The Courtship of Eddie's Father (1963)

Director:

Vincente Minnelli

Writers:

Mark Toby (novel)
John Gay (writer)

Release Date:

27 March 1963 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

Every boy needs a mother...even if Dad has to marry her!

Plot:

Eddie thinks it is time for his father to remarry. However, in his opinion his father's taste in women leaves much to be desired...

Plot Keywords:

Courtship | Affection | Parenthood | Single Father | Friendship

Awards:

3 nominations

Cast

  (Complete credited cast)

Glenn Ford	...	Tom Corbett
Shirley Jones	...	Elizabeth Marten
Stella Stevens	...	Dollye Daly
Dina Merrill	...	Rita Behrens
Roberta Sherwood	...	Mrs. Livingston
Ron Howard	...	Eddie (as Ronny Howard)
Jerry Van Dyke	...	Norman Jones

Runtime:

118 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #20387) | Australia:G | Finland:S | Germany:6 | Sweden:11 | Argentina:Atp

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

The movie Tom watches briefly and somewhat wistfully on TV before Eddie comes in to say he feels "real terrible" is Mogambo (1953), starring Clark Gable and Grace Kelly.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Norman Jones: Wake up Manhattan. Come out of that warm, rosy dream, open those big, luscious eyes and meet a new, exciting day. I'm talking to you ravishing, delicious, madcap girls still in that warm, cozy bed. Now what you need is a nice, hot cup of coffee, Bentley Coffee of course. That rich, intoxicating aroma, that tantalizing blend that makes the senses reel and the pulses tingle.
[shouts]
Norman Jones: Look out! Don't burn those delicate, sensuous fingers. Why if anything should happen to those wild, impetuous hands, Jones would be heartbroken, Aw, did she hurt herself? Don't cry. Old Norm here will fix it.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Empty Nest: The Courtship of Carol's Father (#7.7)" (1994)

Soundtrack:

The Rose And The Butterfly

A heartwarming movie...

I disagree that this movie is sexist at all. In fact, I believe that the character of Tom Corbett is quite different (in a good way) from the fathers of that time. I continue to find this movie extremely entertaining (while ertainly more "fluff" than depth) and nostalgic, due in most part to Ron Howard's superb and engaging performance. The parts where Eddie tells his dad at summer camp that he is in love, and the end of the movie, where Eddie is "practicing" with this dad on what to say to the neighbor to ask her out on a date, are absolutely priceless. Watching Ron Howard in this movie makes you realize why he was sought after as a child actor.