Father Of The Bride remains a charming delightful sparkling comedy of its era with a terrific script, assured direction from Vincent Minnelli and undeniably remarkable performances from Spencer Tracy as Stanley T. Banks the worn-out middle aged father of the bride who was nominated for an academy award for best actor. Elizabeth Taylor as the bride, the typical spoiled daughter of mid-American bourgeois and Joan Bennett as Tracy's harried middle-aged wife. With that and even more the film manages to provide an amusing snapshot of the lives of middle- and upper-middle class families during the 1950's In my opinion Vincent Minnelli's Father Of The Bride remains a charming delightful sparkling comedy of its era with a terrific script, assured direction from Vincent Minnelli and undeniably remarkable performances from Spencer Tracy as Stanley T. Banks the worn-out middle aged father of the bride who was nominated for an academy award for best actor. Elizabeth Taylor as the bride, the typical spoiled daughter of mid-American bourgeois and Joan Bennett as Tracy's harried middle-aged wife. With that and even more the film manages to provide an amusing snapshot of the lives of middle- and upper-middle class families during the 1950's

Father of the Bride (1950)**** (out of 4)A father (Spencer Tracy) is shocked when his daughter (Elizabeth Taylor) informs him that she's going to be married in three months. That shock soon turns to horror for the father when he realizes how much work is going to have to be done in order to pull off the perfect wedding. This here is a wonderful little film, although I hesitate to call it a comedy since the film's main goal isn't necessarily laughs but just making a slice of life story. I think the majority of the credit has to go to the wise casting of Tracy as the father since by this time he was best known for his heavy roles. The actor was always able to pull off comedy but I think casting him as the father, with his everyman type of persona, was just a masterful piece of casting and the actor doesn't disappoint in the role. I love the way he plays the part so natural and I'm glad he doesn't go over the top to get the laughs. Most of the laughs are just genuine little chuckles because the film doesn't try to force the viewer to laugh at stupid set ups but instead just gives us natural laughs as they come across in the story. Tracy does a wonderful job at playing someone who gets in over their head and has to deal with one problem after another while trying to remember that it's all for the good of his daughter. Taylor also shines in her supporting role. Her beauty is certainly on full display but, unlike many stars of today, her talent is also on display. Joan Bennett adds great support as Tracy's wife. I love the pacing of the film and I think Minnelli made the wise choice of making the film seem like we're just peeking in on this family. There's almost a strange, documentary like feel to the movie, which is another major plus. In the end, there's enough charm here for two movies with Tracy once again leading the way with his Oscar-nominated performance.