Palos Verdes Pulse “Safe At Home…..Honor Thy Father At The Movies” Vol. I, No. 3 by Stephanie Mardesich

June is known for Father’s Day, graduations, weddings, and even “busting out all over”!

Hence my first thought for the month was about films featuring fathers in various postures as the pivotal theme, significant to the story, honoring paternity in many different guises and touching on all the sentiments of “dear old dad.” My own darling Father was a “gentleman for all seasons”; smart, suave, stellar athlete, movie star handsome, kind, compassionate, and a Navy veteran of WWII. Am I prejudice, you bet! Even so he was human, not perfect and I miss him every day; and appreciate the fine values he and our equally elegant Mother imparted. Cherish your own parents in life and honor their memories by worthy action.

A wide variety of movies to consider viewing, in no particular order, with Dads portrayed with distinctive postures from drama to comedy. By the way many films precede current rating code thus no reference. It’s been great to have response from readers with praise, questions and titles to consider, so please let us hear from you.

IMDB links provided for convenience in access to view. Start popping the corn!

Life With Father

(USA, 1947, Warner Bros., 118 min dir. Michael Curtiz)

Based on the memoir of Clarence Day,.Jr., the successful book also became one of Broadway’s longest running plays, and hit on the silver screen. The story of New York City financier Clarence Day (William Powell) and how he “rules” his family including wife Vinnie (Irene Dunn) and four sons, with meticulousness manner of a book keeper, is quaintly amusing depicts the late 19th century era with immense detail. Charming support from cast including: Jimmy Lyudon, Martin Milner, Zasu Pitts, Elizabeth Taylor. Four Oscar® nods includes Powell for Best Actor, Max Steiner Best Score, Best Cinematography & Best Art Direction.

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0206325/bio?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm

Father Of The Bride

(USA, 1950, MGM, 92 min., dir. Vincente Minelli)

Droll perspective of a wedding in progress as “Father” Stanley Banks (Spencer Tracey) remembers the sequence from engagement to walking his special daughter down the aisle. Ultimately responsible for all the costs and writing the checks, he’s not always considered with regard to his own emotions of “losing his daughter, and gaining a son.” Three Oscar® nods including best actor for the Tracy, and best script and film.

At the peak of her beauty Elizabeth Taylor plays the bride Kay with authenticity (she was married around that time to hotel heir Nicky Hilton, the first of her eight husbands) and Joan Bennett as her mother Ellie with elegant aplomb; nice to see Russ Tamblyn in one of his earliest roles as the kid brother Tommy; Billie Burke and Leo G. Caroll quaintly amusing and overall charming and entertaining movie. Get the rice ready to throw for good luck!

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0042451/?ref_=fn_al_tt_2

To Kill A Mockingbird

(USA, Pakula Mulligan Brentwood Prod. for Universal, 1962, 129 min., dir. Robert Mulligan)

Screen adaptation of Harper Lee’s tour de force novel was huge critical success when it premiered, and continues to enthrall audiences, including the recent stage adaptation (that happens to have been directed by my cousin Bartlett Sher) debuted in 2018 to continual sold out houses, though currently on hiatus with the Great White Way closed because of the virus situation.

Atticus Finch (Gregory Peck in Academy Award® winning Best Actor role) is a lawyer of conviction and conscience in rural Alabama c. 1932. He is called on to defend Tom Robinson (Brock Peters) unjustly accused of raping a white woman. His daughter Scout (Mary Badham), though only a child of ten, is the fulcrum of that very conscience that Atticus confronts and combats with the innate prejudice of the era. Picture had eight Oscar® nods and three wins for Peck, Horton Foote/Best adapted screenplay; Best Art Direction-Set Decoration (B&W). Particularly memorable is Elmer Bernstein’s haunting score also nominated for “Best.”

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056592/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

Foreign Correspondent

(USA, United Artists, 1941, 120 min dir. Alfred Hitchcock.

Set in London in midst of WW II, so redolent of current times, rookie American reporter John Jones (Joel McCrea) on first assignment on quest to get the inside story about secret treaty agreed between two European countries involving famous diplomat, Mr. Van Meer (Albert Besserman). Things don't become complicated as Jones enlists the help of a young woman Carol Fisher (Lorraine Day) - who he falls in love with - to track down a group of spies, that unbeknownst to her could include her father Stephen (Herbert Marshall) a possible double agent. Six Oscar® nods include Besserman for Best Supporting Actor; and Best Picture, Writing, Cinematography, Effects. Supporting cast includes ever suave George Sanders (Scott ffoliott – sic), incisive Robert Benchley (Stebbins), and in sinister role, not his usual grandfatherly demeanor, Edmond Gwen (Rowley)

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0032484/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

Ten North Frederick Street

(USA, 20th Century Fox, 1958, 102 min. dir. Phillip Dunne)

Upon the death of her father Ann Chapin (Diane Varsi) reflects on the last years of her “darling father’s stalwart Philadelphia “type” lawyer Joe Chapin (Gary Cooper) who was ostensibly loyal in a loveless marriage to ambitious social climbing shrew Edith (Geraldine Fitzgerald) revealing that there was a secret happy time in a private, illicit, relationship with genuine and gorgeous Kate Drummond (Suzy Parker). Fine adaptation of John O’Hara by screenwriter/director Phillip Dunne has been a movie that was quite “adult” for me to view as a child via television. For some reason it has always struck me as deeply moving and sentimental and I adopted the phrase alluding to my own “my darling Father” from the movie. O’Hara’s work lent itself to the silver screen with several successful movies: From The Terrace, Butterfield 8, Pal Joey that are also worth taking a look.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0052283/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_7

I Never Sang For My Father

(USA, Columbia Pictures, 1971, 92 min., dir. Gilbert Cates; GP)

Emotionally compelling yet entertaining story of college professor Gene Garrison (Gene Hackman) in NY who wants to move on with his life, marry his girlfriend and take up residence in California. He finds it difficult as he still lives in the towering shadow of his aging father Tom (Melvyn Douglas). Three Academy Award® nominations include; Douglas/Best Actor; Hackman/Supporting Actor; Robertson Anderson/Best Script.

Cheaper By The Dozen (original)

(USA, 20th Century Fox, 1950, 96 min., dir. Walter Lang)

Base on true life story of Frank Bunker Galbreth (Clifton Webb), a pioneer in field of motion study, and his family including 12 children. Stern, yet caring, “Father” Frank rules with a (soft) “iron hand”. At his side his calm and kind wife Lillian (Myrna Loy) subtlety helps maintain the equilibrium, though still obedient of his inordinate rules. Eldest daughter Ann (ever lovely Jeanne Crain) rebels by getting her hair bobbed, yet survives her father’s wrath, and leads the way for the other children to be emancipated. When Frank passes away unexpectedly it’s Lillian who carries with strength and dignity still living up to his credo and a tribute to his ethics. Poignant and amusing, the film depicts old fashioned values that still hold true. Cast also includes redoubtable Edgar Buchanan and Mildred Natwick. (Remake 2003 not remarkable).

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0042327/?ref_=fn_al_tt_2

The Parent Trap

(USA, Walt Disney Productions, 1961,129 min. dir. David Swift; not rated though would be G)

Only in the movies could this plot work so charmingly. Two young teenage girls meet at camp and are complete look a-likes (sic), though distinctly different personalities. They discover they are identical twins whose parents divorced and each took one of the girls. Haley Mills plays both Susan who lives with her Boston Brahman mother and grandparents and more sheltered; and Sharon who grew up on an upscale ranch in Carmel with her rustically handsome dad more down to earth. They devise a plan and change places so they each get to know the parent they missed and make a plan to reunite their mother Maggie McKendrick (ravishing Maureen O’Hara) and father Mitch Evers (Brian Keith) who are a case of true love gone awry. Amusing antics and stellar support cast includes Una Merkel, Kathleen Nesbit, Charles Ruggles, Leo G. Carroll, Joanna Moore. “Let’s Get Together” is the cute tune that the twins sing to further their parents reuniting. Two Academy Award® nominations for Best Sound and Best Film Editing. Remade by Disney in 1998 that’s very good.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0055277/?ref_=fn_al_tt_2

Oh Dad, Poor Dad, Mamma’s Hung You In The Closet And She’s Feeling So Sad (satire)

(USA, Seven Arts Productions, 1967, 96 min., dir. Richard Quine; not rated)

This quirky, rather obscure movie, in spite of a top leading lady (four time Oscar® nominee) Rosalind Russell (Madame Rosepettle), didn’t fare so well. Bizarre, actually weird story, involves an overbearing mother who travels to a luxury resort in the Caribbean, taking along her son and deceased husband, preserved and in his casket. It will appeal to those who appreciate black comedy and bent humor.

The farcical script was adapted from the 1962 play by Arthur Kopit was staged “off Broadway”, directed by famed Jerome Robbins and starred Hermione Gingold and Sam Waterston. The screen adaptation had promise with fine cast including Robert Morris as son Jonathan and Barbara Harris as his (sort of) girlfriend Rosalie. Sometimes it’s interesting to see a film that considering the credits should have been a hit, yet was more a flop, and assess for yourself. View at your own risk!

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0062067/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0

The Addams Family

(USA, Orion Pictures/Paramount Pictures, 1991, 99min. dir. Barry Sonnefeld, PG13)

The Addams Family was a popular weekly television series (c. 1964) with its charmingly bizarre quirky characters, was inspired by the drawings of Charles Addams that appeared in the New Yorker magazine. As has frequently happened it seems it was inevitable that Hollywood would glean from that to create a movie and enhance the strangely amusing story of a macabre family who live in their own parallel world believing their eccentric behavior is normal.

Thus a fabricated plot to sustain a movie has become its own cult classic because of the weirdly wonder Gomez (Raul Julia), exotically enticing Morticia (Angelica Houston), kooky Uncle Fester (Christopher Lloyd), and the children malevolently beautiful Wednesday (Christina Ricci) and pre-pubescent Pugsley (Jimmy Workman); and we can’t forget the butler did it Lurch and ubiquitous “Thing” (whose hand is that anyway?) A crooked accountant and his loan shark and a plot to slip the shark's son into the family as their long-lost Uncle Fester. Can the false Fester find his way into the vault before he is discovered? Eerie fun for all! (snap, snap!)

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101272/?ref_=fn_al_tt_2

Carousel

(USA, 20th Century Fox, 1956, 128 min., Henry King, not rated)

Famed Rogers & Hammerstein Broadway musical hit became equally popular “classic” movie about carousel barker bad boy Billy Bigelow (Gordon MacRae) and lovely naive factory worker Julie Jordan (Shirley Jones). It’s been 15 years since Billy was slain in a blundered robbery attempt to have make money to support his expectant wife and unborn child. He’s in that netherworld between heaven and hell, given a chance to “redeem” himself and returns to earth to help his fledgling teen daughter. Re-teaming after success in Oklahoma, MacRae and Jones mesmerizing. He resounds in the rigorous soliloquy “My Boy Bill”, a father’s anthem to his unborn child who just might be a girl; she confessing If I Loved You, elegant anthem When You Walk Through A Storm, haunting Carousel Waltz and "June Is Bustin' Out All Over are legend in the R&H canon of great musicals. You’ll be humming along to the glorious tunes and seek out the many other great musicals by the legendary composer and lyricist.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0049055/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0

Stephanie Mardesich, a native of San Pedro from a family who arrived in the harbor area over 100 years ago. An alumna of U.S.C. School of Cinematic Arts; founder-director of the LA Harbor International Film Festival; credited journalist and public relations consultant, she launched "Cinema Stephanie" film critique blogette in 2017. More recently, she created "Eclectic Culture" lifestyle stories and reviews blog. She is also co-producer with Jack Baric (S.P. native and R.P.V. resident) of the oral history project Stories of Los Angeles Harbor Area: For Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow (SOLAHA) - Volume II debuted in March 2020.

For more see:

(to look up films) www.imdb.com

www.laharborfilmfest.com( Cinema Stephanie blogette)

www.storieslaharborarea.com (histories/stories)

LifestylePalos Verdes Pulse InfluencerJune 4, 2020