Bridal Suite (1939) User Reviews

fluffy comedy

[blanche-2 · 6/10 · 1 May 2011]

"Bridal Suite" from 1939 is a small movie from MGM starring Annabella, Robert Young, Walter Connelly, and Billie Burke. The nice supporting cast also includes Reginald Owen, Gene Lockhart, Sig Arno, and Felix Bressart.

The film concerns a swinging bachelor, Neil McGill (Young) who is being married for his money by Abbie (Virginia Field) except that he keeps getting drunk and forgetting to show up at the wedding. His parents (Lockhart and Burke), longing to turn him into a solid citizen, are in a panic. They are hoping that somehow, he can convince Abbie to give him another chance, not realizing she's only marrying him because she needs money.

At a Swiss resort, Neil meets Luise (Annabella) and falls madly in love with her.

This film is cute and, at 1 hour and 15 minutes, seems to have been a "B" movie. This is a good indication of how, after giving her a tremendous star buildup, Darryl F. Zanuck just wanted Annabella off his lot and away from her boyfriend, Tyrone Power. I mean, he lends her to MGM for a B movie? None of Zanuck's ploys succeeded. Annabella refused to go to Europe to work, and less than a month after wrapping the film, Annabella and Tyrone Power married. So after all the star grooming, the French actress became known as Mrs. Tyrone Power. It's a shame because Annabella is delightful in this, and she really was a wonderful actress.

The best scenes are the ones that take place on the mountain. Though fake, they're quite impressive and scary! The other thing is the name of the resort where Neil and his mother are staying: Bieverhausen. On Will & Grace, Karen used what was spelled Beaverhausen as an alias.

A very good "B" Robert Young

[vincentlynch-moonoi · 7/10 · 12 April 2011]

This is a B movie, but quite a pleasant one. Robert Young is excellent as a playboy with an aversion to the altar...until he meets Annabella in Switzerland. He becomes quite captivated. And, there's quite a bit of snappy dialog here...more than you would expect for the fluff that this movie really is...but it's enjoyable fluff! Annabella is quite wonderful here, too.

There are enough great character actors to go around here -- Walter Connolly is superb as the psychiatrist, and Billie Burke paid her usual air-headed self...just one film before her Glenda in "The Wizard Of Oz". And you'll recognize several others, as well.

A word about the mountain climbing scenes. While clearly fake, they are rather well done, although three people stranded on a mountain would remain that calm, I'll never know.

This film is a nice mix of light comedy and drama. I think you'll enjoy it. And I still don't quite understand why, in movies, Robert Young didn't quite reach the success I think he deserved.

Primo Robert Young ably supported

[mmtoucan · 6/10 · 14 September 2005]

Before the paternalism and the pipe, Robert Young played charming, rich wastrels and heavy-drinking womanizers, all charming and sympathetic. MGM put him in quality B+ productions of which this is one, a light romantic comedy that borders on screwball with Young the screwy one. He is in top form, as is the entire excellent cast. MGM's typical blitheful avoidance of little old WWII, alluded to twice in jest, as the setting shifts from wartime England to Switzerland to transatlantic liner is a big downer. That and supposed-to-be-funny-but-never-is Arthur Treacher in a small role. Oh, and the whole lame and overworked premise that honest work will cure Young of his scalawag ways, though it provides Annabella material for her one and only laugh in the finale. It's big enough to keep you happily laughing as the end credits appear.

Incidentally, how many movie feature musical numbers with zithers. The Third Man, of course, and Sunnyside Up with Janet Gaynor (an extremely great movie musical moment) and this movie (not so memorable).

Lively Cast That Needs Better Director

[dougdoepke · 26 May 2017]

MGM B-movie with a lively cast, but more entertaining than amusing. The 70- minutes has elements of screwball comedy, popular at the time. However, the Young- Annabella pairing proves more likable than funny. Contrast this with the Grant-Hepburn pairing in Bringing up Baby (1938). The differential may well be due to the directors: the legendary Hawks in the latter, a relative unknown Thiele in the former. In short, the actors sparkle here, but there's little overall synergy that would build chuckles instead of spreading them out.

Young plays a rich man's wastrel son who likes binges better than his wedding day, which he has drunkenly forgotten. As a result, his fed-up dad (Lockhart) disowns him, while a desperate mom (Barnes) sends him to Switzerland for analysis and therapy. There, he meets charming hotel worker (Annabella) and tries to seduce her. She's tempted but senses his irresponsible nature. The question is whether he will ever change his worthless ways.

I agree with others-- the phony mountain sets are nevertheless both impressive and scary. But then, MGM didn't skimp, even with programmers. Note too, that there's a class element underlying the plot. The script makes clear that Young's character is deformed by an easy life of family wealth, while Annabella's solid values are rooted in a strong work ethic. And catch that episode aboard ship, where a richly attired Young strays into steerage only to get roughed up by working class men. After all, it is 1939 and class issues are a lively concern.

All in all, it's an unexceptional 70-minutes, most notable for a lively and colorful cast.

"Love and work: the two go together like that"(interlocking fingers)

[weezeralfalfa · 7/10 · 12 October 2017]

The basic plot of this MGM light romantic comedy concerns the question of whether the right woman can tame playboy Neil McGill(Robert Young), and induce him to settle down to a productive career, preferably within his father's nation-spanning company, so that he might some day take over his father's place.

Clearly Neil isn't excited enough over his girlfriend(Virginia Field, as Abbie Bragdon)to make him give up his carefree rich bachelor life. Twice, he's stood her up by 'forgetting' his wedding day. One gets the impression that Abbie is his parent's choice, probably for political reasons. She's certainly not bad looking, but Neil apparently is used to more glamorous prospects.

Neil's mother, played by Billie Burke, decides to take him to a famous psychiatrist in Switzerland to check for periodic amnesia, not realizing the real reason for Neil's habitual tardiness to his wedding. In Switzerland, as soon as he steps off the train, he meets the girl he has dreamed of, as his porter! She also has several other jobs and interests, making for a full life, in contrast to Neil's mostly empty life. Nonetheless, she's Immediately attracted to him. He tells her he's doing 'research'. They frolic a bit, but she learns about Abbie, who still has hopes of marrying Neil. Neil tells her that he is through with Abbie, and she seems satisfied. They take a climb up a fake snowy mountain, Neil neither wearing hat nor gloves. They get to know each other better on a treacherous ledge, with the doctor in between.

Later, Neil's mother decides the psychiatrist has had enough time to study Neil, and buys a ticket home. Strangely, Abbie and her father are also on the boat, and Neil is shocked that she plans their wedding on the ship. Neil is greatly elated that Luise is on the ship. He plans a switcheroo in the bride, against the wishes of the others.

Very familiar Gene Lockhart makes an authoritative father figure... Billie Burke was a definite plus, exhibiting her usual excited squeaky voice, stealing every scene she was in, which was quite a few. She would soon be cast as the good witch, in "The Wizard of Oz"... Anabella made a beautiful and winsome girlfriend in one of her relatively few films in English. Otherwise, she was cast in French or other European films. Her time at Hollywood failed to tap her diverse potential. She seemed to play the zither when she sang "When I Gave My Smile to You", first alone, in French; later, in French and English, partially with Young. Robert Young is the weakest link in this screenplay. He lacked the looks and charisma of someone equal in these respects to Annabella. Tyrone Power filled these requirements in Annabella's mind, and they would soon marry. We don't know whether Neil would fulfill his promise to knuckle down at a challenging job. Annabella is taking a big risk.

amiable Robert Young

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 2 June 2022]

Spoiled carefree American playboy Neil McGill (Robert Young) misses his own wedding... again. He falls for mountain innkeeper Luise Anzengruber. She backs off after hearing about his marriage engagement. She goes on a mountain hike with Doctor Grauer and become trapped by an avalanche.

Abbie needs to be horrible in order for the audience to root for Neil to get together with Luise. I don't think the movie sets that up enough at the beginning. Robert Young is the amiable type but he's not really the romantic playboy type. His most well known works are Father Knows Best and Marcus Welby on TV well after this movie. It's not a recipe for romantic heat. Again, he's amiable with enough comedic touch and that helps.

Young Amour

[wes-connors · 4/10 · 2 August 2015]

In London, idly rich Robert Young (as Neil McGill) sobers up with a shower and rubdown. He remembers it's his wedding day, but arrives too late for the ceremony. It's just as well, because Mr. Young goes to Switzerland and meets attractive blonde Annabella (as Luise Anzengruber). For the first time Young thinks he's really in love. He wants to end his selfish playboy ways and marry Annabella, but Young's family expects him to wed his London fiancée. After this film, bride the French actress Annabella took a break from movie-making and spent some time with new real-life groom Tyrone Power. "Bridal Suite" succumbs to the limited appeal of Young and Annabella as a romantic couple.

**** Bridal Suite (1939-05-26) William Thiele ~ Robert Young, Annabella, Walter Connolly, Billie Burke

ROBERT YOUNG.....SUPERBE....

[rickdumesnil-55203 · 7/10 · 6 July 2019]

Really cute little movie with a simple story line but effective. i keep a list of my 25 favorite actors and 25 actresses. robert young was number 12 but seeing this film i climbed him way up to number 4. pushing away gary cooper and cary grant. he was very funny in bridal suite and his acting especially facial expressions are flawless. i would certainly have not loved the movie so much with lead robert montgomery. not a masterpiece but a fun film

There's only one problem...you don't like the leading man.

[planktonrules · 4/10 · 26 May 2017]

Neil McGill (Robert Young) is a very spoiled son of a rich man. For the second time, he's missed his wedding with Abbie. Although he claims to love the woman, it's certainly not apparent. But his dippy mother (Billie Burke) wants to try to salvage the relationship and insists on taking Neil to Europe to get a note from a famous psychiatrist that says Neil was suffering from amnesia! However, some unexpected things happen...such as his falling in love with a poor lady (Annabella) as well as wanting to finally make something of himself.

This is a modestly interesting story. However, it's also a bit of a hard sell because through so much of the story Neil is unlikable and a bit of a spoiled jerk. Had be been less dislikable the story would have worked a bit better.

Needed Robert Montgomery

[martincon-57369 · 5/10 · 6 May 2018]

I started watching Bridal Suite and thought, this looks like a vehicle that Robert Montgomery could have made a meal of. Then read Trivia, and it was intended for Robert Montgomery originally. Robert Young makes this character very unappealing. He behaves like a thoughtless lech, and speaks harshly in an attempt to be "light." His singing is awful. Annabella versus Luise Ranier is more of a puzzle.

The supporting cast redeems it, as was often the case with a clinker of this vintage: The darling Billie Burke; Walter Connolly, Gene Lockhart, Felix Bressart, and, very briefly, Arthur Treacher. Worth watching for their collective professionalism and craftsmanship alone. Produced by the accomplished and unjustly obscure Edgar Selwyn, for MGM.

Off to Switzerland, the land where the cheese comes from.

[mark.waltz · 4/10 · 7 July 2022]

It's obvious that swiss cheese and Billie Burke have something in common, and it's not the pungent odor. Along with son Robert young, she's back to the standing set of snowy mountainous regions that they had visited in "The Bride Wore Red" two years before. As the nuevo riche son of self-made millionaire Gene Lockhart, Young has decided to break up with his uppity fiance, Virginia Field, and dipsy doodle mama Burke thinks that he should feign amnesia to get her back. Like the fool he is, he goes along with the scheme, but while they are in Switzerland, he falls in love with the simple living Annabella whose lifestyle appeals to him because it seems that all anybody does there is sing and smile and yodel.

I have as much fun laughing at this comedy as I did with some of the gags because practically every character outside of Annabella and doctor, Walter Connelly, is an absolute fool. There's Field's aristocrat father Reginald Owen, eccentric Arthur Treacher (doing a funny imitation of an English Lord whose upper class English is complete jibberish) and pompous Felix Bressart. Connelly as a frustrated psychiatrist is treating Young rather cynically at his Swiss chalet, and steals every moment he's on screen. Burke overdose her bird brain characterization, which is more the fault of the script and obscure director Wilhelm Thiele than the legendary actress.

Released several months before "The Wizard of Oz", there's a minor character ironically named Toto. The MGM gloss is quite obvious, but the plot is so absurd and ridiculous that as a screwball comedy, it's obvious one of the reasons why that genre began to lose popularity as the 30's went on. Plenty of laughs along the way though, and at 70 minutes, it's pretty innocuous. Annabella is cute, but her character is so cavity giving sweet that a diabetic would risk a coma watching this. Ultimately, the main issue is that the majority of the characters just aren't very likeable even when completely pleasant, and movie goers probably felt completely unfulfilled and weary after listening to everybody yelling scream at each other.