*** Welcome to piglix ***

The Catered Affair

The Catered Affair
CateredAffair.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Richard Brooks
Produced by Sam Zimbalist
Written by Gore Vidal
Based on TV play by Paddy Chayefsky
Starring Bette Davis
Ernest Borgnine
Debbie Reynolds
Barry Fitzgerald
Rod Taylor
Music by André Previn
Cinematography John Alton
Edited by Gene Ruggiero
Frank Santillo
Distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release date
  • June 14, 1956 (1956-06-14)
Running time
92 min.
Country United States
Language English
Budget $1 million
Box office $1.5 million
"The Catered Affair"
'Goodyear Playhouse' episode
Episode no. Season 4
Episode 17
Directed by Robert Mulligan
Written by Paddy Chayefsky
Production code Showcase Productions
Original air date 22 May 1955
Guest appearance(s)

The Catered Affair (1956), also known as Wedding Party, is a family drama film made by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It was directed by Richard Brooks and produced by Sam Zimbalist from a screenplay by Gore Vidal, based on a television play by Paddy Chayefsky. The film score was by André Previn and the cinematography by John Alton.

The film stars Bette Davis, Ernest Borgnine, Debbie Reynolds, Barry Fitzgerald and Rod Taylor. It was Taylor's first film for MGM after having been signed by the studio to a long-term contract.

Agnes Hurley (Davis) is a disillusioned housewife, married to Bronx cabdriver Tom Hurley (Borgnine). She wants something better for her daughter, Jane (Reynolds). When Jane announces her engagement to Ralph Halloran (Taylor), Aggie sees this as an opportunity to have a romantic elaborate wedding, with caterers and all the trimmings, like she never had because they could never afford it. However, the daughter does not want it because it is causing awkward conflicts with her family and friends, and her father has been saving that money for many years to purchase a taxi medallion and become self-employed. The film deals with the ensuing money troubles and conflicts within the family, which also involve Uncle Jack Conlon (Fitzgerald) and most of the neighborhood. It is not until the end of the film that the mother realizes that it is the happiness of her family, rather than the expensive ceremony, that is most important, as they go off to watch their daughter get married at their church in the new taxi.

Thelma Ritter
Pat Henning


...
Wikipedia

...