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OPEN CLASSIC CINEMA · 021

Father's Little Dividend

195182 minUnited States

Video edition: YouTube · Channel’s colorized edition
Original language: English
This copy runs: 77:45
Subtitles: English

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Synopsis

Stanley Banks has barely adjusted to his daughter's marriage when he learns that she is expecting a baby. The prospect delights the extended family but unsettles a father reluctant to become a grandfather. Competing plans for the new household turn a happy announcement into a comic struggle over affection, responsibility and knowing when to step back.

Cast

Spencer Tracy

Stanley T. Banks

Joan Bennett

Ellie Banks

Elizabeth Taylor

Kay Dunstan

Russ Tamblyn

Tommy Banks

Credited as Rusty Tamblyn

DirectorsVincente Minnelli

Behind the scenes

MGM moved quickly after the success of Father of the Bride, reuniting the central cast and director Vincente Minnelli. The working title, Now I Am a Grandfather, made the new stage of family life explicit. Its Hollywood premiere benefited the John Tracy Clinic, giving the occasion a personal connection to Spencer Tracy.

Reception and legacy

The sequel's family situation continued to find new audiences: it became the basis for Father of the Bride Part II in 1995. The later version recast the central couple with Steve Martin and Diane Keaton.

Sources and availability

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Wikipedia Internet Archive

Work catalogued as public domain in the United States.

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Availability checked on September 10, 2026.

Photograph credit

Photographs cropped, resized and optimized as WebP, displayed in monochrome.

Spencer Tracy — Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (work for hire) · Public domain
Joan Bennett — Unknown author Unknown author · Public domain
Elizabeth Taylor — Studio publicity still · Public domain
Russ Tamblyn — John Mathew Smith & www.celebrity-photos.com from Laurel Maryland, USA · CC BY-SA 2.0

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