There Goes the Bride

When a US movie has its first premiere overseas, as this one did, YOU KNOW something's amiss with the movie and that the producers were nervous about its US premiere. Not many US movies premiere first overseas and then are shown in the US, as this one was. The IMDb indicates that this movie was first shown in the UK, then premiered in NYC the following December. The movie attempts-horribly, I might add, to spoof those goofy, beloved depression era dance movies--specifically, the ones with Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire. Yup, there are truly awful dance sequences in this film! (Astaire would be turning in his grave!) Perhaps a better explanation would be that this is an example of a potentially "good" movie idea, but which was sunk by a bad script and horribly miscast. I can just see the producer pitching this idea: "Hey, why I've got this idea to parody the old dance movies using a card-board cut out of a Roaring Twenties flapper...I want Twiggy and Tommy Smothers for the principal roles..."

Smothers, who once upon a time was on the cutting edge of comedy, doesn't stand up well against his various co-stars. Playing a funny character in a movie is not the same as hosting a variety TV show. But that is not to completely blame the Tommy Smothers for this collosal dud: the script is vapid and lame. This movie appears to have employed a veritable "who's who" of once great '50-'60s out of work character actors, like Broderick Crawford, Jim Backus, and Maude's funny maid, Hermoine Baddeley (who, btw winds up stealing the movie with her funny expressions).

This movie, doubled billed on a 99 cent DVD, was renamed "There Goes the Neighborhood".

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).

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.

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.

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.