I was a bit skeptical about this film at first. In general, Hollywood period pieces from the 40's and 50's can be a bit too cornball for my tastes (not that that's a BAD thing, it just depends on what kind of mood you're in). But I gave this film a shot and I was pleasantly surprised. There are some genuinely hysterical moments here. And while the introductory storyline tends to drag just a bit, the true comedy soon emerges from the intermingled sub-plots. I think that the reviewers who have panned the film may have missed the point of it entirely. The character portrayals of the parents are cartoonish for a reason. Did you notice how the children are drawn in a slightly more three-dimensional light? It's because this film is, essentially, a satire. The reason the "folks" are so nutty is because the story is being told from the perspective of Clarence Day Jr. (at least, that's how it was originally written). What this movie attempts to do, and accomplishes in spades, is to poke a bit of fun at the uptight, button-down aristocracy of 19th century America. We have the excitable, self-absorbed, and completely delusional patriarch, and the neurotic, long-suffering, and religiously impressionable mother. This film rips the facade right from its hinges, and shows us what people were really like. The firm and omnipotent father is actually a stubborn but hen-pecked hypocrite. And his wife is no better! She schemes, plots, and manipulates to constantly gain control of her heel of a husband. And, quite admittedly, she usually succeeds. The kids are the only *normal* ones (except for an EXTREMELY annoying Liz Taylor, who plays her role like she's in a High School production of Guys & Dolls). Overall, a very funny film. Some of the dialogue is sparkling and hysterically clever, a model that modern-day Hollywood would do well to study and live up to. There were several laugh-out-loud moments here, and I wasn't even in a good mood! If you like the old obscure Hollywood gems, check this one out! Just make sure you're looking at this film family through the right size lens. If it could make a believer out of me, it will hook anyone!
Review of Life with Father
