Great Fatherly Advice From Your Favorite Movie Dads

The approach of Father's Day is heralded by numerous stories, reports and retellings regarding great advice we've received from dear ol' Dad.

Whether it's our own father, a stepdad or a fatherly figure, we often turn to him for words of wisdom at important moments in our lives. And so do characters in some of our favorite films.

Whether facing a first heartbreak, such as Samantha Banks (Molly Ringwald) in "Sixteen Candles," deciding the right approach to infant care in "3 Men and a Baby," or choosing sleeping arrangements when making a first overnight visit to "Meet the Parents," what the man of the house has to say should more often than not be heeded.

Usually enlightening, occasionally esoteric and frequently hysterical, movie dads have been imparting wisdom since the first silent-era camera rolled.

Here, a few choice words from big screen dads we've come to love:

Atticus Finch (Gregory Peck) in "To Kill a Mockingbird": "If you just learn a single trick, Scout, you'll get along a lot better with all kinds of folks. You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view . . . Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it."

Christopher Gardner (Will Smith) in "The Pursuit of Happiness": "You got a dream . . . You gotta protect it. People can't do somethin' themselves, they wanna tell you you can't do it. If you want somethin', go get it. Period."

Jim Baker (Paul Dooley) in "Sixteen Candles": "That's why they call them crushes. If they were easy, they'd call them something else."

Mufasa (voice of James Earl Jones)  in "The Lion King": "I'm only brave when I have to be. Simba, being brave doesn't mean you go looking for trouble."

George Banks (Steve Martin) in "Father of the Bride": "Drive carefully. And don't forget to fasten your condom."

Mac MacGuff (J.K. Simmons) in "Juno": "Look, in my opinion, the best thing you can do is find a person who loves you for exactly what you are. Good mood, bad mood, ugly, pretty, handsome, what have you, the right person is still going to think the sun shines out your ass. That's the kind of person that's worth sticking with."

Peter Mitchell (Tom Selleck) in "3 Men and a Baby": "All we have to do is feed it, it'll shut up."

Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando) in "The Godfather": "A man who doesn't spend time with his family can never be a real man."

Jack Byrnes (Robert De Niro) in "Meet the Parents": "I understand you may have had sexual relations with my daughter before, but under our roof, it's my way or the Long Island Expressway."

Tom Baker (Steve Martin) in "Cheaper By the Dozen" (2005): "Every Dad is entitled to one hideous shirt and one horrible sweater. It's part of the Dad code."

Honorable mention:

Sure, "The Simpsons" are known more for their long-running television series (25 years and counting!), but everyone's favorite family from Springfield did have one big screen adventure in 2007.

So here's to dad on Father's Day, even if he's yellow-hued and goes by the name of Homer.

Homer Simpson (voice of Dan Castellaneta) in "The Simpsons": "Because sometimes the only way you can feel good about yourself is by making someone else look bad. And I'm tired of making other people feel good about themselves!"

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