Father's Little Dividend (1951)

This sequel to Father of the Bride cannot really stand up to the original, but on its own terms, Father's Little Dividend is an amusing, lightly enjoyable little film. There's definitely a sense of déjà vu to the film, not only because it's a sequel, but because it is revisiting territory that has been trod many times. Complicating matters is the fact that there's no real plot to the film, merely a series of episodes which, on the surface, fit together but which don't really add up to a satisfying whole. Add to this some overly contrived situations -- including the climactic sequence in which the viewer is asked to believe that Spencer Tracy would leave a baby unprotected in a carriage while he plays with a group of boys -- and it's easy to see why the film falls short of classic status. Fortunately, it does have an expert cast to help it over the rough spots, with Tracy leading the way with his usual gruff-but-lovable routine. Director Vincente Minnelli seems a bit hampered by the script and by the necessity of filming in black-and-white, but he does find a number of arresting shots, and his staging of the sequence in which Elizabeth Taylor comes to feel overwhelmed by those around her is very well-handled. Dividend is not an outstanding comedy, but it is pleasant and diverting. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide