A secondary plot line deals with Clarence Jr struggling with the pangs of first love, under some difficult- and unusual- circumstances. A third plot deals with the efforts of John to earn money by selling patent medicine, and disparate as these plot lines are, they eventually converge.
Vinnie: That's nonsense- and not to kneel in church is a sacrilege.
Clarence: But making Father's trousers kneel is more of a sacrilege.
Vinnie: Clarence!
Clarence: No! Remember the first night I wore this? It was at Dora Wakefield's party for Mary. Do you know what happened? We were playing Musical Chairs and Dora Wakefield sat down suddenly right in my lap. I jumped up so fast that she almost got hurt.
Vinnie: But it was all perfectly innocent.
Clarence: It wasn't that Dora was sitting on my lap- she was sitting on Father's trousers.
Clarence. As long as you can keep reason and logic in the argument, no matter what it's about, a
man can hold his own, of course. But if they can switch you- pretty soon the argument's about
whether you love them or not. I swear I don't know how they do it. Don't you let 'em, Clarence,
don't you let 'em.
Clarence: I see what you mean so far, Father. If you don't watch yourself, love can make you do a lot of
things you don't want to do.
Father: Exactly.
Clarence (with new knowledge): But if you do watch out and know just how to handle women-
Father: Then you'll be all right. All a man has to do is be firm. You know how at times I have to be firm with your mother.
in the last act- and can never stay angry with each other.
'Life With Father' is ostensibly a play about a man attempting to avoid getting baptized, but is in reality much more than that. Always funny- and sometimes touching- the play is light, frothy entertainment. And while you might not want to live 'Life with Father', it sure is a lot of fun to visit for a while.