The Bride Goes Wild (1948)

The Worst Film Ever

It’s an especially fun movie from a director and cast who are clearly having a good time allowing themselves to let loose.

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

Blistering performances.

Van Johnson and June Allyson were good together...if the material was good. Not so good when the material was stupid. And this material is the latter.In the early parts of the film, Johnson seems downright creepy. He's supposed to be a bit of a playboy, but here he seems like more of a letch. Playing with Allyson's hair in a creepy way, blowing in her ear when she's clearly not inclined. Later in the film there's a bit of slapstick, which Johnson actually does quite well at, but it just seems so out of place in the film. Of course, later in the film he's sort of reformed once he begins falling in real love with Allyson.And then there's Allyson. Well, somehow I just didn't find Allyson that funny as a drunk.Perhaps the problem here is the plot and how they characterized Van Johnson's role. A children's' book writer who hates kids and is a playboy. It had potential. Unfulfilled potential, and the ultimate outcome was so obvious from the beginning.If the film is saved by anyone, it is -- perhaps a bit, at least -- by Hume Cronyn as the publisher, and by Butch Jenkins, the child actor who portrays a child sort of "rented" to pretend Johnson has a son. More disappointing is a rather poor role for the very talented Una Merkel (although this was in the period of her career when she wasn't too popular). Arlene Dahl also had a disappointing role here; Dahl was quite a good actress, but never made it beyond supporting roles or starring in B pictures.This film had potential, but turned out rather disappointing. It has its moments...for example a rather funny Indian sequence. But overall, this seems like a very long 98 minutes.

Van Johnson and June Allyson team up with young Butch Jenkins in The Bride Goes Wild, really a rather inaccurate title. She doesn't go wild at all, in fact Allyson's a very proper young lady. But she does have a rather wild wedding through no doing of her own at the climax.She's an illustrator who is hired by a publishing company to do pictures for a series of children's books that are published under the name of Uncle Bumps. The character of Uncle Bumps as described seems to be a more civilized version of Gabby Hayes. But like Mark Twain is a creation of Samuel Langhorne Clemens, Uncle Bumps is the pseudonym for Van Johnson who's a rather wolfish sort and just eagerly contemplating how to get better acquainted with June.Allyson's a frustrated mom wannabe so Johnson borrows young Butch Jenkins from an orphanage, a kid with some behavioral issues. Today he'd be on all kinds of meds, but back in the day that wasn't available.As Johnson is running into a creative dry spell, young Jenkins proves to be something of a muse. And he does actually draw Johnson and Allyson closer together despite the fact they have some long term involvements, he with Arlene Dahl and she with Richard Derr.I think you see where this is going. I wish The Bride Goes Wild, misnamed title though it has was run more often. It's a nice family comedy and Jenkins has some real appeal as a child star. Allyson and Johnson were teamed many times by MGM and this film is a perfect example of their chemistry together.

June Allyson doing her thing. This time, she's a down-home gal and ace illustrator who wins a contest for her artwork to be used in a new children's book penned by the beloved Uncle Bumps, a modern-day Hans Christian Andersen. Turns out Uncle Bumps is really a hard-drinking, free-wheeling bachelor who dislikes children--yet he is so taken with this uptight artist once he meets her, he attempts to woo her under an alias. Why? It doesn't matter, for this is a vehicle for Allyson and Van Johnson (movie favorites at the time), and the script treats their characters like human bumper-cars just to keep star-watchers on their toes. Johnson's ruse is soon exposed, forcing him to emulate an honorable guy--which includes 'borrowing' an orphan to pose as his son. June threatens to dislodge him from the ranks of celebrity by reporting him to her cousin, a banner of controversial books and plays (she actually seems to proud to know such a person). Throw in an obnoxious hometown beau waiting in the wings, a wedding overcome with ants, and Hume Cronyn as a publisher on the brink of a nervous breakdown, and you have all the ingredients for a laughless family fracas done with neither style nor merit. *1/2 from ****

A famous children's' story writer named Uncle Bumps (Van Johnson) needs someone to illustrate his latest book. A contest is held, and an artist is chosen, Miss Martha Terryton (June Allyson). Martha is an uptight, prudish woman with little tolerance for wasting time. Uncle Bumps is really Greg Rawlings, a young playboy with no work ethic and a penchant for young women. He attempts to work his magic on Martha, and after hard work and trickery, including telling her that he has a son (Butch Jenkins), it begins to work. That's when his married girlfriend (Arlene Dahl) comes into the picture and messes everything up.This movie has the same sentiment that another Johnson and Allyson film does: Too Young to Kiss. There is the same love-hate relationship between the two with the obvious ending, but plenty of fun along the way. The two had a strong chemistry, which is why they made so many films together.Another wonderful addition to this film is Jenkins, the same kid from The Human Comedy. He's a little older here, and such a lovable little boy, though he isn't traditionally cute, but he's lots of fun to watch.