Father's Day has always been the Rodney Dangerfield of holidays, being sandwiched between Memorial Day and July 4th and taking place after most schools are out, so that the kiddies aren't encouraged to make little gifts for Daddy in art class. Dad gets a tie and goes back to work the next day.
The movies haven't been much kinder to Dad. He's either a controlling maniac or a stumblebum, or at best an obstacle to his children's happiness. In a few cases, he's a hero. Hero, villain, or buffoon, however, there have been some pretty good classic films made about fatherhood. Here are a few of my favorites, some of which you may see on TV during this holiday. Your comments and suggestions are always welcome (in fact, a couple of these films were suggested by Classic Movies Forum members, as noted).
The Jazz Singer (1927) - The first great "talkie," or partial talkie, was also a film about a son coming to terms with his father. As Leonard Maltin says, see it once.
Life with Father (1947) - William Powell, Irene Dunne, and Elizabeth Taylor star in this delightful screen version of the long-running Broadway play based on the true story of a New York family headed by an archetypical brusque but loving father. Buy this movie!
Hamlet (1948) - The great Laurence Olivier version of Shakespeare's play about a son avenging his father's death, or at least talking about it a lot. Buy this movie!
Red River (1948) - According to Classic Movies Forum regular SLOWWIT, "This may be a little offbeat but... the great generational conflict is there, a father disapproving of his son and unable to step down to let him take his place, the son's great desire to please his father but finally standing on his own conscience without his father's approval, and the ending where a woman finally gets these two to admit they love each other and are two sides of the same coin... I love this movie and think it explores the complexity of the father/son relationship as well as any made." Buy this movie!
Father Was a Fullback (1949) - Father was actually a coach, in this comedy starring Fred MacMurray, Maureen O'Hara, Natalie Wood, and Rudy Vallee. Buy this movie!
Father of the Bride (1950) - Spencer Tracy, Joan Bennett, and Elizabeth Taylor are wonderful in this comedy chosen as one of the AFI's 100 best, and later successfully remade by Steve Martin. Buy this movie!
Cheaper by the Dozen (1950) - Clifton Webb does his usual great job as the patriarch of the clan, and the kids are cute, but Myrna Loy doesn't track for me as a mother of 12, and the ending is depressing. Buy this movie!
Father's Little Dividend (1951) - The sequel to Father of the Bride features the same great cast, and this time "father" is about to become a grandfather. May not appeal to all tastes. Buy this movie!
East of Eden (1955) - James Dean's first starring role, with a great supporting cast. A powerful story of two brothers competing for their father's love and respect. Buy this movie!
The Remarkable Mr. Pennypacker (1959) - It's Clifton Webb again, as the head of two big families at the same time. I know this one well, since I had my first acting experience at the age of eight as the youngest child! (On stage, not in the movie.)
To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) - Gregory Peck sets the standard for single fathers in this beloved and powerful story based on the Pulitzer Price-winning novel. Buy this movie!
Long Day's Journey Into Night (1962) - On the other end of the father spectrum is Ralph Richardson as the head of this dysfunctional family in the Eugene O'Neill play, also featuring excellent performances by Katharine Hepburn (Oscar nomination), Jason Robards, and Dean Stockwell. Buy this movie!
Papa's Delicate Condition (1963) - Jackie Gleason gives a robust performance in this story of a father whose love of drink is exceeded only by his love of his family. Buy this movie!
The Courtship of Eddie's Father (1963) - Ron Howard helps single father Glenn Ford choose among Shirley Jones, Stella Stevens, and Dina Merrill in the movie that inspired the popular TV show. Buy this movie!
Father Goose (1964) - While he's not actually a father, Cary Grant learns how to care for a gaggle of schoolgirls and falls in love with Leslie Caron during WWII. Buy this movie!
I Never Sang for My Father (1970) - Another story entirely is this acclaimed (and also not very funny) drama, starring Melvyn Douglas, Gene Hackman, and Estelle Parsons. Douglas and Hackman were both nominated for Oscars. Buy this movie!
The Godfather (1972) - Daddy as leader of the Mafia. Or "The Family," as they say in this film, one of the top ten American movies of all time. Buy this movie!
Star Wars - When your father turns out to be Darth Vader, the most evil man in the Universe, and you have to kill him, it's gotten about as bad as it can get. (Until the prequels, anyway.) Buy this movie!
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) - While it's a more recent film than we usually feature, Classic Movies Forum regular "Actor" says this is his "favorite father/son movie." I have to admit that Sean Connery and Harrison Ford as Henry Jones Sr. and Jr. make a credible team, representing the best of Hollywood's last two generations of screen heroes. Buy this movie!
Mrs. Doubtfire (1993) - Also of more recent vintage than we prefer around here, this film illustrates perhaps the farthest lengths to which a father will go to be with his children. Charming and funny, though not even remotely believable! Buy this movie!
Whether your father is a saint or a sinner, a nice guy or something a bit less, Fathers Day is the time to say "thanks" just for being there. Sit down with your Dad and watch one of these movies. He'll appreciate it, even if he doesn't show it.
