A joke about a wedding turned into a 1978 satirical masterpiece by Robert Altman
In short: When Robert Altman was asked about his next project while promoting 3 Women, he jokingly claimed he would film a wedding. He and his assistant decided to actually make it happen. The resulting 1978 film is a chaotic, multi-plot comedy-drama that explores the collision of two vastly different American families.
The film centers on the nuptials between Dino Corelli, from an established Chicago family with suspected mob ties, and Muffin Brenner, whose family made millions in the trucking industry. The event is a disaster from the start. The bride's family is nouveau riche from Kentucky, while the groom's family is old money. Due to rumors about the groom's father, Luigi, almost no guests attend, forcing the wedding planner to manufacture a fake receiving line to hide the empty room.
The narrative is classic Altman: a sprawling ensemble cast navigating overlapping dialogue and multiple plot threads over a single day. Beneath the surface, the mansion is a pressure cooker of secrets. The family matriarch, Nettie Sloan, dies early in the day, but her death is kept quiet to avoid ruining the festivities. Meanwhile, the bride's father harbors an inappropriate attachment to his daughter, the groom is revealed to have fathered a child with the maid of honor, and the bride's mother deals with her own illicit romantic temptations.
Critical reception was deeply divided. Roger Ebert praised the film's impressive structure, noting how it shifts from comedy to tragic personal revelations. Conversely, Gene Siskel and others found the work mean-spirited, criticizing Altman for ridiculing his characters. Despite the mixed reviews, the film remains a significant entry in Altman's filmography, even spawning a 2004 comic opera. It also served as a launchpad for future stars like John Malkovich and Gary Sinise, who appeared as extras.
The production itself was as contained as the story, shot almost entirely over eight weeks at the Lester Armor House in Illinois. It marked the 100th film appearance of Lillian Gish and the final screen role for John Cromwell. Ultimately, the film serves as a dark, funny vision of a contradictory America, where even a wedding celebration cannot mask the underlying dysfunction of the families involved.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: A Wedding (1978 film)
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