A Wedding-1978

Director Robert Altman

Starring Desi Arnaz, Jr.

Scott’s Review #539

Reviewed December 17, 2016

Grade: A

A Wedding (1978) is an obscure, brilliant gem penned and directed by Robert Altman, a film genius and one of my most adored directors.

I love most of his movies, and A Wedding is no exception.

The creative way Altman weaves intersecting storylines and dialogue, creating a real-life tone, gives his films immense realism.

In A Wedding, he takes a basic life event and turns it into a well-nuanced, fascinating, comical, yet dramatic story.

He is known for having enormous casts (in A Wedding, there are 48 principals!), but every character serves a purpose.

The viewer will feel like a fly on the wall at a real wedding.

Altman’s actors primarily improvise their dialogue, speaking at the same time, which lends a realistic edge. I adore this quality.

The film is a satire- people either love or loathe attending weddings, and Altman’s film caters to the latter. He creates a setting, from the ceremony to the reception, riddled with awkward moments and social gaffes.

In pure satirical soap-opera fashion, two wealthy families gather at a lavish estate for the ceremony to begin. Hilarity ensues when the corpse of the matriarch of one family lies in her bed, nobody realizing she is dead.

Other hijinks include the revelation of a nude, life-size portrait of the bride, the caterer falling ill, and a tornado wreaking havoc.

Slowly, the families reveal secrets as alcohol flows and the characters become entangled in perilous situations.

Altman does it again, creating a masterpiece based on real-life situations most can relate to.

Golden Globe Nominations: Best Supporting Actress-Carol Burnett