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The Catered Affair (Wedding Breakfast) (1956)

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Average Rating: 4.2/10
Reviews Counted: 6
Fresh: 1 | Rotten: 5

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Average Rating: N/A
Critic Reviews: 3
Fresh: 0 | Rotten: 3

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Movie Info

Bette Davis goes the "kitchen sink drama" route in The Catered Affair. As the frowsy wife of Bronx cabdriver Ernest Borgnine, Davis insists that her daughter Debbie Reynolds have a high-class wedding--caterers and all. Reynolds and future hubby Rod Taylor want a simple ceremony, but Davis' mind is made up. The wedding snowballs into an unwieldy affair as Davis and Borgnine find that they must invite everyone they know or risk incurring the wrath of their neighborhood. When the cost of the affair

Unrated, 1 hr. 32 min.

Drama, Comedy

Directed By: Richard Brooks I

Written By: Gore Vidal

In Theaters: Jun 14, 1956 Wide

On DVD: Feb 27, 1991

Cast

Bette Davis
Aggie Hurley, Mrs. Tom ...
Ernest Borgnine
Tom Hurley
Debbie Reynolds
Jane Hurley
Barry Fitzgerald
Uncle Jack Conlon
Rod Taylor
Ralph Halloran
Robert F. Simon
Mr. Halloran
Madge Kennedy
Mrs. Halloran
Dorothy Stickney
Mrs. Rafferty
Carol Veazie
Mrs. Casey
Joan Camden
Alice
Ray Stricklyn
Eddie Hurley
Jay Adler
Sam Leiter
Dan Tobin
Caterer
Paul Denton
Bill
Augusta Merighi
Mrs. Musso
Mae Clarke
Saleswoman
Don Devlin
Taxi driver
Bob Stephenson
Jimmy Fox
Tailor
Sammy Shack
Cabbie
Jack Kenny

Critic Reviews for The Catered Affair (Wedding Breakfast)

All Critics (6) | Top Critics (3) | Fresh (1) | Rotten (5)

Overall, the performances are good and there are occasionally amusing and touching momemts in the otherwise talky, mostly drab, affair under Richard Brooks' direction.

April 8, 2008 Full Review Source: Variety

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Variety Staff

Variety

Top Critic

Richard Brooks directed in a sort of free-wheeling way that carries the action jumpily from poignancy to farce and from moments of frowsy frustration to scenes of vulgar squawling en famille.

March 25, 2006 Full Review Source: New York Times

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Bosley Crowther

New York Times

Top Critic

The tragedy got lost somewhere in Richard Brooks's crushingly blunt direction.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Chicago Reader

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