Life with Father
Posted: June 21st, 2010, 1:06 pm
.
What a lovely family movie. Irene Dunne finally catches up with her proper type of part. I never saw her as a free wheeling young fun lover, nor as any kind of entertainer (on screen), but when she finally started playing roles of mothers, she hit her perfect stride. She was so good in I Remember Mama, and in the older part of The White Cliffs of Dover, she was born to play motherly roles - I never saw her as a romantic figure. There's something about her that is old looking facially. I don't mean with wrinkles and such, just the way her features are all put together, she looks older than she is in her younger days.
When I saw Martin Milner as John Day, I was surprised that his face never changes. The firm I was with at one time in Las Vegas hired him as an emcee for one of our benefit shows and he was marvelous with jokes and a quick wit and at the time he was already in his mid-60's.
As Father, William Powell proves what an actor really is. His bombastic bellowing is priceless. The kids and all the household help are scared of him, but quiet, meek little Irene, the mother makes him toe the mark with just a few little tricks of her own, but EEEEE-GAD she is the original Dumb Blonde (sorry blonde ladies, but the term is used only to illustrate). Her grasp of finances is truly remarkable, and I would have to go along with him and just pull out the wallet and hand her the money to cover her idiosyncracies, if you can call them that. Most members of the family go through personal problems which Dad, usually without his knowledge fixes. Children would probably love the movie if no other reason than to wait for Father to bellow again.
Definitely a fine movie for all to curl up and watch together. My only question is:
. . . . . Why was this not saved and used for a children's summer Essential movie?
.
What a lovely family movie. Irene Dunne finally catches up with her proper type of part. I never saw her as a free wheeling young fun lover, nor as any kind of entertainer (on screen), but when she finally started playing roles of mothers, she hit her perfect stride. She was so good in I Remember Mama, and in the older part of The White Cliffs of Dover, she was born to play motherly roles - I never saw her as a romantic figure. There's something about her that is old looking facially. I don't mean with wrinkles and such, just the way her features are all put together, she looks older than she is in her younger days.
When I saw Martin Milner as John Day, I was surprised that his face never changes. The firm I was with at one time in Las Vegas hired him as an emcee for one of our benefit shows and he was marvelous with jokes and a quick wit and at the time he was already in his mid-60's.
As Father, William Powell proves what an actor really is. His bombastic bellowing is priceless. The kids and all the household help are scared of him, but quiet, meek little Irene, the mother makes him toe the mark with just a few little tricks of her own, but EEEEE-GAD she is the original Dumb Blonde (sorry blonde ladies, but the term is used only to illustrate). Her grasp of finances is truly remarkable, and I would have to go along with him and just pull out the wallet and hand her the money to cover her idiosyncracies, if you can call them that. Most members of the family go through personal problems which Dad, usually without his knowledge fixes. Children would probably love the movie if no other reason than to wait for Father to bellow again.
Definitely a fine movie for all to curl up and watch together. My only question is:
. . . . . Why was this not saved and used for a children's summer Essential movie?
.
