Spencer Tracy and Elizabeth Taylor star as a father and daughter in the classic movie, “Father of the Bride.” Tracy is Stanley T. Banks, a man with a firm idea of what is right and wrong, what should and should not be spent, and how much a wedding should cost. He is also a man on a little bit of a budget. Taylor is Kay Banks, a starry-eyed girl about to be married, who wants the wedding of her dreams. She has been reading wedding magazines and making plans, and she wants this to be the most beautiful wedding ever. When Stanley tells her that he can’t afford the things she wants, she tries to make do, but in the end, his desire for his daughter’s happiness wins and he opens the purse strings, puts the family into debt, and creates the day of his daughter’s dreams.
In a nutshell, that’s the story, but there’s so much more to it than that. We see the wedding through Stanley’s eyes and feel his shock and sorrow as his little girl announces she’s engaged. He remembers her as a tiny little thing and can’t bear the thought of letting her go, but he knows she’s in love and that it’s time. We see him struggle with the knowledge that time must pass, and that he’s no longer the #1 man in her life. We also see him struggle in get into his old tuxedo, trying to save some money by not renting new.
The most precious parts of the movie are the moments spent between father and daughter as they both realize how special they are to each other. This movie always leaves me in tears as I contemplate just how wonderful a father/daughter relationship can be, and how a good father can prepare his daughter to choose a man who will truly make her happy and treat her well.
The Steve Martin remake of this film is also hysterical, but this original bears a certain charm that can’t be beat. Elizabeth Taylor is at her loveliest, and who doesn’t adore Spencer Tracy? Come share with me the magic of a snowy white wedding in this fabulous film that, incidentally, was not rated.
Related Blogs:
Spencer Tracy: An Actor to be Reckoned With
Elizabeth Taylor: An Ageless Beauty