Life with Father (1947)

91% of critics liked it
(11 reviews)
76% of users liked it
(1,483 ratings)

The longest-running non-musical play in Broadway history, Life With Father was faithfully filmed by Warner Bros. in 1947. William Powell is a tower of comic strength as Clarence Day, the benevolent despot of his 1880s New York City household. Irene Dunne co-stars as Day's wife Vinnie, who outwardly… More The longest-running non-musical play in Broadway history, Life With Father was faithfully filmed by Warner Bros. in 1947. William Powell is a tower of comic strength as Clarence Day, the benevolent despot of his 1880s New York City household. Irene Dunne co-stars as Day's wife Vinnie, who outwardly has no more common sense than a butterfly but who is the real head of the household. The anecdotal story, encompassing such details as the eldest Day son's (James Lydon) romance with pretty out-of-towner Mary (Elizabeth Taylor), is tied together by Vinnie's tireless efforts to get her headstrong husband baptized, else he'll never be able to enter the Kingdom of God. Each scene is a little gem of comedy and pathos, as the formidable Mr. Day tries to bring a stern businesslike attitude to everyday household activities, including explaining the facts of life to his impressionable son. Donald Ogden Stewart based his screenplay upon the play by Howard Lindsey (who played Mr. Day in the original production) and Russell Crouse; the play in turn was inspired by a series of articles written by Clarence Day Jr., shortly before his death in 1933. Due to a legal tangle with the Day estate, Life With Father was withdrawn from circulation after its first run; it re-emerged on the Public Domain market in 1975. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Play Trailer

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 58 min.
Directed By: Michael Curtiz
Written By: Donald Ogden Stewart
Genres: Classics, Comedy

In Theaters: Jan 1, 1947 Wide
On DVD: Aug 4, 1998
Studio: Madacy Entertainment

Critic Reviews

Variety Staff, Variety
Irene Dunne and William Powell have captured to a considerable extent the charm of the play by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse.
, TV Guide's Movie Guide
Powell is nothing less than magnificent as the mustached philosophizing patriarch, and Dunne casts a warm glow beside him.
Trevor Johnston, Time Out
Curtiz knocks it together without so much as breaking sweat.
, Film4
All in all it's innocuous with infrequent laughs.
Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
Good cast, competent direction can't save this seemingly interminable nostalgia flood.
Audrey Rock-Richardson, Tooele Transcript-Bulletin (Utah)
Dunn and Powell are adorable, musty charm in this sweet family classic.

Read all 6 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

AJ V

An interesting, intelligent, and realistic family drama with a great cast. I really liked it, although it was a bit boring at times.
Stella D

i'd forgotten all about this charming film based on a long running broadway play. william powell is hilarious as the always exasperated father of a red-headed brood in late 19th century new york. the wonderful irene dunne keeps the family on course. 15 yr old elizabeth taylor… More
i'd forgotten all about this charming film based on a long running broadway play. william powell is hilarious as the always exasperated father of a red-headed brood in late 19th century new york. the wonderful irene dunne keeps the family on course. 15 yr old elizabeth taylor has a small part. delightful :)
Lanning :

Wow, Elizabeth Taylor gets top billing for this one -- here at flixster. That's very interesting. Question: Do you ever ride public transportation? The bus? The subway? I do. I ride the bus that runs right outside my home from time to time. And you… More
Wow, Elizabeth Taylor gets top billing for this one -- here at flixster. That's very interesting. Question: Do you ever ride public transportation? The bus? The subway? I do. I ride the bus that runs right outside my home from time to time. And you know what? The driver doesn't know me, and I do not know him. Why? Possibly because I don't ride the bus regularly. Possibly, because the driver doesn't care. I don't know. I do notice that he always says hello to only a very few people. And these are not extraordinary people. It always appears to be a random selection of individuals. Know what? If I were a rich guy, I wonder if my bus driver would say hello to me every time I rode his bus . . . If my buddy Karen were to see this movie, I can guarantee you that she would say it was a total waste of time. She despises movies where the subject matter is the upper-class. She always says that stories about the rich are stories about people for whom she has no feeling. This definitely is a story about the upper-class. Sorry, Karen, but we don't all feel that Marx, or someone like Marx, may have been right. We are not all Marxist socialists, Karen. Truly, this movie is a lot of fun, Karen, and even though it may focus on the upper-class, it does that, I think, to poke a little fun at the rich. I love this movie. Back to Elizabeth Taylor. You know, flixsters, she will probably never make my favorite actor list, but, when she was young, Taylor really lit up the screen. For a humorous poke at the upper-class, and for a great look at a young Elizabeth Taylor, this is well-worth the time spent watching. Mahalo nui loa to my buddy Jamie for the recommendation.

Cast

            William Powell as Clarence Day

            Irene Dunne as Vinnie Day

            Monte Blue as Policeman

            Zasu Pitts as Cora

            Clara Blandick as Mrs. Wiggins

            Johnny Calkins as Whitney

            Emma Dunn as Margaret

            Edmund Gwenn as Rev. Dr. Lloyd

            Elizabeth Taylor as Mary Skinner

            Nancy Evans as Delia

            Mary Field as Nora

            Frank Elliott as Dr. Somers

            Queenie Leonard as Maggie

            Moroni Olsen as Dr. Humphries

            Jimmy Lydon as Clarence

            Elizabeth Risdon as Mrs. Whitehead

            Derek Scott as Harlan

            Heather Wilde as Annie

            Martin Milner as John

            Jean Andren as Mother of Twins

            Russell Arms as Stock Quotation Operator

            Joe Bernard as Cashier

            Arlene Dahl as Girl in Delmonico's

            Jean Del Val as Francois

            Creighton Hale as Father of Twins

            Hallene Hill
            
            Douglas Kennedy as Mr. Morley

            Philo McCullough as Milkman

            George Meader as Salesman

            Michael Mineo as One of Twin Boys

            Clara Reid as Cleaning Woman

            Henry Sylvester
            
            Laura Treadwell as Churchgoers

            Philip Van Zandt as Clerk

            Lois Bridge as Corsetierre

            David Cavendish
            
            Elaine Lange as Ellen

            Faith Kruger as Hilda

            James Metcalfe as Customer

            Lucille Shamburger as Nursemaid

            Gertrude Valerie
            
            John Beck as Perkins the Clerk

            Dr. Martin Jack Rosenblum as Chef

            Elisabeth Risdon
            
See full cast