In this movie, writer Paddy Chayefsky (Marty, Middle of the Night) teams up with director Richard Brooks with the result being a very realistic and heart warming movie about a mother, played by Bette Davis, who gets caught up in her daughter's wedding and feels guilty unless she can turn it into an expensive, "catered affair". As with other movies, Chayefsky skilfully handles a family in conflict. For Davis, as Mrs. Aggie Hurley, it is an unusual role as the housewife and mother of an Irish Catholic family. The1950's setting of New York City's working class borough of the Bronx is well portrayed with its tenements, bridges and grocery markets. The strong cast includes Debbie Reynolds as her daughter Jane, Ernest Borgnine as her husband Tom, Rod Taylor as Jane's fiancé Ralph Halloran and Barry Fitzgerald as uncle Joe Conlon. The small walk-up apartment becomes the setting for family infighting over the size, cost, invitation list and other contentions associated with the wedding. While the circumstances have changed since the 1950's, we can easily imagine this scenario and the social pressures playing out. While Davis initially goes along with the daughter's idea of a small, family wedding, she finds it impossible to resist a more grand event with guests, food, entertainment, rented hall, music, etc. This flies in the face of her husband's plans for his own taxi business, which he has put his life savings towards. Aggie's ambitious wedding plans will eat up all his hard earned money. Neither the daughter or son in law really want it, much less the expense involved. Davis and Borgnine are forced to assess their own marriage and come to terms with a family that is suddenly taking on a new focus. I've always liked Ernest Borgnine although here he seems young compared to Davis. Barry Fitzgerald plays his usual role as the reliable Irish stand-in. Debbie Reynolds gives an excellent performance trying to be the sensible one keeping things from spiralling out of control. Rod Taylor seems a bit out of place in this early movie but he and Reynolds together have great chemistry as the young couple trying to navigate through the family battle. A fine and pleasantly simple movie that still has appeal, I was pleased to catch it on TCM.

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.

Bette Davis perhaps the best actress that Hollywood ever produced pared with one of the best and most under-appreciated actors of all time Ernest Borgnine are man and wife in the wonderful small story about a mother wanting to throw a big wedding for her only daughter that they really can't afford. Borgnine a cab driver who has saved for years to buy his own cab sees his life savings along with his dreams being sunk into the wedding. Debbie Reynolds as the daughter who never wanted a big wedding feels caught in the middle. This movie is a must see for any fans of the cast and of classic Hollywood. Davis, never afraid to play as she later put it "a frump" and is what sets her apart from other Hollywood female actors who once played glamorous parts early in their careers is particularly good in this roll. This paring with Borgnine is what makes this movie a classic.

I had seen this movie mentioned here and there for years, but neither the title nor the cast list suggested to me that I would enjoy it. (Ive never been that big a fan of either Ernest Borgnine or Bette Davis, although I knew they were fine actors; and putting sweet young Debbie Reynolds in the same scenes with them did not seem promising.) Finally someone whose taste I respected recommended it, so I gave it a try. What a delight! A subtle, intelligent script, with a cast that absolutely did it justice. None of the characters are perfect; none are terrible; and above all, none are simple. What is remarkable to me is the complexity and depth of the characters that is revealed without any one of them ever explaining him- or herself any more articulately than real people do. It took fine writing (Chayevsky may have done this better than anyone else), fine directing, and fine acting all around to accomplish this. Somehow it escapes being distinctly melodramatic, "gritty," bleak, or even particularly sentimental - while at the same time avoiding being too light, or too witty. It is just eminently watchable.