Best Actor 1947: William Powell in Life With Father

William Powell received his third and final Oscar nomination for portraying Clarence Day Senior in Life With Father.

Life is Father is a rather strange family film of sorts, but I enjoyed it in a purely old fashioned sort of way.

William Powell is an actor I almost always enjoy with his unique screen presence and style of delivery. Interestingly enough Powell as the patriarch of the red headed day family is his only Oscar nominated role without his usual sardonic delivery that I like so much. Still though that is not a fault at all of his performance. Clarence Day is purposefully over the top father, who tries his best to control things exactly way with his stern demeanor, despite never being exactly a mean man. He always wants things his way and only his way even though he does not always get them his way.

All of his complaining with constant spouting of "OH Gad" when something upsets him. The whole film is more or less based around his behavior. I will say I did certainly enjoy his performance, which I think is entirely proper for the part. I think Day could have been too overbearing or too stern, but Powell does find the right comedic tone for the film. It is not complex or complicated performance, but I found it enjoyable enough to watch which it was suppose to be. Powell does a little more than just humor when he can such as his need for his wife when she is sick, but still the character stays fairly simplistic which is completely fine. A simple comedic performance that work well enough due to the comedic actor behind it, not a huge challenge but Powell succeeds with the role.