There Goes the Bride

The cast is first rate with Tom Smothers as the troubled father of the bride on his daughter's wedding day. He becomes fixated on a cardboard cut out of a flapper played by Dame Twiggy. British Sylvia Syms OBE played his long-suffering wife. The late great Hermione Baddeley is worth watching just to see her act as the mother-in-law. It is supposedly based on the British comedy by Ray Cooney. While the cast is first rate, the film lacks believability in the father's belief that he is talking to Polly Perkins, a 1920s flapper in costume. It's silly comedy fair.

This is the only DVD I've ever purchased from the 99 cent bin at a store and still felt I'd overpaid.

"There Goes the Bride" plays out like a protracted episode of "Bewitched" or "I Dream of Genie": one semi-supernatural episode is milked for every conceivable misunderstanding and limp comedy gag for as long as is humanly endurable.

Tom Smothers plays a harried ad executive (is there any other kind?) who, on the day of his daughter's wedding, meets the woman of his dreams in the person of fictional brassiere pitchwoman, Polly (Twiggy in full 1930's flapper drag, looking every bit as youthful as she did 9 years earlier in "The Boy Friend," the 30's musical in which she was ALSO named Polly).

What comedy there is comes from the inability of anyone but Smothers to see the amorous Twiggy, and all manner of formulaic 'hilarity' ensues.

"There Goes the Bride" is not the worst film I've ever seen, but it must certainly be the ugliest. The camera set ups look amateurish, the cutting is sluggish for what should be a quick, farcical comedy, and the whole thing looks like a demo film for the real film to be shot later with a bigger budget.

On the plus side is the always enchanting Twiggy who has the sort of light comic touch a film like this needs. Too bad she's underused and has about a page of dialog throughout the whole film. She and Smothers (who tries hard but needs a better director)perform several musical numbers that actually are rather charming given Smothers' lead-footed earnestness.

Can't say I'd recommend this film to anyone but Twiggy fans (there have to be more out there beyond myself).

Hidden gem of a film. A charming comedy with some wonderful banter between characters and some great old fashioned laughs. Smothers and Balsam team up again after starring together in the 1977 caper Silver Bears. Smothers steals the show as the anxiety ridden father of the bride. Good performances all round with Smothers, Balsam, and Sumner leading the way.

A few flaws of course; I found the opening scene at the house a little tedious and the grandpa in the golf buggy was a bit cringe. The print quality of the DVD release I have is also quite poor. You might find the VHS release a better option.

Nice soundtrack with two charming vocal and dance performances from Smothers. The "Polly Perkins" performance is a real treat and that song is super catchey.

If you like the comedy style of Tom Smothers you'll surely enjoy this film.

With a wonderful all-star cast and great plotline can't go wrong, but it did. I guess as a Broadway play this film would've run better, but as a film it runs really flat. Not even the wit of Tom Smothers can't save this picture from going down hill. Cameo of Phil Silvers, Broadrick Crawford (in a nothing role), and Jim Backus doesn't help either, also third bill Martin Balsam (who starred with Tom in SILVER BEARS the same year) has less scenes than Backus. Shot in Florida and U.k. (which explains why Graham Stark is in the film as an Italian(?)). Not recommended.

There Goes the Bride is a very witless fantasy-comedy that is even more disappointing when you consider the cast: Tom Smothers, Twiggy, Martin Balsam, Broderick Crawford, Hermione Baddeley, Jim Backus, Phil Silvers, and Graham Stark. All have had better roles in better pictures or TV shows. None can save the very lame material here. I do have to admit to some charm concerning some dance moves by Smothers and Twiggy when they reenact Astaire and Rogers in their prime. Those scenes make the picture somewhat tolerable. There was even some amusement at the way it all ended. Otherwise, this movie is not even worth the $1.00 I paid for this DVD which was double billed with the mediocre It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time which featured a young John Candy. Avoid at all costs unless you're really curious.