Grays Almanac

Home/Episodes/Father of the Bride

‘Father of the Bride’ With Bill Simmons and Amanda Dobbins

December 22, 2021 · Father of the Bride (1991) · Comedy · Family · Romance · 1:31:28

IMDb ↗Letterboxd ↗

Categories

Half-Assed Internet Research

Amanda Dobbins▶ 20:02Nancy Meyers aesthetic evolution from Baby Boom through Father of the Bride; house exteriors vs interior sets in Pasadena; Meyers' focus on architecture in her films; generational perspective on Elizabeth Taylor and remake anxiety
Bill Simmons▶ 19:08Steve Martin had no kids when making the movie but was America's dad; Nancy Meyers-Keaton collaborations; $20 million budget made $120 million; Roger Ebert gave three stars; Elizabeth Taylor hangover affecting 1991 remake reception

Most Rewatchable Scene

Amanda Dobbins▶ 27:54Agrees with both scenes mentioned by another host, particularly praising the opening monologue and the wedding announcement scene
Bill Simmons▶ 27:28The opening monologue and Annie tells them she's getting married scene

What's Aged the Worst

Amanda Dobbins▶ 54:03Martin Short's accent gag - the whole running joke about not understanding his accent is no longer comedy in 2021
Bill Simmons▶ 52:46The falling in the pool scene - finds it hacky, gimmicky and too unrealistic compared to the rest of the movie

Casting What-Ifs

Amanda Dobbins▶ 56:16Phoebe Cates — Comments that Phoebe Cates being pregnant could have worked in the movie but would make it more scandalous than intended, and notes it was lucky Disney got Diane Keaton anyway
Bill Simmons▶ 55:41Phoebe Cates — Discusses Steve Martin was cast before screenplay was written, Phoebe Cates was offered Annie Banks role but turned it down due to pregnancy, and Diane Keaton had to be fought for by writers against Disney's wishes

Joey Pants Award

Amanda Dobbins▶ 59:46George Newbern — George Newbern (agreed with another host's choice)
Bill Simmons▶ 59:42George Newbern — George Newbern (the son-in-law actor)

Dion Waiters Award

Amanda Dobbins▶ 1:00:45Kieran Culkin
Bill Simmons▶ 1:00:58Kieran Culkin

Apex Mountain

Amanda Dobbins▶ 1:04:06Steve Martin — Steve Martin - agrees on mainstream Steve Martin apex mountain; Wedding movies - agrees, noting it started the 90s explosion of wedding movies like Four Weddings and a Funeral, Wedding Planner, Wedding Singer
Bill Simmons▶ 1:03:44Steve Martin — Steve Martin - mainstream Steve Martin apex mountain; Diane Keaton - no, apex was Annie Hall; Kimberly Williams - yes; Father-daughter movies - yes; Nancy Meyers - no; San Marino - 100% yes; Wedding movies - yes, it's the wedding movie apex

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Amanda Dobbins▶ 1:15:15Age gap is viable if mother had first child at 22, wedding should have been canceled due to LA residents' reaction to snow, fake snow staging looks unrealistic
Bill Simmons▶ 1:15:1114-year age gap between sisters is unrealistic, snow in LA that doesn't cancel the wedding, muddy yard conditions after snow melts, and cramming 200 people into the house

What's Aged the Best

Amanda Dobbins▶ 1:18:14The wedding tent and setup - mentions it could look tacky like a late 80s wedding but actually looks nice

Who Won the Movie

Amanda Dobbins▶ 1:29:23Nancy Meyers — Acknowledges Steve Martin but suggests Nancy Meyers could be considered since this is when it all comes together for her
Bill Simmons▶ 1:29:18Steve Martin

Movies Referenced (25)

Baby Boom (1987)

4 mentions · Amanda Dobbins, Bill Simmons▶ 19:46IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988)

3 mentions · Amanda Dobbins, Bill Simmons▶ 14:53IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Annie Hall (1977)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 19:54IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Blade Runner (1982)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 9:32IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Body Heat (1981)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 14:10IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Fargo (1996)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 1:05:55IMDb ↗Lb ↗

It's Complicated (2009)

2 mentions · Amanda Dobbins▶ 20:08IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Mother of the Bride (2024)

2 mentions · Amanda Dobbins▶ 29:48IMDb ↗Lb ↗

My Best Friend's Wedding (1997)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 1:14:35IMDb ↗Lb ↗

The Godfather (1972)

2 mentions · Amanda Dobbins▶ 1:05:29IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid (1982)

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 14:01IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Fight Club (1999)

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 42:22IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Directors Referenced (3)

George Clooney

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins · Known for The Ides of March, Michael Clayton▶ 1:01:12IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Ron Howard

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for A Beautiful Mind▶ 15:01IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Woody Allen

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Annie Hall, Deconstructing Harry▶ 19:54IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Actors Referenced (34)

Steve Martin

58 mentions · Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins · Known for The Jerk, The Pink Panther▶ 1:33IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Diane Keaton

30 mentions · Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins · Known for Annie Hall, Something's Gotta Give▶ 1:40IMDb ↗Lb ↗

BD Wong

9 mentions · Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins · Known for Jurassic Park, Jurassic World▶ 54:45IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Elizabeth Taylor

8 mentions · Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins▶ 3:04IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Kieran Culkin

6 mentions · Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins · Known for A Real Pain▶ 38:57IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Martin Short

6 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Inherent Vice▶ 1:40IMDb ↗Lb ↗

George Newbern

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins · Known for Adventures in Babysitting▶ 58:44IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Spencer Tracy

4 mentions · Amanda Dobbins, Bill Simmons · Known for Guess Who's Coming to Dinner▶ 3:04IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Brad Paisley

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins · Known for Cars, Cars 3, Cars 2▶ 41:38IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Demi Moore

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins · Known for Striptease, Indecent Proposal▶ 56:45IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Brenda Denmark

2 mentions · Amanda Dobbins · Known for Keeping the Faith, Center Stage▶ 1:10:23IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Paul Simon

2 mentions · Amanda Dobbins · Known for The Graduate▶ 34:15IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Writers Referenced (4)

Nancy Meyers

15 mentions · Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins · Known for It's Complicated, Something's Gotta Give, Private Benjamin▶ 3:55IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jeffrey Katzenberg

2 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Shrek, Just Like Heaven▶ 57:08IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Roger Ebert

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins▶ 24:37IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Lorne Michaels

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 18:22IMDb ↗Lb ↗