BETSY'S WEDDING

US, 1990, 94 minutes, Colour.
Alan Alda, Molly Ringwald, Madeline Kahn, Joey Bishop, Anthony La Paglia, Catherine O'Hara, Joe Pesci, Ally Sheedy.
Directed by Alan Alda.

Betsy's Wedding is an entertaining variation on The Father of the Bride. It was written and directed by Alan Alda. Alan made an impact in films and telemovies in the '70s, reaching success with the television series of M*A*S*H. In the '80s and '90s he moved to writing and direction with The Seduction of Joe Tynan (directed by Jerry Schatzberg), The Four Seasons, Sweet Liberty and A New Life.

Alda writes witty one-liners, creates zany characters and interactions. He is interested in relationships - this time two different families, ethnic differences, social and class differences, religious differences and the preparations for a '90s marriage. Alda himself is his usual extroverted style. He is well matched by Madeline Kahn in a subdued performance as his wife. Bibi Besch and Nicholas Coster are very good as the wealthy in-laws. Molly Ringwald has a good role as Betsy and Ally Sheedy as her policewoman sister. Joe Pesci and Catherine O'Hara are husband and wife, he a double-dealing businessman with Mafia connections (Burt Young). However, a lot of the film is stolen by Australian-born Anthony La Paglia as Stevie Dee, with the Mafia connections and the Italian code, a gentleman supervising a building site as well as attracted to Ally Sheedy.

There are many amusing situations, light but wise observations of family relationships and the putting on of a wedding. The film all ends happily with the bride and groom asserting themselves, the religious traditions avoided (but God getting back into the act somehow) and the villains given their comeuppance.

1.An entertaining family story? New York style? Relationships, weddings? The background of the building industry and the Mafia?

2.The family settings, the building site, the wedding preparations? The quality cast? Musical score and popular songs?

3.The title and the focus on the wedding, on Betsy and her fiance, on the families?

4.Eddie Hopper, his Italian background (and change of name)? His nightmares corresponding to reality? His love for Lola? Their easy getting on together? His daughters? His memory of his father - and his father's appearing to him, commenting about the afterlife, commenting about the characters, helping him to make decisions? The worksite, the unions, the pressures? The need for money, his enthusiasm and taking on the expense of the building? The contact with Oscar and his deals? The bringing in of Mafia money to be laundered? The family reunions and meals? His mother and his sister? Lola's father? The Jews and the Catholics? The easting styles, the cultural styles? Lola and her background, love for Eddie, the marriage in the registry office for the sake of the families? Their lives together?

5.Betsy, her eccentric style? Her love for Jake? The announcement of the wedding? Eddie going into shock? The response of the family? The plans for the lavish wedding? The youngsters not wanting anything lavish? The picture of the two young people, of the '90s? His wealth, her social class? Her eccentric dresses? Their wanting things private, not wanting things religious - and the interview about God, the smashing of the glass, Jewish style? The pressure from the various in-laws? Their arguing with each other, the separation? Betsy and her sulking, her parents helping her? The reconciliation at Eddie's, the jokes about the monkey sounds? The socials, the preparation of the cake, the wedding dress - and her finally altering it on the day? The wedding itself, the two asserting themselves? Happily married - and the reception, the dancing, the waterlog? A happy future?

6.Jake, his wealthy background? Falling in love with Betsy and her style? His wanting to keep face with his parents? His parents and their wealth, taking over companies? The plans for the wedding, the dinner together, the honeymoon, the cake, the location? Their style? The contrast with Eddie and Lola? Their being taken aback at Betsy's dresses? The wedding itself - and their happily succumbing to the mood of the wedding?

7.Eddie's father and his appearances? Eddie's mother and her Catholic background? His sister?

8.The connection with Oscar and Gloria? Their bickering? At the family meals? The plans for helping with the wedding? Oscar and the apartment (and its needing repairs)? The deal for the tent? His relationship with his wife, her suspicions, buying up all the property and selling it to him, unknown, at a profit? His two-timing his wife with the secretary, the Chinese takeaway, her wanting to assert herself? Her decision to go to the wedding? Oscar and the connections with George, the money, pressurising Eddie? Union rules, workers on site? The dinner with George, the Italian style and codes? The violence - and the gangster shootings?

9.Stevie Dee and his gentlemanliness, his way of speaking, good manners? His loyalty to his Uncle George? Supervising on the site? His attention and respect to Eddie? To the family? The attraction to Connie? His waiting at the police station, wanting to escort her? Going out, the meal, dancing? Permission for the kiss? Her response to him, her work as a policewoman, enjoying arresting people? The wedding preparations, the dress and her bursting into tears? Her support of Betsy? The bond with Stevie Dee, the dancing at the wedding - and their future?

10.George, the Mafia background, the money-laundering? Doing favours for Oscar? The language and codes of the Mob? Eddie trapped, the meal - his trying to escape through the toilet window? The shooting attempt? With Stevie Dee, discussing the problem? Stevie and his codes, techniques? Advising Eddie how to behave? Their coming to the wedding - the tent and the water? Oscar out of favour and humiliated? Eddie saying the right things to George and getting out of the deal? Finances saved? Stevie Dee and his decision to go into the police academy and George's reaction?

11.The bright characterisations? The humorous dialogue? The entertaining situations? The light sentiment and wisdom?