Father of the Bride (1950)

Father of the Bride (1950)
MGM
June 16, 1950
Comedy
DVD
C

I gave this half an hour, since I liked some of it early on, like the parade of Liz's ex-boyfriends, but the upper-middle-class blandness got to be too much.  This is based on the Edward Streeter novel and directed by Vincente Minnelli.

Dinner at Eight

Dinner at Eight
MGM
August 29, 1933
Dramedy
DVD
C+

George Cukor directed this pre-Code "classic" that I've been curious about for decades but didn't get around to seeing until today.  And, well, some of the comedy works, I'm less convinced by the drama, particularly the John-Barrymore-as-his-future-self plot thread.  You'll probably want to watch this for Harlow (and her wardrobe!), but I most enjoyed Billie Burke as the very Burkey airhead society matron.

Ironically May Robson, 83 by then, would eight years later in Playmates tell John Barrymore (as himself and then 59 but looking much older) that she saw him onstage as a little girl.

Topper Returns

Topper Returns
United Artists
March 21, 1941
Comedy, Fantasy
DVD
C-

While this has quite the early '40s cast, and the sets and costumes are impressive, I found it hard to care about the characters or the story.  And finding out that, after the obligatory first quarter-hour, the Joan Blondell character, the annoying, wisecracking but unfunny, gal-pal would be the ghost du jour, I'm glad I quit before getting in deeper.  This is loosely based on the Topper novel by then already "late" Thorne Smith.  Roy Del Ruth directed.

The Barkleys of Broadway

The Barkleys of Broadway
MGM
May 4, 1949
Musical
DVD
C

Fred and Ginger reunite after ten years to play a bickering married show-biz couple.  I was rooting for the magic to happen but this is actually on a level with 1939's The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle (reviewed here https://reviewingeverymovieiown.blogspot.com/2014/02/the-story-of-vernon-and-irene-castle.html).  At least it was nice to glimpse Billie Burke outside of The Wizard of Oz.

Sidney Sheldon was an uncredited contributor to the Comden & Green screenplay.  Charles Walters directed.