History Film / LifeWithFather

* RunningGag: Although Annie's departure is the only one shown, every time there is a maid in a scene it's someone new.

Clarence Day Sr. (Powell) is a Wall Street stockbroker, married to the lively but slightly scatterbrained Vinnie (Dunne). They live on Madison Avenue with their four sons, who range from the college-age Clarence Jr. to five-year-old Harlan. Although Clarence Sr. strives to keep his household as neatly ordered as his office, the activities of his family frequently thwart him in this goal. Though affluent, he insists on keeping a tight budget (cabs and charge accounts both come in as objects of his ire), while Vinnie sees nothing wrong with spending some of the money they have on dining out and pretty decorations.

Clarence Day Sr. (Powell) is a Wall Street stockbroker, married to the lively but slightly scatterbrained Vinnie (Dunne). They live on Madison Avenue with their four sons, who range from the college-age Clarence Jr. to five-year-old Harlan. Although Clarence Sr. strives to keep his household as neatly ordered as his office, the activities of his family frequently thwart this goal. Though affluent, he insists on keeping a tight budget (cabs and charge accounts both come in as objects of his ire), while Vinnie sees nothing wrong with spending some of the money they have on dining out and pretty decorations.

Clarence Day Sr. (Powell) is a Wall Street stockbroker, married to the lively but slightly scatterbrained Vinnie (Dunne). They live on Madison Avenue with their four sons, who range from the college-age Clarence Jr. to five-year-old Harlan. Although Clarence Day tries to keep his household as neatly ordered as his office, the activities of his family frequently thwart this goal. Though affluent, he insists on keeping a tight budget (cabs and charge accounts both come in as objects of his ire), while Vinnie sees nothing wrong with spending some of the money they have on dining out and pretty decorations.

'''Father:''' Madam, ''I'' am the character of my home.

''Life with Father'' is a 1947 comedy film directed by Creator/MichaelCurtiz, starring Creator/WilliamPowell and Creator/IreneDunne. It was adapted from the 1939 hit play of the same name, which was based in turn on the real Clarence Day's memoirs of growing up with his bombastic father in the 1880s.

Clarence Day Sr. (Powell) is a New York City stockbroker, married to the lively but slightly scatterbrained Vinnie (Dunne). They live on Madison Avenue with their four sons, who range from the college-age Clarence Jr. to five-year-old Harlan. Although Clarence Day tries to keep his household as neatly ordered as his office, the activities of his family frequently thwart this goal. Though affluent, he insists on keeping a tight budget (cabs and charge accounts both come in as objects of his ire), while Vinnie sees nothing wrong with spending some of the money they have on dining out and pretty decorations.

[[quoteright:225:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/225px_life_with_father___film_poster.jpg]]

->''"Sir, I must know the character of the home our girls are going to!"\\
"Madam, ''I'' am the character of my home."''

A 1947 film starring Creator/WilliamPowell and Creator/IreneDunne, based on the real Clarence Day's memoirs of growing up with his bombastic father in the 1880s.

Clarence Day, Sr. (Powell) is a New York City stockbroker, married to the lively but slightly scatterbrained Vinnie (Dunne). They live on Madison Avenue with their four sons, who range from the college-age Clarence Jr. to five-year-old Harlan. Although Clarence Day tries to keep his household as neatly ordered as his office, the activities of his family frequently thwart this goal. Though affluent, he insists on keeping a tight budget (cabs and charge accounts both come in as objects of his ire), while Vinnie sees nothing wrong with spending some of the money they have on dining out and pretty decorations.

* MalignedMixedMarriage: A wrench is thrown into Clarence Jr. and Mary's courtship when they discover that he's an Episcopalian and she's a Methodist. Oh noes, how can they be together when they adhere to two different kinds of Anglo-Protestantism? Mary then remembers that her father was an Episcopalian before he married, so it's all good. "''She'' was the Methodist!" says Mary of her mother.

* MalignedMixedMarriage: A wrench is thrown into Clarence Jr. and Mary's courtship when they discover that he's an Episcopalian and she's a Methodist. Oh noes, how can they be together when they adhere to two different kinds of Anglo-Protestantism? Mary then remembers that her father was an Episcopalian before he married, so it's all good.

* NaiveNewcomer: The family is introduced through the eyes of Annie, a newbie maid. Mr. Day scares her off during her first day, and she's never seen again, [[HighTurnoverRate apparently not the first time this has happened]]. She was only there as long as she had to be for AsYouKnow to be averted.

* NaiveNewcomer: The family is introduced through the eyes of a newbie maid. Mr. Day scares her off during her first day, and she's never seen again, [[HighTurnoverRate apparently not the first time this has happened]]. She was only there as long as she had to be for AsYouKnow to be averted.

* UnusuallyUninterestingSight: Everyone is so used to Mr. Day's habit of haranguing the newspaper that they can't understand what Annie is talking about when she says he has a visitor, nor why she leaves in tears after Mr. Day looks right at her and says that he'll see "you" sent to jail and that "you" won't be able to escape the consequences of "your" actions. (In reality, he's addressing the mayor over a new plan to raise taxes.)

A 1947 film starring Creator/WilliamPowell and Creator/IreneDunne, based on the real Clarence Day's memoirs of growing up with his bombastic father in the 1890s.

* InnocentInaccurate: John and Clarence Jr. reason that the medicine will be good for their mother because it purports to treat "women's complaints." She's a woman, and she's complaining about her headache. They don't realize it's a euphemism for menstrual problems.

Clarence Day, Sr. (Powell) is a New York City stockbroker, married to the lively but slightly scatterbrained Vinnie (Dunne). They live on Madison Avenue with their four sons, who range from the college-age Clarence Jr. to five-year-old Harlan. Although Clarence Day tries to keep his household as neatly ordered as his office, the activities of his family frequently thwart this goal. Though affluent, he insists on keeping a tight budget (cabs come infrequently as targets of his ire, as do charge accounts), while Vinnie sees nothing wrong with spending some of the money they have on dining out and pretty decorations.

The plot follows the everyday doings of the Day family, from Clarence Sr.'s outrage over the visit of Vinnie's cousin and her young friend Mary, John's dodgy job selling "medicine," and Whitney's attempts to learn his catechism. The latter half of the film follows Vinnie falling ill and her husband's reaction to it, and her reaction to his dismissal of baptism.

* AllNaturalSnakeOil: The "Bartlet's Benificent Balm" that John is hired to sell. It turns Vinnie's minor ailment into a medical emergency and kills a pug dog. (This is TruthInTelevision; before the Food & Drug Administration came along, the market was rife with "medicines" that were loaded with alcohol and narcotics.)

A 1947 film staring William Powell and Irene Dunn, based on the real Clarence Day's memoirs of growing up with his bombastic father in the 1890s.

Clarence Day Sr. is a New York City stockbroker, married to the lively but slightly scatterbrained Vinnie. They live on Madison Avenue with their four sons, who range from the college-age Clarence Jr. to five-year-old Harlan. Although Clarence Day tries to keep his household as neatly ordered as his office, the activities of his family frequently thwart this goal. Though affluent, he insists on keeping a tight budget (cabs come in frequently as targets of his ire, as do charge accounts), while Vinnie sees nothing wrong with spending some of the money they have on dining out and pretty decorations.

The plot follows the everyday doings of the Days, from Clarence Sr.'s outrage over the visit of Vinnie's cousin and her young friend Mary, John's dodgy job selling "medicine," and Whitney's attempts to learn his catechism. The latter half of the film follows Vinnie falling ill and her husband's reaction to it, and her reaction to his dismissal of baptism.

* SmiteMeOhMightySmiter: When the minister starts a prayer by asking for mercy on "this miserable sinner", meaning Vinnie, Clarence Sr. takes charge of the supplication to the Almighty by shouting at the ceiling that his wife is ''not'' a miserable sinner and He knows it, and that He had better cure her ''right now''.