THE CATERED AFFAIR (WEDDING BREAKFAST)

US, 1956, 94 minutes, Black and White.
Bette Davis, Ernest Borgnine, Debbie Reynolds, Barry Fitzgerald, Rod Taylor.
Directed by Richard Brooks.

Wedding Breakfast is an interesting film about families. It raises many issues that the ordinary audience can readily identify with. It also marks a turning point in Bette Davis's career for here she appears as Debbie Reynolds' mother. She was accepting her age and taking on matronly roles without glamour - and made quite a successful career even exploiting this in the 60s with Baby Jane and Sweet Charlotte. The male star is Ernest Borgnine. The year before this film was made, he had achieved success and an Oscar in a small drama, black and white study of life in New York. This was Marty and it was written by Paddy Chayefsky. Chayefsky is also the author of Wedding Breakfast. He provides Borgnine with a similar kind of role, an ordinary father trying to cope in the Bronx, New York.

The film has the added attraction of Debbie Reynolds in a more serious role and Rod Taylor in one of his earliest Hollywood films, and Barry Fitzgerald. A black and white, realistic look at families, weddings, individuals wanting to live their own life. It has many wise lines. It was directed by Richard Brooks, a serious dramatist who made such films as The Brothers Karamazov, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Lord Jim, In Cold Blood.

1. Why are films like this interesting and appealing? How humane are they? Why? Their concentration on ordinary people and ordinary situations?

2. How did the black and white photography and the music contribute to the atmosphere of the film? The New York settings and the streets and houses of the Bronx? Was this important for creating atmosphere for the themes? How did the themes make sense within this atmosphere?

3. How was the wedding the central focus of the film? The effect of the wedding on each of the characters and their attitudes? How can this be illustrated by their comments and the incidents concerning the wedding? Test each character and his or her attitude towards the wedding? What did the film have to say about marriage and love? The nature of marriage as a contract, binding, companionship? On love as a very personal thing and self-giving? Aggie and Tom's marriage and its lovelessness? Just a contract which they learnt to live with? Or was this true? The relationship between Jane and Ralph? Their awareness of love and the contrast of their marriage with the Hurley's? Uncle Jack and the companionship with Mrs. Rafferty? The comment on love and marriage with that of Alice and her husband?

4. How strong was the theme of coping in the city? The theme of the buying of the taxi? The saving up of money? The neighbours in apartments? Gossip at the markets?

5. How sympathetic were Aggie and Tom? With whom did the audience more readily identify? Who had the correct ideas about marriage and love? Aggie and her disappointment in the past? Her inability to talk to Tom? Her wanting her daughter to have all that she did not have? Tom as an ordinary man? Inarticulate and not realising what his wife wanted? His surprise in practice, at the wedding breakfast, ideas? Why did they not talk to each other previously? How was the wedding breakfast a sign of contradiction for them?

6. How well filmed was the discussion of the ballroom? Aggie taking charge and controlling the discussion? The actual list of costs and extras? What was your reaction to this? Tom's trying to cope with all the costs? The proportion of the wedding breakfast to money? Aggie wanting to do something for her daughter to remember etc.? How central was this sequence for the whole film?

7. How did the sequences between Jane and Ralph contrast with the scenes of their parents? The Hurleys and their quarrelling and trying to get along? The Hallorans and their rather upper status? Why did Jane and Ralph want things to be quiet? Why did Jane begin to change her mind? How influenced was she by her mother? How much did she want to please her mother? Why did Ralph go along with this? What effect did the lavish wedding plans have on their relationship? Was it appropriate that at the end they had a simple wedding?

8. What did the story of Uncle Jack and Mrs. Rafferty add to the film? Uncle Jack as being a problem in his not being invited? His tantrums? The relationship with Mrs. Rafferty? Marriage and companionship?

9. What was the importance of Alice and Teddy? What did they add to the film? The embarrassment of Alice of not having money? The emotional response to this sequence? The fact that they saved up to buy the wedding clothes?

10. How much wisdom was there in this plain story?

11. How did the actual wedding and its repercussions mean a change in the attitudes of all? Especially in Aggie and Tom? What would their future be when they were left alone?

12. How valuable are films like this in presenting ordinary human life? How moving are they? How wise?