A Wedding (1978)

The daughter of a Louisville truck driver marries the scion of a very wealthy family, but the reception at the family estate is boycotted by the invited guests.

Director:

Robert Altman

Writers:

John Considine (screenplay), Patricia Resnick (screenplay)

Stars:

Carol Burnett, Desi Arnaz Jr., Paul Dooley

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 1 win & 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Carol Burnett	...	Tulip Brenner
Paul Dooley	...	Snooks Brenner
Amy Stryker	...	Muffin Brenner
Mia Farrow	...	Buffy Brenner
Dennis Christopher	...	Hughie Brenner
Gerald Busby	...	Rev. David Ruteledge
Peggy Ann Garner	...	Candice Ruteledge
Mark R. Deming	...	Matthew Ruteledge
Mary Seibel	...	Aunt Marge Spar
Margaret Ladd	...	Ruby Spar
Lesley Rogers	...	Rosie Bean
Tim Thomerson	...	Russell Bean (as Timothy Thomerson)
Marta Heflin	...	Shelby Munker
David Brand	...	Ruteledge Child
Christian Brand	...	Ruteledge Child (as Chris Brand)

Storyline

Muffin's wedding to Dino Corelli is to be a big affair. Except the aging priest isn't too sure of the ceremony, only the families actually turn up as the Corelli Italian connection is suspect, security guards watch the gifts rather over-zealously, and Dino's grandma dies in bed just as the reception starts. Could be quite an occasion.

---

Plot Keywords:

estate | security guard | wedding | bride and groom | male female relationship | 

---

Taglines:

What he did to the military in M*A*S*H he does to marriage in... [DVD Australia]

---

Genres:

Comedy | Drama

---

Certificate:

PG

Did You Know?

Trivia

The Vittorio Gassman part was originally planned for Ben Gazzara.

---

Goofs

The DVD case / movie poster has Howard Duff's name over the photograph of Vittorio Gassman, who portrays "Luigi." Howard Duff portrays"Dr. Jules Meecham."

---

Quotes

Rosie Bean: Oh you shouldn't put tap water on your face, hun, cause it will dry your skin out and give you wrinkles.
Daphne Corelli: Oh, that's ok. I plan to age interestingly.
Rosie Bean: You are cute. I wish you were my sister-in-law.

---

Alternate Versions

The credits in the German version have a completely different order compared to the original release.

---

Connections

Referenced in Národ sobe aneb Ceské more v osmnácti prílivech (2003)

---

Soundtracks

Heavenly Sunlight
(1899) (uncredited)
Music by George Harrison Cook
Lyrics by Henry J. Zelley
Played on violin by Ellie Albers and Sung by the guests in the basement

User Reviews

Cool Altman ensemble

I found this to be an interesting and insightful portrayal of the different strata of American society, and how flexible and inflexible they can be when confronted with issues they MUST deal with. It's a wedding for Christ's sake! Can't miss that! I think it's beautiful that Altman, borrowing heavily from various forms of Commedia dell'Arte, tragic plays of Shakespeare, and other classic literary works, uses a wedding to create the tensions throughout the film. Remember, this is the bride and groom's special occasion, yet everyone else seems so put out and upset with having to deal with one another, as if they are the ones going through with the ceremony, that they will be the ones marrying each another. In today's world, this is an absurd notion, and Altman knows it. You get the feeling he really enjoys watching this all-american, suburban family cringe at the idea of being married to the mob, though all of them know this is probably the last time they all be together. He's always had such a cynical view of the nuclear family. This would really be one of Altman's best films if it wasn't for the silly pretentiousness of some of the roles, especially Mia Farrow's. I must admit that I love the ending, which most people I know hate.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Italian

Release Date:

27 September 1978 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Wedding

Filming Locations:

Waukegan, Illinois, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Lion's Gate Films, Major Studio Partners

Technical Specs

Runtime:

125 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby (as Dolby Stereo)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1