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William Powell, Irene Dunne, Monte Blue, Zasu Pitts, Clara Blandick ... see more see more... , Johnny Calkins , Emma Dunn , Edmund Gwenn , Elizabeth Taylor , Nancy Evans , Mary Field , Frank Elliott , Queenie Leonard , Moroni Olsen , Jimmy Lydon , Elizabeth Risdon , Derek Scott , Heather Wilde , Martin Milner , Jean Andren , Russell Arms , Joe Bernard , Arlene Dahl , Jean Del Val , Creighton Hale , Hallene Hill , Douglas Kennedy , Philo McCullough , George Meader , Michael Mineo , Clara Reid , Henry Sylvester , Laura Treadwell , Philip Van Zandt , Lois Bridge , David Cavendish , Elaine Lange , Faith Kruger , James Metcalfe , Lucille Shamburger , Gertrude Valerie , John Beck , Dr. Martin Jack Rosenblum , Elisabeth Risdon

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 de... read more read more...spot 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 Due to a legal tangle with the Day estate, Life With Father was withdrawn from circulation after its first run; it re-emerged on the Public Domain market in 1975.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

Flixster Users

76% liked it

1,482 ratings

Critics

91% liked it

11 critics

Unrated, 1 hr. 58 min.

Directed by: Michael Curtiz

Release Date: January 1, 1947

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DVD Release Date: August 4, 1998

 

Stats: 99 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (99)

  • ajv2688
    October 24, 2010
    ajv2688
    An interesting, intelligent, and realistic family drama with a great cast. I really liked it, although it was a bit boring at times.
  • rubystevens
    August 23, 2010
    rubystevens
    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 ... read morehas a small part. delightful :)
  • binky013
    November 15, 2007
    binky013
    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

    ... read more 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.
  • inhonoredglory
    February 11, 2012
    inhonoredglory
    Quite the unique show -- all about Mr. Day (William Powell) and his demanding, irreverent way of running his life and family. Mrs. Day (Irene Dunne) tries to get him into heaven, and his son discovers to his great scare that he's becoming like his dad when he wears his father's o... read moreld suit. Elizabeth Taylor is the girl who fascinates Day's eldest, prompting Mr. Day to go on a monologue on the way to deal with women -- which we realize even he has not got figured out when Mrs. Day comes on. A resolution that wasn't overly sentimental or too much -- but just right for the characters involved. A unique comedy -- my dad was cracking up!!
  • batmanareus
    October 4, 2011
    batmanareus
    A classic in every sense of the word. William Powell nailed his role, and it was fun seeing Elizabeth Taylor in one of her earlier roles.
  • kingmob6
    November 29, 2010
    kingmob6
    I was surprised to finally find a William Powell film that didn't completely win me over, which I sort of chalk up to the source material.

    I'm not familiar with the memoirs that the film is based on, so maybe learning more about the work of Clarence Day Sr. and Jr. would sell me... read more further on this film, but for now it left me a bit cold.

    Worth a look.
  • cavemanlawyer91
    June 20, 2010
    cavemanlawyer91
    While really good, it didn't seem to have that "raising the stakes" tone that I felt it needed. What it was, was that the film appeared to have reached it's climax a couple of times only to go on for another 20 minutes. Definitely a stage play, and I think I would love it much mu... read morech more had I seen it on the boards. Now with all that said, I will proclaim my love for William Powell. Simply the best and I can't imagine anyone else playing that part. "GAHD!"
  • nanoqna
    January 18, 2007
    nanoqna
    i love tihs movie william powell is good. its a play. it was so expensive. its like a play too. if u had to change things they couldnt. the play was baesd on the book. some ppl think its dumb tho.
  • zeiko18
    December 30, 2006
    zeiko18
    Someone needs to digitally remaster this shit because it's a fun film that deserves nice treatment. But it was a box office flop, so no one cares.

View All Life with Father Reviews

Critic Reviews

Variety Staff
March 26, 2009
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. Full Review

March 24, 2011
TV Guide's Movie Guide

Powell is nothing less than magnificent as the mustached philosophizing patriarch, and Dunne casts a warm glow beside him. Full Review

Trevor Johnston
February 9, 2006
Trevor Johnston, Time Out

Curtiz knocks it together without so much as breaking sweat. Full Review

May 24, 2003
Film4

All in all it's innocuous with infrequent laughs. Full Review

Ken Hanke
January 22, 2003
Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

Good cast, competent direction can't save this seemingly interminable nostalgia flood.

Audrey Rock-Richardson
September 12, 2002
Audrey Rock-Richardson, Tooele Transcript-Bulletin (Utah)

Dunn and Powell are adorable, musty charm in this sweet family classic.

Susan Granger
December 4, 2007
Susan Granger, www.susangranger.com

No review available.

Emanuel Levy
July 18, 2005
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

No review available.

Tony Toscano
January 14, 2004
Tony Toscano, Talking Pictures (U.S.)

No review available.

John Urbancich
October 24, 2002
John Urbancich, Sun Newspapers of Cleveland

No review available.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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Life with Father Trivia

  • Which actor/actress starred in the following films: Life with Father, The Great Ziegfield & Mister Roberts?   Answer »
  • In wat movie dos Drew Barrymore travel across the country with her son so she could publish her book about her life (Hint: also stars Steve Zahn as the father)  Answer »
  • ***Name The Actor/Actress That Were In These Movies*** ***Life With Father - The Great Ziegfield - Mister Robert***  Answer »
  • William Powell was nominated for Best Actor in "Life With Father".  Answer »
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