Thursday, June 2, 2016

Thursday Movie Picks-Weddings



Today..is my birthday and I would love to say I am 25 but I have to flip those  numbers.  When I was 16, I daydreamed to have a wedding like Maria in the Sound of Music. When I was 25, I dreamt of having a beautiful dress or white bathing suit and marrying outside...and I accomplished that (not the bathing suit). I designed my own 2 piece dress and got married in the back yard of my in-laws. It was a lot of work because I organized it all but it was beautiful and people had fun. One divorce later and  now understanding the wonders of elastic waist pants, getting married in an all out ceremony is  not a biggie. It costs way too much for one day...one long, tiring day. This week it is all about weddings and there are some movies I still have not seen and is on my top 10 list( A Wedding with Carol Burnett is one). I could have chosen so many but here are my 3 and one I might have already talked about before but..I am not one for rules so...so there. Head on over to Wandering Through The Shelves to check out the other picks.

1. FATHER OF THE BRIDE-1950



I love this movie and can re-watch it over and over. Spencer Tracy makes the movie and one can see why since he shows  how a true actor works. His daughter, played by the beautiful Elizabeth Taylor, becomes engaged to the man of her dreams and now her parents must give her the wedding of her dreams. You see the engagement party they throw where the dad never leaves the kitchen to taking his old tux out of mothballs and trying to fit into it. You feel his angst and his love for his daughter. Forget the Steve Martin version and watch this one.

2. ROYAL WEDDING- 1951


yes..this is a musical that takes place in London when Queen Elizabeth is about to marry Prince Phillip. The brother and sister act, Fred Astaire and Jane Powell (who is 30 years younger than Astaire) come to London to be in a big show and both fall in love..., (not with each other, this isn't Arkansas) Powell with a young Brit and Fred with Winston Churchill's daughter. Yup Churchill's daughter played the love interest to Astaire. This is the film where Astaire's famous dance on the ceiling takes place and it is pretty neat how they did this scene. The camera actually stood still and the room moved so Astaire had to choreograph the number to the room moving and making sure everything was nailed down...except him as that would hurt.

3. MURIEL'S WEDDING-1994


This is a great Australian sleeper hit bringing Toni Collette to fame. She plays an ego bruised, shy girl bullied by people including her own father. All she dreams about is getting married and has a scrapbook filled with pictures of wedding dresses, flowers and other crap, um, I mean, wedding stuff.  She ends up running away and meets up with a girl who becomes her best friend. Great acting filled with comedy, pathos and ABBA music which is what I love. An endearing small film showing that dreams about weddings may not be the way to go.

What films would you choose??

63 comments:

  1. Haven't seen Muriel's Wedding. Once you mentioned ABBA I took it off the watch list, lol. Enjoyed the other two. Have a very Happy Birthday. I hit one with a zero in it this year.

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    1. Oh...say it ain't so! You are not an ABBA fan?? Oh well, your loss...hahahahaaa. Well, when it comes up..Happy Birthday!

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  2. A big happy birthday to you! Hey, trust me, that age is not old now. The fifties are the new twenties, right?

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    1. I still feel like I a, in my 20's but just a little wiser...if I dare say that

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  3. Happy birthday! I hope you have a great day. I haven't seen any of your picks, but I've at least heard of them!

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    1. Thank you:) I hope you get to see some of these one day

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  4. Hi, Birgit!

    Happy birthday to you, dear friend! 52 is very young. (It's the new 25.) Think of it this way. I am nearly 15 years older and you are one of my youngest blog friends. I feel like I'm robbing the cradle having you in my circle! :) I think it's wonderful that you made your own wedding dress.

    I saw Father of the Bride and Muriel's Wedding. How many Spencer Tracys do you see on the big or small screen anymore? Not many, right? I like Jane Powell. As you know she recently lost her husband of many years, silent film and Our Gang child star Dickie Moore. I loved Muriel's Wedding because the soundtrack was loaded with ABBA songs.

    Happy Thursday and once again happy birthday, dear friend BB!

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    1. Thank you! I am one of the youngest??? Well, this has just tickled me pink:) glad you like ABBA

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  5. Happy Birthday to you and have a great and memorable day. Best wishes!

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  6. Wouldn't mind being in my 50's again. Happy Birthday. I don't remember whether I have seen the first two or not. Certainly seen the Fred Astaire bit with him dancing on the ceiling, but not sure if I saw the whole movie.

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    1. That Astaire dance part is famous and rightly so.

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  8. Happy birthday!!! I hope you're having a great day. I've seen Father of the Bride but the Steve Martin version and I didn't like it a lot. I'll give the original a try!

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    1. I think you'll like the original much better

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  9. Happy birthday! Hope you have a great day! I haven't seen any of these, but I liked My Big Fat Greek Wedding. I haven't seen the sequel yet.

    Betty

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    1. I had a great day. Hopefully you'll see one...one day. The movie you mentioned is very funny and enjoyable

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  10. LOVE Collette in Muriel's Wedding. She's SO GOOD...hilarious and poignantly dramatic.

    But...Father of the Bride, and Spencer within it...are like the best thing ever. TEARS!!! Love that movie so much.

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    1. So nice to see you here again. I love Toni Collette...she is so good. Spencer Tracy is just a great actor no matte what

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  11. I loved My Big Fat Greek Wedding a lot. I haven't seen the sequel, but I want to. And I rather liked The Wedding Date, which is a RomCom starring Debra Messing. And here's the trailer. Voila:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97EPy5Ky448

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    1. I want to see the sequal also because I love Greek Wedding also. Someone also picked that movie with Debra Messing and it looks really quite good.

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  12. Happy Birthday. Wow, I never knew the Steve Martin one was a remake. That one snuck by me. I remember seeing a poster for the third, but haven't seen it. 0 for 3 today, unless you count the remake lol.

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    1. If you liked the remake the. You'll love the original because, to me, it's so much better.

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  13. The original Father of the Bride is a charmer with Tracy, Joan Bennett and Elizabeth Taylor all wonderful, I don't dislike the remake but this one is much better.

    I put off Muriel's Wedding for a long time because I had heard many negative things but once I watched it I found it quite enjoyable and I love Toni Collette.

    Yay we have a match again! The age difference between Jane and Fred is a bit glaring. She was a pinch hitter choice though, both of the women who had to bow out however, June Allyson because of pregnancy and Judy Garland because of mental and physical collapse, were considerably younger than Astaire so I don't know if the dynamic would have been much different.

    Funny you mentioned my first choice as one you've been looking to watch. We're quite in synch this week.

    A Wedding (1978)-Robert Altman directed film with his usual kaleidoscopic cast ranging from Lillian Gish to Desi Arnaz, Jr. of the friends and family of a young couple who intermingle at a mansion before, during and after the ceremony, not always harmoniously. Not one of his wholly successful pictures but if you’re a fan of the director worth seeking out.

    Royal Wedding (1951)-Tom and Ellen Bowen (Fred Astaire & Jane Powell), an American brother & sister dance team, are headed to a London booking that coincides with the celebrations of the upcoming 1947 marriage of then Princess Elizabeth and Prince Phillip. During the sea voyage Ellen meets Lord Brindale (Peter Lawford) and falls for him. Upon arrival Tom and Ellen begin planning their show where Tom meets the elegant Anne Ashmond (Sarah Churchill-Winston’s daughter) during auditions. So smitten is he with her he literally dances on the ceiling. Many memorable dance numbers later this MGM musical culminates in many nuptials.

    It Had to Be You (1947)-Daffy comedy starring Ginger Rogers as a socialite notorious for leaving men at the altar. On her fourth fiancé she’s certain she’s found the right man until on a train trip another turns up in her dreams claiming to be her true love. Returning home she’s flustered to discover the man really exists, or is he a figment of her imagination? Sort of a precursor to Runaway Bride with a twist.

    Wishing you a Happy Birthday!

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    1. I had a feeling you would pick A Wedding which I so want to see. It pleases me that you also picked Royal Wedding...you are so right about the age difference with many of his co-stars...like Leslie Caron. I have never seen the last film and it looks like a riot. It sounds so much like Runaway Bride but I bet it's better

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  14. Happy Birthday! Cool movies, all of them.

    www.damyantiwrites.com

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  15. Happy Birthday!

    I've not seen any of these, but I did see the remake to Father of the Bride. Meh. Guess I should see the original.

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    1. Don't go by the remake....see the original which is so much better

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  16. First: Happy Birthday! You are still just a baby! In the prime...so enjoy your life as it is now. Cute post, and I loved the first 2 movies. Haven't seen #3. Spence was terrific in #1, wasn't he? TFS & have a wonderful day! Hugs

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    1. Spencer is great and perfect as this father figure. Thank you so much for the birthday wishes

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  17. Happy Birthday, Birgit!

    I ADORE the original Father of the Bride - I like the remake with Steve Martin, too, but the original is better overall. Liz looks so wonderful in her own wedding dress!

    I haven't seen Royal Wedding in years, so I must rewatch it now that I know that's Winston Churchill's daughter!! And of course, that dance number is just magical.

    Muriel's Wedding is an all-time favorite of mine - just perfectly done in every way. Toni Collette is SO great.

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    1. I don't care for the remake but the original Fathe of the Bride is brilliant. Glad you liked all the films I chose.

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  18. Yes to elastic waist pants! I love Father of the Bride. Elizabeth Taylor at the height of her beauty and Spencer Tracy is the perfect frustrated father. Royal Wedding? It doesn't get much better than Fred Astaire. I think he was always older than his partners, wasn't he? He didn't do his TV specials till he was in his sixties. I know I saw Muriel's Wedding, but I don't remember it well. I like Toni Collette very much.

    Love,
    Janie

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    1. Fred Astaire was almost always older. Do you know he was 52, my age, when he danced in this film. He can move better than I can just walking.

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  19. Father of the Bride was the first film I ever saw with Joan Bennett in it. Prior to that, I only knew her from Dark Shadows. I was familiar with Spencer Tracy and Elizabeth Taylor from lots of late-night TV watching. All in all, a very enjoyable film!

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    1. Forgot to wish you a Happy Birthday! Sorry!

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    2. Thank you so much. Did you ever see Joan Bennett is Scarlett Street?. She did 2 Fritz Lang films with Edward G Robinson which are quite good.

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  20. Happy birthday Birgit...hope you are having a lovely day xxxxxx

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    1. I had a great day and weekend..playing catch up now

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  21. Happy Birthday, my friend. I know you've already visited but I've left you a message at my place:)

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  22. I love My Big Fat Greek Wedding. But hated the sequel.

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    1. I haven't seen the sequal yet but I hope I like it

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  23. The Wedding Singer?

    Happy Birthday.

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    1. I really enjoy that movie even though it stars Adam Sandler.

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  24. First of all, Happy Birthday to you, BIRGIT!

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6O7jj0kq_bo

    Of your three movies, the only one I've seen is...

    Wanna try to guess?

    ...yes, the first one, of course.

    I love that movie. One of the most memorable scenes to me is that Dali-esque nightmare he has. Terrifying... and funny!

    But I also really liked the remake with Steve Martin. That's one of the very few times I thought a remake was as good (or better) than the original. But the thing is, both versions were sufficiently different enough that there's no reason to watch just one, imo.

    In the second one, the scene that stands out for me is when Steve Martin finally loses it and comes completely unglued in the grocery store. The 6 hot dogs / 8 hot dog buns packaging was the straw that broke the camel's back! I totally get that, too. That really bugs me! And then Martin just going mad in the store after that is howlingly funny to me.

    I liked 'Big Fat Greek Wedding' too. Pretty good for a "chick flick". And it contains some of the greatest medical / mechanical advice in the history of the world: "Put some Windex on it."

    ~ D-FensDogG
    'Loyal American Underground'

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    1. Thank you for the birthday wishes:) I love Father of the Bride but didn't care much for the Steve Martin flick. Some chick flicks are good and the one you mentioned is really quite good. I hope the sequal is good. My hubby has actually used winded for other things...hahahaaa

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  25. Happy Birthday.

    Personally, I hate weddings. Perhaps that's why I've never had one of my very own. (And at this rate, likely won't ever.)

    I've never seen Father of the Bride. But I do love Royal Wedding. (I'm mentioned my Fred Astaire phase, I believe. Couldn't miss this one.) Muriel's Wedding... I hated that movie. Just too maudlin for my tastes. And since I hate weddings anyway... (Seriously. If the show I'm watching has a wedding scene, I'm fast forwarding.)

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    1. Oh bummer about Muriel's Wedding. I think you will enjoy Father of the Bride because it is more about the dad than anything else. My hubby is not one for weddings either

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  26. Birgit:
    Happy, happy birthday! I feel some German coming...

    "Birgit hat Geburtstag, tra la la la la!" (I can't believe I found this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UT3XFX8HMHo).

    Ich liebte den Film " Muriels Hochzeit " so viel! Es war eine großartige Geschichte. Toni Collette war im Film wunderbar.

    Well, thank you four long forgotten years of Deutsch, ha ha. Take care, my friend, and enjoy your day!

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    1. I shall look this up. I had a wonderful birthday that has carried into the weekend.

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  27. Murial's Wedding is something that everyone talks about but I'm sad to say this bypassed me. My mum was talking Father of the Bride the other day - kept telling me to watch it, perhaps I should.

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    1. It's a good movie and I hope you see it one day...it's quite funny.

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  28. I'm a day behind so happy birthday for yesterday. I've seen all of these - I'm an ABBA fan (whispers it quietly) so loved Muriel's wedding though I don't get wedding stuff either. We had 12 guests at ours!
    The Glasgow Gallivanter

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    1. I do think weddings are overdone and a big money pit for just one day but the movies can be quite funny. I never say I love ABBA quietly...hahahahaaa. I love them and have all their records

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  29. Happy Belated Birthday! I was never much of a girly-girl with wedding planning and a simple ceremony would be fine with me, I just need to find the man! I have not seen any of these, but I have seen the making-of that Fred Astaire scene and it was really neat how they did that. I would pick Bride Wars, that movie was hilarious :)

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  30. I love these wedding movies you mention, but I was never one of those little girls who dreamed of the big wedding as a kid. Maybe that is why I am still single. I am not opposed to getting married, it just never happened.

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  31. Happy Belated Birthday.
    I haven't seen the original Father of the Bride but I did enjoy the remake with Steve Martin. I haven't seen Muriel's Wedding either but have always heard good things about it.

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  32. I'm with you on this - the original FOTB is waaaaaay better than the remake.
    x Asha

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  33. Happy Birthday, Birgit!!!! Cheers on your new adventure around the sun! Love ya. This post's theme is a fun one, difficult, too. Philadelphia Story, definitely. The Wedding Singer. 27 Dresses. I'm going over to Netflix right now to add Muriel's Wedding. Always wanted to see that.

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  35. I have only seen the Steve Martin version of Father of the Bride. I am very curious about the original now. Thanks for sharing! :)
    ~Jess

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