Life with Father (1947)

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Passed
1h 58min
Comedy, Family
13 Sep 1947 (USA)
Movie

7.1 (6,394)

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A straitlaced turn-of-the-century father presides over a family of boys and the mother who really rules the roost.

Director:

Michael Curtiz

Writers:

Stars:

Awards:

Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 2 wins.
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Reviews:

Photos and Videos

Still of Johnny Calkins and Derek Scott (I) in Life with Father (1947)

Still of William Powell (I) and Irene Dunne in Life with Father (1947)

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37 photos | 1 video

Cast verified as complete

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	William Powell	...	Father
	Irene Dunne	...	Vinnie
	Elizabeth Taylor	...	Mary
	Edmund Gwenn	...	Rev. Dr. Lloyd
	Zasu Pitts	...	Cora
	Jimmy Lydon	...	Clarence
	Emma Dunn	...	Margaret
	Moroni Olsen	...	Dr. Humphries
	Elisabeth Risdon	...	Mrs. Whitehead
	Derek Scott	...	Harlan
	Johnny Calkins	...	Whitney
	Martin Milner	...	John
	Heather Wilde	...	Annie
	Monte Blue	...	The Policeman
	Mary Field	...	Nora
	Queenie Leonard	...	Maggie
	Nancy Evans	...	Delia
	Clara Blandick	...	Miss Wiggins
	Frank Elliott	...	Dr. Somers
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
	Jean Andren	...	Mrs. Wickersham (uncredited)
	Russell Arms	...	Operator of Stock Quote Ticker (uncredited)
	John Beck	...	Perkins (uncredited)
	Joseph E. Bernard	...	Cashier (uncredited)
	Loie Bridge	...	Corsetierre (uncredited)
	David Cavendish	...	Churchgoer (uncredited)
	Arlene Dahl	...	Girl at Delmonico's (uncredited)
	Jean Del Val	...	François - Headwaiter at Delmonico's (uncredited)
	Dick Gordon	...	Waiter at Delmonico's (uncredited)
	Helena Grant	...	Modest Woman (uncredited)
	Creighton Hale	...	Mr. Wickersham (uncredited)
	Hallene Hill	...	Churchgoer (uncredited)
	Leza Holland	...	Girl at Delmonico's (uncredited)
	Geraldine Jarman	...	Girl in Employment Office (uncredited)
	Fred Kelsey	...	Jim - Streetcar Conductor (uncredited)
	Douglas Kennedy	...	Morley - Young Clergyman (uncredited)
	Faith Kruger	...	Hilda - Maid (uncredited)
	Mike Lally	...	Diner at Delmonico's (uncredited)
	Elaine Lange	...	Ellen (uncredited)
	Carl M. Leviness	...	Churchgoer (uncredited)
	Jack Martin	...	Chef (uncredited)
	Thomas Martin	...	Waiter at Delmonico's (uncredited)
	Philo McCullough	...	Milk Man (uncredited)
	Betty McDonough	...	Girl in Employment Office (uncredited)
	Claire Meade	...	Modest Woman (uncredited)
	George Meader	...	Salesman (uncredited)
	James Metcalfe	...	Customer (uncredited)
	Harold Miller	...	Churchgoer (uncredited)
	Michael Mineo	...	William Tyler Wickersham - One of Twins (uncredited)
	Ralph Mineo	...	Wilhelmina Eugenia Wickersham - One of Twins (uncredited)
	Clara Reid	...	Cleaning Woman (uncredited)
	William Ruhl	...	Churchgoer (uncredited)
	Celia Schreck	...	Undetermined Secondary Role (uncredited)
	Lucille Shamburger	...	Nursemaid (uncredited)
	Amzie Strickland	...	Churchgoer (uncredited)
	Henry Sylvester	...	Churchgoer (uncredited)
	Laura Treadwell	...	Churchgoer (uncredited)
	Gertrude Valerie	...	Churchgoer (uncredited)
	Philip Van Zandt	...	McCreery's Suit Salesman (uncredited)
	Jock C. Watt	...	Horse Car Driver (uncredited)

Directed by

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Michael Curtiz

Written by

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Clarence Day	...	(memoir "Life with Father")

Donald Ogden Stewart	...	(screen play)

Howard Lindsay	...	(from the original play by) and
Russel Crouse	...	(from the original play by)

Produced by

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Robert Buckner	...	producer
Jack L. Warner	...	executive producer

Music by

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Max Steiner

Cinematography by

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J. Peverell Marley	...	director of photography (as Peverell Marley)
William V. Skall	...	director of photography

Editing by

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George Amy

...

film editor

Editorial Department

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Natalie Kalmus	...	color director: Technicolor
James Leicester	...	montage
Lee Huntington	...	assistant editor (uncredited)

Art Direction by

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Robert M. Haas

...

(as Robert Haas)

Set Decoration by

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George James Hopkins

...

(set decorations) (as James Hopkins)

Costume Design by

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Marjorie Best

...

(uncredited)

Makeup Department

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Perc Westmore	...	makeup artist
Della Barnes	...	hair stylist (uncredited)
Stephanie Garland	...	hair stylist (uncredited)
Rose Lehman	...	makeup artist (uncredited)
Hank Mann	...	makeup artist (uncredited)
Eve Newing	...	hair stylist (uncredited)
Norman Pringle	...	makeup artist (uncredited)
Helen Turpin	...	hair color specialist (uncredited)

Production Management

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Eric Stacey

...

unit manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director

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Russell Llewellyn	...	second assistant director (uncredited)
Robert Vreeland	...	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department

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C.A. Basseler	...	assistant props (uncredited)
Donald P. Desmond	...	set construction (uncredited)
Edward L. Ilou	...	assistant art director (uncredited)
Herbert Plews	...	props (uncredited)
Levi C. Williams	...	assistant props (uncredited)

Sound Department

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C.A. Riggs

...

sound

Special Effects by

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Ray Foster	...	special effects
William C. McGann	...	special effects director (as William McGann)

Camera and Electrical Department

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George Dye	...	camera technician (uncredited)
Frank Flanagan	...	gaffer (uncredited)
Gibby Germaine	...	best boy (uncredited)
Henry Lehman	...	assistant camera (uncredited)
Jim L. Mathews	...	assistant camera (uncredited)
George Gordon Nogle	...	second camera (uncredited)
Jack Woods	...	still photographer (uncredited)
Warren Yaple	...	grip (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department

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Milo Anderson	...	wardrobe
Roy Dumont	...	wardrobe (uncredited)
Helen Goodman	...	wardrobe (uncredited)
Eugene Joseff	...	costume jeweller (uncredited)
Rydo Loshak	...	wardrobe (uncredited)
Mina Willowbird	...	wardrobe (uncredited)

Music Department

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Murray Cutter	...	orchestral arrangements
Leo F. Forbstein	...	musical director

Script and Continuity Department

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Fred Applegate

...

script supervisor (uncredited)

Additional Crew

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Monroe W. Burbank	...	associate technicolor color director
Herschel Daugherty	...	dialogue director
Katherine Briggs Dodge	...	technical advisor (as Mrs. Clarence Day)
Oscar Serlin	...	from the stage production
Fred Banker	...	unit publicist (uncredited)
Amelia de Ferris	...	teacher (uncredited)
John Roche	...	stand-in: William Powell (uncredited)
Hildegarde Scott	...	diction coach (uncredited)
Jacqueline Warrington	...	stand-in: Irene Dunne (uncredited)

Crew verified as complete

Production Companies

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Warner Bros. (presents) (A Warner Bros.-First National Picture)

Distributors

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Warner Bros. (1947) (United States) (theatrical)
Warner Bros. (1948) (Sweden) (theatrical)
Warner Bros. (1948) (United Kingdom) (theatrical)
Warner Bros. (1949) (Argentina) (theatrical)
Warner Bros. (1949) (France) (theatrical)
Warner Bros. (1949) (Norway) (theatrical)
Hal Roach Studios Film Classics (1985) (United States) (VHS)
Alpha Video Distributors (2002) (United States) (DVD)
Reel Media International (2005) (World-wide) (tv)
Reel Media International (2005) (World-wide) (VHS)
Reel Media International (2007) (World-wide)
Edel Media & Entertainment (2013) (Germany) (DVD) (Starmovie)
3GTG (2020) (World-wide)
HBO Max (2020) (United States) (video) (VOD)
Studio Hamburg Enterprises (2020) (Germany) (DVD)
Classic Flix (2023) (United States) (DVD)
ROKiT FLIX (2023) (United States)

Special Effects

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Other Companies

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International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) (this picture made under the jurisdiction of)

Storyline

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Plot Summary	In late-19th-century New York City, a Wall Street broker likes to think his house runs his way, but finds himself constantly bemused at how much of what happens is down to his wife. His children are also stretching their wings, discovering girls, and making money selling patent medicines. It's finally more than he can stand when it comes to light that he has never been baptized and everyone urges him to remedy this. Written by Jeremy Perkins {J-26} Plot Summary Plot Synopsis
Plot Keywords	1880s powell-and-taylor husband-wife-relationship redheaded-teenage-boy redheaded-man See All (32) »
Taglines	Here for all!! All the happiness of the play that ran longer, the laughs that were louder than any known before! See more »
Genres	Comedy Family
Parents Guide	View content advisory »
Certification	Argentina:Atp Australia:G Finland:S France:Tous publics Germany:12 Norway:A (cinema rating) Portugal:M/6 Sweden:Btl United Kingdom:U United Kingdom:A United States:Passed (National Board of Review) United States:Approved United States:TV-G (TV rating)

Additional Details

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Also Known As	Clarence Day's Life with Father (United States) Papa Gutta (India, English title) Mon père et nous (France) Unser Leben mit Vater (Germany) Recursos de mujer (Spain) See more »
Runtime	118 min
Country	United States
Language	English French
Color	Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio	1.37 : 1 See more »
Sound Mix	Mono (RCA Sound System)
Filming Locations	Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA See more »

Box Office

Budget

$4,700,000 (estimated)

Did You Know?

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Trivia	Before filming began, the cast was taken to Perc Westmore's salon on a Sunday morning to have their hair dyed red. When it was time to rinse the dye, the beauticians discovered that the water had been turned off for the entire block because the street was being repaired. Because dyes were so strong then, leaving them on could have caused the cast to lose their hair. Luckily, someone suggested diluting the dye with cold cream. See more »
Goofs	Clarence Jr. tells Whitney some baseball news about the New York Giants. In 1883, the team was called the New York Gothams, changing to the Giants in 1885. See more »
Movie Connections	Edited into Life with Father (2022). See more »
Soundtracks	Sweet Marie See more »
Crazy Credits	Although William Powell is listed first and Irene Dunne is listed second in the viewed print on AMC, half of the actual prints listed Dunne first and Powell second. Not only did each version alternate daily in theaters, but so did the advertisements of the movie in newspapers. See more »
Quotes	Vinnie: Is that suit of your father's too tight for you? Clarence Day: No, it's not too tight. Vinnie: Well, what is it? Clarence Day: Mother, very peculiar things have happened since I started to wear this suit. I can't seem to make these clothes do anything Father wouldn't do. Vinnie: Oh, that's nonsense. And not to kneel in church is a sacrilege. Clarence Day: Making Father's trousers kneel seemed like more of a sacrilege. See more »

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