A WEDDING
US, 1978, 125 minutes, Colour.
Carol Burnett, Paul Dooley, Amy Stryker, Mia Farrow, Desi Arnaz Jr., Lilian Gish, Geraldine Chaplin, Howard Duff, Nina van Pallandt, Dina Merrill, Pat Mc Cormick, John Cromwell, Lauren Hutton, Viveca Lindfors.
Directed by Robert Altman.
When Robert Altman scathes, he seems heavily satirical, even unrealisticallysoO. Satirically scathing here, but more than a little realistic in his presentation of the facade of a wedding and attitudes, quirks, hypocrisies, love, hate, sadness (his final word), hiding behind. It is often in the incidental word or momentary action that Altman cuts but, by and large, he has visualised the discreet charm of the American bourgeoisie. A large, starry (and superbly cast) group, especially Carol Burnett and wooer, interweave from ceremony to reception (managed by excellent Geraldine Chaplin) to 'masks off, claws out'. Most audiences will enjoy the bustle, squirm at times, and feel rueful.
1. The simplicity of the title, tone, expectations? Audience attitudes towards marriage, wedding ceremonies? Robert Altman and his career, his treatment of popular and social themes? Expectations from Altman's attitudes towards American institutions and a wedding?
2. Audience involvement in Altman's techniques - creating a situation, introducing numerous characters, intertwining their stories, personalities? The placing of a definite period within which the characters work? The social significance of the definite period? The importance of creating an atmosphere, feeling? A means for understanding?
3. Microcosm of the United States? The wealthy, upper classes, ordinary people? The importance of the music especially the fanfare music and its solemnity, the use of traditional hymns? The opening in the church and all the ritual and the atmosphere of things ecclesiastical? The importance of the colour, the family house and the details of the room , the floors, the cellar etc.? How well did the audience know its way around the house by the end of the film? The importance of clothes especially the patterns and the styles for weddings? Formality, informality? The confining of most of the action to interiors - the looking out of the window to the road. waiting for the people to come for the reception, the transition to the highway and the crash - how abrupt and its effect? A presentation of a cross-section of people and families? How typical were they of United States society? The discreet charm of the American bourgeoisie? Sympathy, attack, critique? Hypocrisy? How real despite the caricature and satire?
4. The impact of satire and its targets? The effect of parody? Laughing at situations and people, laughing with them? Satire and the effect of its critique ~ of whom, of what? Does satire want to change attitudes and behaviour? The critique of the United States, its society, its social attitudes, people's lives and manner? Altman and his attention to detail and appearance to highlight satire? The importance of the dialogue and the significant words, the cliche, the contrived and conventional situation and its parody?
5. The status of marriage in the United States, traditions? The importance of the externals? Their relationship to internal attitudes and commitment? The traditional Christian background of marriage, the external pomp and its falsity? Religion, law, morality? The importance of fidelity and the commitment of marriage? Is the film in favour of marriage?
6. Altman's view of human beings and their strengths and weaknesses, their good and bad, their limitations? Dominant faults? Capacity for love, hurt.. stupidity, repression? How did Altman illustrate the results of all this in the gallery of characters he presents?
7. Did the film present any authentic human feelings? Critics commented on the film as cold, even cruel. Did any characters emerge as genuine lovable and sympathetic human beings?
8. The impact of the opening with its ceremony, trumpets? The immediate moving to satire during the credits - the procession, the introduction to the characters, the families and their smiles, the separate sides of the church, the procession with the bride and the braces on her teeth, the doddery Bishop and his assistants, the ceremony with the rings? The Bishop and his pride in getting through the ceremony? The highlighting of the various characters and introduction to them because of their place in the family? The introduction to the bride and groom?
9. The interweaving of the episodes with Nettle? The old lady in her sickbed. her strengths and weaknesses, her looking out of the window? The nurse and her anxiety at looking after Nettie., smoking, her worry about handling a dead person? Randolph and his presence in the house, as black, his relationship to Nettle's daughter, his handling of the situation and the bigoted reactions to him? Nettie and her talking especially with the nurse? With Miss Billingsley and the discussion about the wedding and the ironic implications especially for the relationship with Luigi? The effect of her sudden death and its repercussions? The audience seeing her frequently throughout the film? The visit of Tony, of Clarice? The doctor's handling of the situation and his pretences? His telling Luigi and his handling of the situation? The irony of having death and marriage in the one house? The ways of concealment? The ironic comments of the Swedish caterer and her drunken outburst about death and her response to Clarice? Luigi and his final visit to Nettie and his declaration of liberation?
10. The focus on Miss Billingsley and what she represented about weddings? Her dress, her accent, fuss? Her reaction to the death - both serious and then worrying about cakes? The flighty style? Her discussion about drinks, having everything arranged, the irony of their being no guests except one and her sending the relations down the line and the irony of these comments? Her being a stickler for the rules, her arranging of the dancers and having everyone do it with ritual, the cutting of the cake and the photos, the rain and the storm? Her attention to Muffin and the loneliness especially in her kiss how credible? Her being present at the end and her comments on sadness the fact that she made the final comment?
11. Miss Billingsley's assistant and her fussing at the church, the stain on the veil, her being used by Miss Billingsley throughout the reception? The picture of the staff., the discussion about the drinks., the people in the kitchen especially the lady with her son and daughter-in-law - angry with them and then happy that they were married? The Swedish assistant and her being sick., being treated by the doctor, her ranging around the house and her outbursts, the bizarre behaviour as a comment on what was going on?
12. The build-up to the reception, Nettle and the nurse waiting? The cars and their arrival and parking. the natural behaviour, everybody rushing to the rest rooms , the children and their being in the way, the bridesmaids and the range of their talk, the women and their discussions, the groom and the men's room talk? Make-up. money? The indication of likes and dislikes. family comparisons etc.?
13. The party. drinks. the doctor and his continued drinking and his arrogance, the gifts and the security people not letting the guests handle them? The aunt and her painting and the reaction especially Buffy's coming in topless? The atmosphere of the rain and everybody going downstairs to the cellar, the men and their presence down there earlier and the story of Luigi's restaurant, the singing of the hymn and everybody joining in it? The security people and their discussions, tough tactics, liking their jobs? Their mistakes especially in holding up Luigi's brother and the working over that they gave him?
14. The presentation of the bride and groom - the focus of sympathy for a wedding? Their ordinariness? Dino and his background, twin brother, as a Cadet, expelled from schools. his wealth? The gift of the car? Muffin as a contrast with her teeth, her hopes, being nice, her reaction to the painting, the dancing and the singing of 'Love is a Many Splendored Thing' and seeing Dino in the shower/ throwing the bouquet? The complication of Buffy as bridesmaid and her pregnancy? The irony of her promiscuity? The arrival of the best man on the motor bike and Tracey on her horse? The fact that they were in love with bride and groom? The people from the Academy? The drinking, Dino and his being called in to the family about Buffy's pregnancy and his explanation, his drunkenness, the shower? The irony of their both being thought dead and the discovery that they were not? The reaction of all the families of joy and forgetting the couple who were dead?
15. The introduction of Buffy and her complacency at the wedding, as bridesmaid, her father's favourite and then his turning against her at the end, her vanity in the mirror, topless in front of the portrait, her pregnancy and the gossip moving around so quickly? The showdown sequence and her lack of emotion, her liaison with Luigi's brother? The purpose of the portrayal of this character and Mia Farrow's performance?
16. Snooks and Tulip and their Kentucky background, the nouveau riche, their business? Their personalities? In contrast with Nettie and Luigi's family? Paying for the wedding, their talk, pleased? How typical a businessman was Snooks especially when he was angry and critical? Tulip and her continued talk e.g. about Carrie? Tulip and Mac ~ the farcical aspects, his continued pursuit, her crisis of trying to work things out, their meeting upstairs during the storm the garden and the loss of the earring? Tulip's attitude to meeting him later, the second chance after the showdown and her shock and rejecting him? The family with the various children, especially Hugh and his epileptic fits?
17. Regina and Luigi in contrast to Snooks and Tulip? The filling in of the background of their story of touring, proposal, love? Regina and the birth of the children and her drug addiction? Her being vague, her needing the drugs and Jules giving them, her change of attitude afterwards and her serenity, her lack of contact with reality? Dancing with Luigi and wanting to do the right thing? Luigi as the man of the house, his background, people suspicious of him, Nettie's hold over him? His greeting of the guests? His pride, attack on his brother, the reconciliation because of Nettie's death? His love for his children? His confrontation of everyone and his decision to leave? A liberation?
18. The portrait of Ton!, her place among the daughters, her place in society, designing maids' uniforms? Her control and lack of it? The discussions with her social-minded aunt? Attitude towards Clarice and Randolph? Her visit to her dead mother? The way that she announced the news? Her relationship with Mac? Her ability to cope and not cope?
19. Russell and his man-about-the-house presence, his relationship with his wife and her glamour, his betraying her? Her vapid enjoyment of things? Her disillusionment and sitting talking with Miss Billingsley at the end? Why did Altman highlight her sadness at the end - the irony of weddings and their aftermath? The bridesmaids
20. The bridesmaids - Dino's twin sister and her love for Dino, her presence throughout the film, the discussion with the bridesmaid who liked Pot, the group smoking afterwards? The various groomsmen and their presence throughout the film especially the head man and his homosexuality, the shower sequence? The arrival of the best man and his scaring the girl on the horse? Their presence and discussions? Their having the key and their death? The violence of the accident on the road and audience response to this - and the relief to know it was not the bride and groom? Did the audience share the ignoring of the two who died as did the families?
21. The role of the Bishop, his age, coming out of mothballs? The satire on doddery ecclesiastical behaviour? His presence at the reception, the going to the toilet and the long walk up the stairs, the discussion with Nettie and not realising she was dead? The discussion with the nurse and her reaction? His saying Grace? The point of parody and satire?
22. Tulip's brother and his story of his conversion, his love for Candice, their children especially the one who talked about films? Leading the hymn in the cellar? Candice and her gossip about Buffy's pregnancy? The presence at the family showdown? The importance of the family showdown and the attack on Dino, the revelation of Buffy's behaviour and Snooks' turning against her?
23. The character of the doctor - his handling of the death situation, his continued drinking, his giving Regina the drugs? The point made about society doctors and their behaviour?
24. The intrusion of Luigi’s brother, the storm, his handling of the gifts, the attack of the security people, the reconciliation, the liaison with Buffy?
25. The TV crew and their clumsiness during the ceremony, their going down the line for the guests, the taking of the photos, the director and her personality and charm, her being pursued by Luigi’s brother, her catching the bouquet?
26. The change to the highway, the visuals of the cars, of the accident?
27. Comment on the range of moods and feelings throughout the film? Altman's attention to detail and his veering the audience through the various moods? How well did the audience feel that it had attended the wedding?
