It's hard to see any effort in the film. There's no comedy to speak of, no real drama and, worst of all.

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

Blistering performances.

The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

This is a superb chamber play, with just a handful of actors.Ernest Borgnine, Bette Davies, and the rest of the cast are just magnificent! Seldom I've watched such a 'Kammerspeile' that has me smiling so much as this one, although it is a pretty sad story!Each time I see this movie, it brings a smile to my face, although it is mostly a sad tale about the realities of life!A hard to find DVD, by the way, my copy being Spanish; far from my native language!Nothing more to add!IMDb needs ten lines, hope this is enough!If not, I give up!

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.

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.

"The Catered Affair" was the movie adaptation of a Paddy Chayefsky's TV drama, which starring Thelma Ritter and Pat Henning. I'm guessing this was made due to the success of Ernest Borgnine's "Marty". The film is interesting in its depiction of a different time, when the ceremonial aspects of weddings were very strange. Today, I doubt these people would go on and on about such trivialities. But, then, there were certain "ways" people married.There are some terrific "period" scenes. The Hurley's home is a real time trip. Great kitchen! I loved the scene when Bette Davis takes in the frozen laundry from a clothesline outside her window. Ms. Davis totally commands the film - at times, her presence is overbearing. Her performance is excellent, but sometimes veers very close to going over-the-top. Ernest Borgnine, Debbie Reynolds, and Barry Fitzgerald hold their own in Davis' presence.I believe, due to the presence of Bette Davis, the film should have been altered to focus more on her character. Reworked, this could have been Davis' "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" You really have to pay attention to get what the film is really about - there is one instance where Davis' own wedding is explained. There should be more about both Davis's dwelling on the past, and Borgnine's hopes for the future. ******* The Catered Affair (1956) Richard Brooks ~ Bette Davis, Ernest Borgnine, Debbie Reynolds