Review of Father's Little Dividend

Stanley Banks is looking forward to enjoying a little freedom a year after his daughter, Kay, has got married but that is short-lived when he learns that he is to become a grandfather. He is far from overwhelmed at the prospect but his wife and the other grandparents to be are overjoyed… to the extent that they start to take over from Kay; giving their ideas of what the baby should be named among other things. There are some hiccoughs before the baby, a boy, is born then Stanley is a little put out by the fact that the little one gets on with the rest of the family but cries the moment he sets eyes on him.

I was a little concerned that having not seen 'Father of the Bride' this might be a little hard to get into; thankfully it didn't matter at all. The story is fun with a decent number of laughs throughout. It isn't plot heavy; more a series of mostly amusing events that take place between the announcement that Kay is pregnant and the christening of the child. There is some drama although I doubt anybody will think things won't be resolved fairly quickly. Spencer Tracy does a fine job as Stanley Banks; this is very much his film as he is rarely off screen. He is ably supported by Joan Bennett as his wife Ellie and Elizabeth Taylor as Kay. Overall I'd recommend this to fans of older films who want a fun film which contains no offensive material.