Full of Life is a 1956 dramedy film directed by Richard Quine, starring Judy Holliday, Richard Conte, and Salvatore Baccaloni.
Emily (Holliday) and Nick Rocco (Conte) are expecting their first child. But when their kitchen floor breaks and they need expensive repairs, Nick must visit his family to get his Italian-immigrant father (Baccaloni) to fix it for him.
Nick clashes with his father’s old-world wisdom and meddling while Emily tries to reconcile the two in this sweet comedy about family and generational differences.
Tropes:
- Culture Clash: Nick rolls his eyes at his father’s Italian superstitions and ways, but as time goes on, he begins to appreciate his input and help.
- Immigrant Parents / Amazingly Embarrassing Parents: Nick is extremely embarrassed by his father who wants to control what he does and how it does it. Nick chafes at the idea of having him at his home but eventually begins to appreciate his father and accept their differences.
- Housewife: Emily is a classic one with a twist! She studies semantics in her spare time.
- Feeling the Baby Kick: When Nick is looking at a cute number at the train, Emily complains of pain and quips: “Your child just kicked me.”
- Panicky Expectant Father: Nick is of course nervous when Emily goes into labour. Made worse that he’s not even allowed into the delivery room!
- Pregnancy Makes You Crazy: Emily becomes obsessed with cleaning the house over and over again while becomes irrationally jealous when Nick is looking at other women. When she goes into labour, she tells Nick that he’s the most “beautiful” man she has ever known.
- Obnoxious In-Laws: Averted: Emily loves her in-laws, and although there are some cultural differences, she truly respects them.
- Shotgun Wedding: Hilariously averted. Emily has a false alarm when she and Nick are getting their religious marriage (they have already been civilly married for 6 years). When she walks out of the hospital, 8 months pregnant and in a bridal suit, the nurses can’t help but stare.
- Stop Being Stereotypical: Nick seems to be annoyed at his father’s wine-drinking and Catholic antics but also realizes that he also has been rebelling against his father like a teenager.
- Wacky Cravings: The film starts with Emily making a baloney and raw onion sandwich.
