Blog post by Boomer54 Mark

I have become a big fan of this blog The Art of Manliness. And since, I love movies, I was drawn to his post about the 12 Best Fatherhood Movies.

Since I consolidate lists down to a Power 3s list, here are favorite 3 movies from his list.

Father-themed flicks are guaranteed to make us laugh, get misty-eyed, and feel a little introspective about our own dads, and if we have kids ourselves, how we measure up as fathers.

To Kill A Mockingbird

Pillar of integrity, fighter of racial injustice, humble sharpshooter, and, of course, world’s greatest dad. As a widower he could have shipped his kids off to a relative, but he was absolutely devoted to them. He was kind, protective, and incredibly patient with his two kids, Jem and Scout. And most importantly, he taught his children by example. I find the relationship between Atticus and his daughter to be particularly endearing. If I ever have a daughter, I hope my relationship with her can be like the one Atticus had with his little girl. No wonder the American Film Institute called Atticus the “greatest movie hero of the 20th century.”

Of course you can’t top the book itself, but the film version measures up pretty well. Gregory Peck was given some very large shoes to fill, and he did so admirably.

My Life

My Life is perhaps the best and most underrated movie about fatherhood ever made. Michael Keaton plays Bob Ivanovich, a man who discovers that he has terminal cancer soon after his wife gets pregnant. Knowing he won’t be around to raise his little boy, Bob makes home movies of himself that his son can watch as he grows up. In some of the videos, Bob reads bedtime stories and in others, which will be shown when his son is older, Bob teaches important man skills like how to shave and how to shake hands. As Bob approaches his death, he also begins to reconcile with his own father, with whom he has had a strained relationship.

Be warned, this movie is a tear-jerker. Check out my post of a real life famous dad, Nick Charles, who is dying of cancer recording videos for his young daughter.

The Pursuit of Happyness

An uplifting film based on the true story of now multi-millionaire Chris Gardner’s one-year struggle with homelessness while raising his son by himself and working to land a full-time job. The Pursuit of Happyness shows the lengths a father will go for his children. What makes this movie even more emotionally captivating is that Chris Gardner and his son, little Chris, are played by real-life father and son, Will and Jaden Smith.

Father Of The Bride

I love old movies and this one with Spencer Tracy is simply terrific…It’s the moment any man with a daughter looks forward to with both happiness and sadness: his little girl’s wedding. You’ve probably seen the 1991 re-make of Father of the Bride with Steve Martin. Sure, it’s funny, but it’s nowhere near as good as the 1950 original starring Spencer Tracy and a young and beautiful Elizabeth Taylor. There’s nothing profound or deep about this film. It’s just a fun, family comedy about the relationship between a man and his daughter. Spencer Tracy rocks it in this movie. One of his best performances.

Bonus: Two of my favorite movies of all time.

The Godfather

At its core, The Godfather is about one man’s struggle to accept and eventually live up to the legacy his father has left him (even if that legacy isn’t the most noble and honorable one). You can gleam a lot of great insights about fatherhood from watching the entire trilogy. A terrific quote comes from Don Corleone: “A man who doesn’t spend time with his family can never be a real man.”

Field of Dreams

As a boomer growing up in the 1950s and 1960s, baseball was my life and it was how I communicated and spent time with my Dad. I will never forget those times. The hours he played “ball” with me. The catch scene gets me every time.

To what lengths would a man go for a chance at reconciliation? If it’s for your (dead) father, most of us would do anything. As a young man, Ray Kinsella had a strained relationship with his dad and had once refused to play catch with him, a decision he has regretted ever since. Now grown up, with his father passed away, Ray has become an Iowa farmer. A voice tells him, “If you build it, he will come,” and Ray obeys by building a baseball diamond in his cornfield. The voice continues to guide Ray, and after a series of mysterious and supernatural events, he is able to make amends by playing a simple game of catch with his dead father.

Did I miss your favorite? Let me know in the comments…

About the author: Boomer54 Mark is the publisher and senior editor of Baby Boomer Talk Online. He likes to be helpful to other boomers sharing useful information he gleans from the web. He attempts to go through life being positive and spreads this to the boomer world via email with inspirational quotes and videos. He is living in America’s finest city, San Diego, with his wife, The Red Headed Trip , and his two Boxer Dogs, Gabe and Luke.

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Posted by Boomer54 Mark on Saturday, June 18, 2011 at 7:57 am 
Filed under Boomers & Quotes, Top 3 Movies About Fatherhood · Tagged with academy of motion picture arts and sciences, cinema of the united states, dad, day, family, father, fatherhood, favorite movies, films, godfather movie, gregory peck, human interest, introspective, love movies, men, michael keaton, movies, movies michael, spencer tracy, to kill a mockingbird