Mardi?... C'est donc la Belgique

Suzanne Pleshette stars and looks great here. Lots of good character actors, including Michael Constantine. One thing I notice, like other 1960's movies, this one doesn't mind basing gags on the concept of pretty young women and lecherous older guys who would like to chase them.

Taking the movie as a whole, it's worth watching once: for Suzanne, the European scenery, the sometimes funny scenes, and a few affecting ones. Murray Hamilton stands out as especially good in this movie. I bought this on DVD; to me, it is more of a catch-it-on-cable type movie, in terms of value.

I was nine when I first saw this film, when it first came out, and loved it ever since. Funny even with it's vintage 60's songs, and an appearance of pop star Donavan, it hasn't dated at all. In fact it's more like a time capsule of it's time, which was 1969.

The film is about a bunch of Americans taking a european tour is ten days. We have a large assortment of characters played by some expert character actors. There's the WWII veteran played by Michael (My Big Fat Greek Wedding) Constantine who has taking the tour because it goes to the same places he went to in the army. Then there is the typical ugly American (Murray Hamilton) who was forced to come on this tour by his wife(Peggy Cass), he hates every minute of it till Rome where.. no you got to see it for yourself. There is a poor husband, Norman (Mr. Roper) Fell who gets separated from his wife (Reva Rose) when she gets on the wrong tour bus and tries to find a way to get her back. Then there is Miss Sam (Suzanne Pleshette) who has decided to take a vacation from her fiancé, to get her head straight, but then becomes the object of tour guide Charlie(Ian McShane)'s advances. Also wonderful in the film is Sandy Baron, Mildred Natwick, Pamila Britton, Marty Ingles, and Aubrey Morris.

It was directed by Mel Stuart who followed this up with the classic, "Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Company". I ended up seeing this film three times in the theaters.It gets better with every viewing.

Even though I was born a couple of decades after this movie was released, I wanted to watch it when it played on TV because it was given a perfect 5/5 rating by my local newspaper's TV listings. When I tuned in, I was even more excited when I found out that it was a David Wolper and Mel Stuart collaboration because I really loved 'Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.' It's a shame that 'If It's Tuesday This Must Be Belgium' is not available on DVD. Even though it was made about 30 years ago, the misadventures of the ensemble cast are as funny as ever. The fine balance between the witty humor and acerbic banter in this movie is something that is rare in movies today. The only movies that come close are a few of Wes Anderson's (Rushmore, Royal Tenenbaums, The Life Aquatic), but instead of being faux retro, 'If It's Tuesday This Must Be Belgium' really is retro. It shows all of Europe's fabled landmarks in the tongue-and-cheek manner that you can't get from any movie unless it really was made in 1969. I liked the part when the group was at a cheese market in Amsterdam and the tour guide says, "There's an auction of gouda cheeses and edam cheeses. And pretty good-a edam cheeses they are." That is like so corny it's funny. After watching this movie, I actually did want to take a European bus tour! But the best thing about this movie is its great cast, particularly the beautiful Suzanne Pleshette and the devilishly handsome Ian McShane.

I have no idea. But I know that I first saw that movie as a child, shortly after it came out, and never stopped loving it. I think the best word to describe the entire film is "colorful". The cast is, the characters are, the cinematography is, the script is. I bought a VHS copy a few years back and every 6 months or so, I just have to pop it in, jump into bed with my wife and a bowl of popcorn and enjoy it again. The movie hasn't aged well at all but as another reviewer said, it's a pure time capsule of 1969 and that in itself is a great positive attribute.

What makes this 1969 movie so entertaining is the collection of character actors who are given an opportunity to showcase their talents. Lots of little stories about a group of American tourist who are essentially barnstorming their way through Europe on a tour bus make up the plot. Each one of them has some special experience in one of their many tour stops.

This is one of those movies that can be watched over and over and never gets old. It is doubtful that a film like this could be made now because there just doesn't seem to be the same kind of character actors today who could appear and deliver in small scenes like the performers in this movie do.