HERE COMES THE GROOM
US, 1951, 114 minutes, Black and White.
Bing Crosby, Jane Wyman, Franchot Tone, Alexis Smith, Anna Maria Alberghetti, Cass Daley.
Directed by Frank Capra.
Here Comes The Groom is a pleasing comedy featuring Bing Crosby in his middle-age. He is teamed with Jane Wyman and they were to repeat this teaming two years later in the light musical comedy, Just For You. Here Comes The Groom is interesting because it was written and directed by Frank Capra. Capra had been an effective film-maker in the 30s, especially with his comedies of social criticism from It Happened One Night to Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, You Can't Take It With You and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. Capra was involved in war service and propaganda films. After the war he returned with It's a Wonderful Life and The State of the Union. He did not make many films during the 50s. This is a popular, pleasing film and In the Cool, Cool, Cool of the Evening won the Oscar for the Best Song of 1950.
1. A successful comedy, a comedy of human observation? Where was its appeal?
2. The reputation of Frank Capra as a director of films about social and human issues? The film as a representation of the America of 1950? Black and white photography, songs and dances, Bing Crosby? The atmosphere of post-war America and its attitude towards Europe, orphans etc.?
3. The light tone of the title, its irony in relation to Pete and Wilbur? The value of the film, the values that it stood for, the songs and the dances and their contribution? The cool of the evening, Christopher Columbus and the song and dance in the plane with the guest stars?
4. How valuable was the film as a piece of Americana? Post-war America, June journalists, Paris, the rich and the poor, the nouveau-rich?
5. The film as a comedy about men and women and relationships? The conventions of the romantic comedy, did it succumb to cliche, avoid cliche?
6. The background of the orphans, Paris, Bing Crosby and American sentiment? His work to get the orphans to America, the importance of the sequence with the blind girl and her singing, the couple adopting her? The orphans going to America and treating Emmadel as mother? Sentiment, sentimentality?
7. Pete as the American type, his work on the paper, his attitude towards his boss, his sentiment towards the orphans, attitude towards his fiancee and keeping her waiting? The humour of the record and Emmadel coming alive on the record? The various tricks that he played on her? His winning out at the end with no hard feelings?
8. How attractive a heroine was Emmadel? Her background and fishing, newly acquired wealth? Her love for Pete, her exasperation, her deciding to marry the boss, her decision whether she should be a lady or not, her love for Wilbur, her exasperation with Pete, her response to his various tricks, the fight with Winifred? Her love for the orphans? Her hurried decision at the end?
9. Wilbur and the presentation of wealthy America, real estate, power, the Cinderella fairy-tale in his marrying Emmadel? As a gentleman, the presentation of his family and their snobbery? His taking on Pete as a dare, the tricks that he played? Taking the defeat like a gentleman? Marrying Winifred?
10. The contribution of Winifred, her reserve, the stranglehold that wealthy good manners had on her? The humour of her transformation? the confrontation with Emmadel and their fight?
11. The humour in the presentation of the Joneses and their inability to adapt to the respectable ways of the wealthy?
12. George as a co-operative editor, allowing himself to be involved in Pete's tricks?
13. How enjoyable were the comedy touches e.g. Pete's tricks, life at Wilbur's place, Winifred? The marriage rehearsal, the marriage itself?
14. How sharp was the observation of human nature, men and women, Americans, American society within the framework of a romantic comedy?
