The Catered Affair (1956)

Better Late Then Never

Entertaining from beginning to end, it maintains the spirit of the franchise while establishing it's own seal with a fun cast

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

I have watched this movie many times and it always makes me cry. Coming from a working class family, I can sympathize with all of the characters. I discussed this movie with a young person in their 20s and they were aghast at how the father and mother acted and how it ended with the mother giving in at the end to make her husband happy. Times and the culture have changed so much since the fifties. When you watch this movie, you must watch it with the understanding of the times. One of my favorites. On a lighter note, what was with Leo the lion in the opening MGM title? His mane looked funny, like he was wearing a toupee on top of his head between his ears.

I can't think of many films off hand in which every member of the cast excels. But, "The Catered Affair" of 1956 is one such movie. Billed as a comedy, drama and romance, this film is a wonderful slice of life of a mid-20th century family living in the Bronx of New York City. Better Davis is superb as Mrs. Agnes Hurley, mother of three adult children, including a son who was killed in Korea. Ernest Borgnine is excellent as her husband, Tom Hurley, who drives a hack for a living. Indeed, the word for taxicab used in the film is indicative of the time and place. Davis plays a different role from her usual caustic, conniving and crass character. According to the trivia section of her bio on IMDb, her role in this film was her favorite part, because of its challenge. From Davis's acknowledgment of her being a difficult actress with whom to work, one wonders if the challenge in the part was showing signs of care and love, through a hardened character. Her IMDb bio has some of her quotes. In one she says, "Until you're known in my profession as a monster, you're not a star." That may reflect more her personal character than it does Hollywood or Broadway in general. There surely have been some tough cookies that casts and crews have had to endure, but the list of Hollywood stars include at least as many women of admirable traits and beloved character. Greer Garson, Deborah Kerr, Claudette Colbert, Audrey Hepburn, Loretta Young, Olivia de Havilland, and Irene Dunne are just a few who come immediately to mind. The rest of the cast are very good as well. Debbie Reynolds is the Hurley's daughter, Jane. Rod Taylor plays her fiancé, Ralph Halloran. Robert Simon is superb as Ralph's father, and Madge Kennedy is very good as his mother. Dorothy Stickney is wonderful as Mrs. Rafferty, and Barry Fitzgerald is excellent as Uncle Jack Conlon.

I didn't have great expectations for this film. After all, the real star of the movie was Ernest Borgnine, with a nearly 50-year-old Bette Davis as his wife. Debbie Reynolds is the daughter. Barry Fitzgerald, in my view an actor who became a caricature of himself, played Davis' brother. Three of the cast members I generally don't care for, and the fourth -- Bette Davis -- well, I thought she was brilliant in the 1930s and 1940s, but it wasn't often after that, that I found her very impressive.Surprise! This is a great film, and each of the four main actors is excellent. This role is just right for Borgnine -- a cab driver struggling to make ends meet as a cab driver, and struggling to survive in a mundane marriage. This was just a year after his success in "Marty", and this is one of the films that will remind you of just how good an actor he could be.Davis is frumpy looking here...right on character...and it wasn't all makeup. She was a bit fat here, sloppy looking...perfect for this character. She portrays a woman in a marriage whose life has passed her by, and she becomes obsessed with throwing her daughter a wedding party that she and her husband can't afford.Reynolds is very good as the daughter about to be married, who is torn between the wants and needs of everyone else in her extended family. And Barry Fitzgerald's character is difficult to sympathize with in the early parts of the movie, but shows a very different and sympathetic character later in the film. One of his better roles.The theme of this film is that everyone can have a drab life, or everyone can see the opportunities for a more fulfilling life. The question is -- will each person take the opportunities that are there?

This is a very poignant and impressive movie, which stands the test of time.And glad to see some of the main performers are still with us despite the fact the picture is over 50 years old. The film is about a family struggling financially and the head of the household has to decide whether to forgo getting a share in his own taxi cab or use what limited resources he has for his daughter's wedding. In my view the gnawing hardship and consequences of lack of money has rarely ever been so honestly portrayed as it is here; the writing in the film is super and there are first class performances from every single player. The actress in the part of the one to be the maid of honor is sensational. 8/10.