Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		5.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		2.0
Overall		4.0

Father's Little Dividend Blu-ray Movie Review

Dunstan Jr. checks in.

Reviewed by Randy Miller III September 8, 2023

Preceded by 1950's Father of the Bride -- which was so popular that it spawned two remakes, including the 1991 film starring Steve Martin -- Vincente Minnelli's Father's Little Dividend was an immediate sequel that appeared in theaters less than a year later. Unlike most follow-ups, however, it doesn't hastily go the "bigger is better" route and is bolstered by the support and involvement of almost every key cast and crew member from the first film... even down to its three writers, which includes the original novel's author Edward Streeter. Needless to say, this is time well spent.

Speaking of time, life sure happens fast as you get older. A better writer than I once famously quipped that "the days are long, but the years are short" after you're well into adulthood, and perhaps doubly so if you choose to have kids. Patriarch Stanley Banks (Spencer Tracy) and his wife Ellie (Joan Bennett) went that route a long time ago, with Father of the Bride probing the trials and tribulations of a middle-aged couple coming to grips with seeing their daughter Kay (Elizabeth Taylor) finally tie the knot with Buckley Dunstan (Don Taylor) after a short engagement. This sequel picks up just after the original's conclusion, with Kay and Buckley suddenly sharing the news that they'll be having a baby soon. Fearing the worst at every turn like good parents, Stanley and Ellie succumb to anxiety at the prospect of becoming grandparents so quickly. Other turbulence rears its head, such as post-honeymoon drama between the expecting couple and sporadic interference by in-laws Doris and Herbert (Billie Burke and Moroni Olsen).

Not surprisingly, the main reason why Father's Little Dividend plays as well as it does is because of the overwhelming number of returning key cast and crew members; this gives its world a much-needed sense of familiarity, whereas too many mandated behind-the-scenes tweaks or hasty recasts might destroy it from the inside out. Like most successful sequels, Father's Little Dividend retains many of the elements that made the original great while adding a bit more fuel to the fire, but certainly doesn't go overboard and this fairly reined-in approach works in its favor. Kinda-sorta remade as 1995's Father of the Bride Part II, Father's Little Dividend has a much sturdier base and easily stands as the better of the two, though it clearly faces substantially tougher competition from the 1950 original. I'd potentially pick either one depending on the day, just as I might with another quick-turnaround double feature like the totally unrelated Yojimbo and Sanjuro. Bet you didn't think those films would get mentioned in a review like this, did you?

Unsurprisingly, Warner Archive's new Blu-ray edition of Father's Little Dividend serves as a perfect companion to their 2016 release of the first film, enough so that they could have just taken the double-feature route. But as usual, their releases are worth waiting for: this well put-together package serves up yet another pitch-perfect A/V restoration and drops in a few suitable slices of pre-show entertainment as bonus features. It all adds up to a no-brainer purchase for fans as well as a pretty solid blind buy for newcomers, assuming they're at least familiar with the original.

Father's Little Dividend Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Michael Reuben gave high marks to Father of the Bride seven years ago and, keeping in line with Warner Archive's extremely consistent track record, this sequel's lovingly restored 1080p transfer is deserving of just as much praise. Perhaps more, even. For the most part, this picture was sourced from a new 4K scan of the original camera negative, and a reliable source informed me that a few frames or sections were swapped out with their fine grain counterparts to replace unfixable damage. The fact that I can't really tell which is which should tell you all you need to know about the overall quality and consistency of this image, which features stunning fine detail and textures flanked by robust black levels and, as usual, a polished and clean visage while retaining its original film-like appearance. The bottom line is that if you've seen any of Warner Archive's other nitrate-era restorations in recent years, you should know what to expect here: a striking picture that not only handily beats previous home video presentations, but likely original theatrical showings to boot. Needless to say, like the film itself it meets if not surpasses its predecessor.

Father's Little Dividend Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Likewise, the DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio mix holds its own as a quality presentation of well-preserved source material, preserving its one-channel source as a clean mono split for a slightly wider sonic experience that doesn't compromise its authenticity. Overall fidelity is very good to excellent, with speech obviously given high priority and conversations sounding decently full and dynamic given the source material's age. Background effects and other minor elements are balanced well enough and there's still plenty of room left for the original score by composer Albert Sendrey, one of the only crew members from Father of the Bride who didn't return for this sequel. (A quick scan of his filmography reveals that Sendrey was working on two other MGM films that year, Tay Garnett's Soldiers Three and the lavish Technicolor presentation of Show Boat.) Despite a few trace moments of hiss and crackle, it's an overwhelmingly solid effort that holds its own and, like the best audio mixes, gets the job done without calling attention to itself.

Optional English (SDH) subtitles are included during the main feature only.

Father's Little Dividend Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This one-disc release ships in a keepcase with attractive vintage poster artwork and no inserts. On-board extras are limited to mostly pre-show entertainment but there's some good stuff to dig through here.

• Tom and Jerry Shorts - Any time is right for vintage T&J, and what's more is that both of these lovingly restored shorts were not included on the Golden Collection (still waiting for a sequel 12 years later!).

• Just Ducky (6:50) - This charming 1953 cartoon follows young Quacker, a duckling who's accidentally left behind due to a lack of swimming skills. Jerry rushes to the rescue and pulls double duty by keeping the little guy safe from Tom and his appetite for duck soup. A personal favorite for yours truly, it deftly balances their usual back-and-forth antics with a big spoonful of sugar at the end.
• Jerry and the Goldfish (7:22) - An earlier 1951 short with a very similar theme, this short sees Jerry befriend a goldfish while Tom learns a bit of French cooking. Contrasting the previous short, though, this one's pretty much all "Davids vs. Goliath" here and isn't buoyed by a twist happy ending.

• Bargain Madness (9:29) - Keeping things 1951, this Pete Smith Specialty short -- directed and co-written as usual by Dave O'Brien -- takes a look at ladies clamoring for discount deals at a department store. Women be shopping, amirite? Sure, it's as dated as the main feature but is likewise a fun little time capsule.

• Theatrical Trailer (3:49) - Like the above short, this one's presented in unrestored SD.

Father's Little Dividend Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

What happens when a popular film -- in this case, 1950's Father of the Bride -- gets an immediate sequel with the support and involvement of almost every original cast and crew member? In the case of Father's Little Dividend, the result is an entertaining and effective comedy/drama that meets if not surpasses the original. Not surprisingly, it holds up well enough more than 70 years layer despite its almost unavoidably dated story elements which, if you're like me, are actually part of the charm. Warner Archive, as usual, adds plenty of shine with another top-tier A/V restoration and a nice little mixture of pre-show bonus features. Firmly Recommended for fans and first-timers alike.