FATHER'S LITTLE DIVIDEND

Middle-class family man Stanley Banks learns that his recently married daughter Kay and her husband Buckley Dunstan are expecting a baby. Stanley's wife Ellie and Buckley's parents Doris and Herbert are delighted, but Stanley broods that he is too young and vibrant to be a grandfather.

Ellie throws Kay a baby shower, although Stanley balks at the cost. Ellie suggests that they remodel their house so that Kay, Buckley and the baby can live with them, but Stanley refuses. The Dunstans announce plans to add a wing to their home for the couple, but Kay and Buckley reveal that they have just bought their own house.

After settling into their new home, Kay, who is very close to her father, expresses her concern that the baby will change her relationship with Buckley. Stanley comforts her by telling her how much he had loved her as a baby. Soon the Bankses and the Dunstans are trying to outdo one another buying gifts and making plans for the baby. One night, while listening to Ellie, Doris, and Herbert bicker over the baby's name, Kay becomes upset and only Stanley is able to comfort her. Although he pledges to Kay that the in-laws will not interfere again, Stanley drags Ellie to Kay's physician, Dr. Andrew Nordell.

Things remain calm until Stanley is awakened by a late-night call from Buckley with news that Kay has left him. At the Banks house, Buckley and Kay reconcile after Kay's jealousy is revealed to be a misunderstanding stemming from Buckley's late nights working at the office. Kay and Stanley realize Buckley's devotion to his family.

As the birth approaches, the nerves of the parents and grandparents become frayed. However, the baby cries whenever Stanley comes near him. When the baby is six months old, Kay joins Buckley on a business trip and leaves the baby with her parents, hoping to give Stanley time to grow closer to his grandson. One afternoon, while Kay is still away, Stanley takes the baby for a walk in the park. After joining some boys in a game of soccer, he loses track of time and cannot find the carriage. He frantically retraces his steps back to the house. Seeing through the window that Kay has returned early, he panics and takes a taxi to the police station. Stanley confesses to the police sergeant that he has lost the baby and secretly prays that his grandson will not scream when he holds him. To Stanley's relief, the baby is delighted to see him, and from that moment on, they are devoted to each other.

At the baby's christening, Stanley beams with pride as his grandson is named Stanley Banks Dunstan.

After a frantic search when Stanley loses his grandson, he is relieved to find the baby safe and finally bonds with him. At the christening, Stanley beams with pride as his grandson is named after him.

The ending wraps up Stanley's journey from reluctant grandfather to a devoted one, using comedy and a dash of panic to bridge generational gaps. The christening scene underscores the film's theme of family legacy and acceptance, giving the Banks clan a heartfelt, if slightly chaotic, sense of closure. The final moments highlight that, despite his resistance, Stanley finds joy and pride in his new role.