Life with Father (film)
| Life with Father | |
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Theatrical Film Poster
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| Directed by | Michael Curtiz |
| Produced by | Robert Buckner |
| Screenplay by | Donald Ogden Stewart |
| Based on | Life with Father 1935 novel by Clarence Day 1939 play by Howard Lindsay Russel Crouse |
| Starring | William Powell Irene Dunne |
| Music by | Max Steiner |
| Cinematography | William V. Skall J. Peverell Marley |
| Edited by | George Amy |
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. |
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Release dates
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Running time
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118 min. |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $4.7 million[1] |
| Box office | $6.455 million[1] |
Life with Father is a 1947 Technicolor American comedy film.[2][3] It tells the true story of Clarence Day, a stockbroker who wants to be master of his house, but finds his wife and his children ignoring him, until they start making demands for him to change his own life. The story draws largely on the insistence by his family that Clarence be baptized to avoid going to Hell and Clarence's stubborn, ill-tempered nature. In keeping with the autobiography, all the children in the family (all boys) are redheads. It stars William Powell and Irene Dunne as Clarence and his wife, supported by Elizabeth Taylor as a beautiful teenage girl with whom Clarence's oldest son becomes infatuated, along with Edmund Gwenn, ZaSu Pitts, Jimmy Lydon and Martin Milner.[4] The film and its audio entered the public domain in 1975.[5]
Contents
Plot summary
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Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Clarence Day (William Powell), is a benevolent despot of his 1880s New York City household. His wife Vinnie (Irene Dunne), is the real head of the household. The anecdotal story encompasses such details as the romance of Clarence (Jimmy Lydon) with pretty out-of-towner Mary (Elizabeth Taylor). Vinnie tries to get her headstrong husband baptized, else he'll never be able to enter the Kingdom of God.[6]
Cast
- William Powell as Clarence Day, Sr.
- Irene Dunne as Vinnie Day
- Elizabeth Taylor as Mary Skinner
- Edmund Gwenn as Rev. Dr. Lloyd
- ZaSu Pitts as Cousin Cora Cartwright
- Jimmy Lydon as Clarence Day, Jr.
- Emma Dunn as Margaret - the cook
- Moroni Olsen as Dr. Humphries
- Elisabeth Risdon as Mrs. Whitehead - introduces Morley
- Martin Milner as John Day
- Heather Wilde as Annie - 1st maid
- Mary Field as Nora - 2nd maid
- Monte Blue as The Policeman
- Clara Blandick as Miss Wiggins, the Maid Service Employment Agent
Production
Due to the Motion Picture Production Code standards of the day, the play's last line (in response to a policeman asking Mr. Day where he is going), "I'm going to be baptized, dammit!" had to be rewritten for the film.
The movie was adapted by Donald Ogden Stewart from the play by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse, which was based on the book by Clarence Day, Jr. It was directed by Michael Curtiz.
Memorable quotes
- Employment agent: "Sir, before I can let any girl go from this establishment, I must know the character of the home in which she will be employed." Mr. Day: "Madam, I am the character of my home!"
- Clarence Day, Jr: "...outside green is the best color." Mary Skinner: "That's right. I never thought of it that way. But when you do think of it - it's quite a thought."
- Upon leaving Clarence Day, Jr. and Mary Skinner alone in the parlor, Mrs. Day turns and says: "Remember, it's Sunday."
- Mary Skinner announces through tears after sitting on Clarence Day, Jr's lap - (he tells her to "Get up! Get up!"): "Now you just think I am some bold and forward girl."
- Mr. Day states "I am not a guide to Chinatown and The Bowery."
Awards
It was nominated for Academy Awards for Best Actor in a Leading Role (William Powell), Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Color (Robert M. Haas, George Hopkins), Best Cinematography, Color and Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture.[7]
Reception
The film earned rentals of $5.9 million in rentals in North America.[8] Through a clerical error, the film was not renewed for copyright and has fallen into the public domain. There is a digitally remastered version in the Archive Movie Collection through Digicom.tv with a copyright date of 2009.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 H. Mark Glancy, “MGM Film Grosses, 1924-1948: The Eddie Mannix Ledger,” Historical Journal of Film, Radio, and Television , 12, no. 2 (1992), pp. 127-43
- ↑ Variety film review; August 20, 1947, page 16.
- ↑ Harrison's Reports film review; August 16, 1947, page 131.
- ↑ Turner Classic Movie synopsis and production information
- ↑ New York Times, Life With Father
- ↑ http://www.allmovie.com/movie/life-with-father-v29266
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ "All Time Domestic Champs", Variety, 6 January 1960 p 34
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to [[commons:Lua error in Module:WikidataIB at line 506: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).|Lua error in Module:WikidataIB at line 506: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).]]. |
- Life with Father on YouTube
- Lua error in Module:WikidataCheck at line 28: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). Life with Father at IMDb (motion picture)
- Life with Father at AllMovie
- Life with Father at the TCM Movie Database
- Life with Father at the American Film Institute Catalog
- Life with Father is available for free download at the Internet Archive
- 1947 films
- English-language films
- Film articles using image size parameter
- Articles using small message boxes
- Commons category link from Wikidata
- Articles with Internet Archive links
- 1940s comedy films
- American comedy films
- American films
- Film scores by Max Steiner
- Films directed by Michael Curtiz
- Films set in the 1880s
- Films set in New York City
- Warner Bros. films
- Screenplays by Donald Ogden Stewart
