Father of the Bride is a comedy that was released June 16, 1950. It stars Spencer Tracy as father of the bride Stanley T. Banks. Joan Bennett as Ellie Banks, the mother of the bride and Elizabeth Taylor plays the bride. It was nominated for three Oscar's: Best Actor in a Leading Role; Best Picture and Best Writing, screenplay.http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0042451/

Kay (Elizabeth Taylor) is the daughter of middle class attorney Stanley T. Banks (Spencer Tracy) who is trying to find a husband and not just any husband, but one who meets everything on her list of wants including being well to do. She finally finds Buckley Dunstan (Don Taylor), the man that meets all of her requirements, and she goes to share the happy news with her parents. It isn't long before Kay's dream becomes her father's nightmare. Complicating the plans is the Ellie (Joan Bennett) the mother of the bride, who wants her daughter to have a fairy tale wedding, everything she wanted for her own wedding but never had. Meeting Buckley's well to do and prominent parents Herbert (Moroni Olsen) and Doris (Billie Burke) complicates the wedding plans even more, as they also have an expensive image of what the wedding should be. As plans for the wedding continue and the expenses keep mounting Stanley is overwhelmed but continues to bow to everyone else's wishes. As the wedding date approaches the happy couple is feeling the pressure and experience difficulties that Stanley hopes will be resolved before their really expensive wedding day. Through all of this Stanley struggles with his own advancing years and that his little girl, isn't a little girl anymore. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0042451/

"On the critical side: Minnelli could have timed many of the scenes so that laughs would not have stepped on dialog tag lines. Also he permits the wedding rehearsal sequence to play too long, lessening the comedic effect."— Staff, Varietyhttp://www.variety.com/review/VE1117790857.html?categoryid=31&cs=1

"Yes, "Father of the Bride" is a honey of a picture of American family life. It shouldn't discourage matrimony but well, this reviewer is certainly happy to have all sons."—Bosley Crowther, New York Times http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9C05EED91539E13BBC4152DFB366838B649EDE&partner=Rotten%20Tomatoes

"Father of the Bride splits into two drastically different parts. The first part is a disturbing look at how the daughter chooses her husband, and her family's ideas on the subject. The second part is more of a farce about wedding preparations and the actual wedding - although it too has some serious overtones. However, once the wedding preparations are underway in the second part, the choice of marriage partner is now a given, and no longer discussed. All the characters become much more sympathetic: they could be any about-to-be-married couple and their family."— Michael E. Grost, Classic Film and Televisionhttp://mikegrost.com/minn.htm#Father