esrosedotblog

SCHMALTZ

Yeh, it is all sentimental nonsense. Uh-huh, it is all about upper middle class heterosexual fantasies gone awry.

But, at the same time, it features that wiley actor Spencer Tracy who wipes the genré slate clean with a bravura performance in
Father of the Bride (1950).

This is not the remake(s). This is the real McCoy. With Elizabeth Taylor as the bride and Joan Bennett as Mom.

I have been a bridal and 'groomal' father enough times to get the drift here. The theme here is universal and timeless. Identification is a powerful engager. I sniffed here and there and teared a bit at the end.

There is the silly stuff about the wedding going all wrong but no slapstick as was put into the Steve Martin remake.

This is about real family values. You know. The kind we had before they got ahold of the term as a political slogan.

Vincente Minnelli directed so the production values are first rate; lighting, set, ensemble.

Very enjoyably a 4 out of Netflix5 for this NYTimes Best1176 Film.