THE COURTSHIP OF EDDIE’S FATHER

US, 1963, 118 minutes, Colour.
Glenn Ford, Ronny Howard, Shirley Jones, Dinah Merrill, Stella Stevens, Jerry van Dyke, Roberta Sherwood.
Directed by Vincent Minelli.

The Courtship of Eddie’s Father was written by John Gay and directed by Vincente Minelli. Minelli had come to prominence at MGM in the 1940s, especially with his breakthrough musical, Cabin in the Sky, then Meet Me in St Louis and many musicals, especially with his wife, Judy Garland. During the 1950s he began to make serious dramas and melodramas beginning with The Bad and the Beautiful. In the 1960s he made romantic comedies like this one and Goodbye, Charlie.
Glenn Ford was very popular at the time, the star of a great number of films, a romantic lead. He had worked with Minelli on the version of The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Shirley Jones had starred in the musicals Oklahoma and Carousel and had had the won an Oscar for her supporting role in Elmer Gantry and was to move to television with The Partridge Family. Stella Stevens was at the beginning of her career. Dina Merrill had appeared in many similar roles, a patrician lady.
However, Ronny Howard, who appeared on television in the Andy Griffith Show, stole this film with his portrayal of Eddie. He was to continue acting and such films as American Graffiti but had great success as a director, of the great variety of genre films, winning best director Oscar for A Beautiful Mind.

1. A romantic comedy? The 1960s? Focus on family, father and son relationships? Remarriage?
2. The work and Vincente Minelli, colorful, bright, glossy? The affluent world? The musical score?
3. The situation, a widower, his young son, grieving, the possibility of re-marriage? The attitude of his son? Missing his mother? But wanting his father to be happy?
4. Elizabeth, Shirley Jones, bright, friendship with Eddie’s mother, her own failed marriage, neighbourly, caring for a Eddie, the clashes with Tom? Eddie promoting her, Tom not noticing her?
5. Eddie and his age, precocious, his experience of life, love for his dad, enjoying Elizabeth’s company, relying on her, wanting her for his mother? His shrewdness, the comment on skinny eyes? Judging the prospective wives?
6. Dollye, Stella Stevens’ screen personality, attractive, clever, seemingly the dumb blonde? Her arrival, interactions with Tom? His steering her towards to Norm? Getting on well with Norm, the marriage?
7. Rita, social class, glamour, the world of fashion? Meeting Tom? The attraction, her motivation for dating Tom? The society gatherings? Tom at home with her? Her expectations and demands? Her character? Skinny eyes? Eddie and his suspicions? Her thinking of sending Eddie away for the wedding? Her conceding the place to another?
8. Tom and Rita, the effect on Tom, the attraction, his going out, comfort from her, her style, finally seen through Eddie’s perspective?
9. Eddie, reactions, going on the camp, the relationship with his father, learning, his trying to focus his father on Elizabeth?
10. Tom, coming to his senses, Elizabeth and her being so good with Eddie, his being able to rely on her, love, together?
11. The comedy with the maid, working at home, with Eddie and Tom, her learning Spanish (when it should have been Portugese)?
12. Norm and his friendship with Tom? His leering personality? Auditioning Dollye, the attraction, outings, marriage?
13. A romantic comedy of the 1960s rather than a family film?